Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1845-01-09

WOODSIOCK, VlkGl
] to mind dubious, deadly. struggle
i which had terminated in his favor'--
The sens Of danger is never, perhaps,
so fully unprecedented as when the dam
/ ger has been overcome.
= elf-discipllne is grounded on self
/ knowledge. A man may be led to re-
solve upon some general course of self
discipline by faint glimpse Of his mo-
.Mal degradation: let him not be con-
Nented with that small insight. His
first step in self discipline should be
to attempt to have something like an
adequate idea of the extent of the dis
order. The deeper he goes into this
matter the better: he must try to probe
his own nature thoroughly. Men Of
ten make use Of what self-knowledge
they may possess to frame for them
selves skilful fattery,or to amuse them.
selves by fancying what such persons
as they would do under various ina
ginary circumstances. For batteries
and for fancies of this kind, not much
depth of acknowledge was required:
but he who wants to understand his
own nature for the purpose of self
discipline, must strive to learn the
whole truth about himself, and not
shrink from telling it to his own soul.
s'To thine own self be true, 8
And it must follow, as the night the day..
III hou ca st not then be false to any man."
The old courtier, Polonius, meant this
for worldly wisdom; but it may be
construed much more deeply.
/ Imagine the soul, then, thoroughly
awake to its state of danger, and the
whole energies Of the man devoted to
self-improvement. At this moment
there often arises habit Of introspec-
ton which is too limited in its nature:
we scruiiniSe each action as if it We're
a thing by itself, independent and self
originating; and so our scrutiny does
less good, perhaps, than might be ex-|
pected from the pain it gives and the
resolution it requires. Any truthful
examination into our actions must be
good but we ought not to be satisfied
with it, until it becomes both search
ing and progressive. It's aim rshould
be not only to investigate instances,
but to discover principles. Thus .
suppose that our conscience upbraids US
for any particularly bad habit we then
regard each instance of it with intense
self-reproach, and long for an opportu-
nifty of proving the amendment which
seems certain to arise from our pangs
of regret. The trial comes and SOM
times our former remorse is remem ber-
ed, and saves US; and sometimes it is
( forgotten, and our conducts as bad as
it was before our conscience was awa-
kened. Now, in such case, we should
begin at the beginning, and strive to
discover where it is that we are wrong
in the heart. This is not to be done
by weighing each particular instance,
and observing after what interval it
occurred, and whether with little
more or little less temptation than u
sual: instead of dwelling chiefly on
mere circumstances of this kind, we
should try and get at the substance of
the thing, SO as to ascertain what fun-
aamental precept of God is violated by
the habit in question. That precept
we should make our study; and then
there is more hope Of a permanent a
mendment.
Infinite toll would not enable you to
sweep away anist; but, by ascending
a little, you may often look over it alto
gether. So it is with our moral inn
provement: we wrestle fercely with
vicious habit, Which would have no
hold upon US if we ascendedinto high
er atmosphere. ia.ss
As have heard suggested, it is BY
| adding to our good purposes, and
nourishing the affections which are.
rightly placed, that we shall best be a.
bic to combat the bad ones. BY adop-
ting such a course, you will not have
yielded to your enemy but will have
gone in all humility, to form new ALI
ances you will then resist an evil ha-
bit with the strength whichyou have
gained in carrying out a good one
You will find, too, that when you set
your heart upon the things that are wor-
4 a. &c Il. 4
used 10 be sodear to it, will appear al
most disgusting; you will wonder that
they could have had such hold upon
you.
In the same way, if you extend and
1 deepen your synpaihies, the prejudices
which have clung obstinately TO you
will fall away !; your former uncharita-
lbleness will seem absolutely distas!e-
f,l. x,o,, xr,ill have hro,,frht Name To If