The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1873-02-13
CHARACTER THE AGGREG ATE OF
ONES THOUGHTS.

In the plant days of childhood, and
through the plastic period of youth, the
character, the Individual self-hood of every
person is formed, and this by no sudden pro-
cess, but by a continual outward and Inward
growth, or rather by an inward growth from
| outward sources or causes.
1t is no rapid formation that can be watch.
ed step by step as it is progressing, for often
the interior growth is far different from the
apparent visible life. The heart sometimes
becomes thoroughly corrupt. demoralized,
while the conduct remains unchanged for q
time; but evil thoughts finally bear their
natural fruit OF evil deeds, and society stands
appalled, at the power of temptation which
seems to have overwhelmed at one stroke an
upright man or woman. Rarely, however, is
this the case, for the conquering foe was a
cherished inmate of the citadel, not an out
81 de assailant. For months or years bad
thoughts had been slowly distiling their in
1ammable poison through the willing mind
until the whole fabric became so impregnat-
ed that but spark of evil, temptation, was
needed to set in flames and destroy all.
Nd person can be greater, truer or nobler
than his ideal. No one can be or do any,
thing he does not first think of being or do
| ing, and bad actions found their source as
surely in bad thoughts as good clions pro-
ceeded from good thoughts If the fountain
be kept pure by persistently throwing out
and excluding everything wrong immediate
| ly on the discovery of its presence, the
stream, that Is, the life flowing from IL. will
also be pure.
| In youth great stress should be laid upon
forming correct habits OF thought, for every
act since frs the world began was once but
a thought, not always full-formed and per-
feet, but seed, germ, from which was de-
veloped the deathless statue, the immortal
painting, the grand cathedral, the prin ting
press, the telegraph or the railway. Or, on
the contrary the germ became robbery, for
gerry, piracy, and all those crimes which
arise almost wholly from disregard of that
one great human principle: "Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as myself"
Carefully, indeed, ought every one to
guard his thoughts. IF the mind is trained
to think clearly and systematically, rot dis.
sipated by idle revery, enervated by castle
building, or wasted upon trifles, it will con-
t.nually enlarge, strengthen, and improve,
even though the individual is so constantly
engaged in manual labor as to have no time
to devote exclusively to mental improve
menG.
The thought is the work of the man. A
persons thought determine his life and
character. If he allows his mind to wander
in vain imaglnings among impure:scenes and
forbidden subjects; if he longs to possess
objects or property belonging to another,
these thoughts will undermine rectitude and
virtue, and soon base deeds will take the
place ofbase fancies. But if the mind is en-
gagged upon subjects pure and elevating, true
and noble, and the impure and wicked are
J banished instantly whenever they intrude
upon the attention, and temptation /:
: spurned as quickly as offered, the habit o
! doing right Is sure to follow the habit o
thinking.
; Man improves, advances, or degeneratel
. and retrogates according to the numbeS anc
quality If his ideas. If these be employed
3 upon vain, frivolous, and wrong topics, tn,
individual becomes trifling, idle, and wicked
) If the mind is employed upon lofty aud en-
. nobling subjects, as the beauties of nature
1.-The benevolence of the Creator, and the &C