The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1878-06-26
MISCELLAN EOUS.
TnE INFLUE~CE OF HABIT
Sermon by Rev. Dr. Matthews of
New Orleans.

TExr-And Jesus came out and went as he
was won't to the Mount of OlIves.-Luke "a
CHI, 3Jth VS..
There is wonderful history connected
with all material and spiritual thing, 20
which science gives the VANCE name OF
force.
1t i the great structure of energy which
compels and mOuldS matter into the form
of the crystal, the flower of the wave ana
the sea taking the elements from one talng
aud giving them in new shape To another.
II is all pervading and in every thIng-Ih
the Ifly the star, your face and blood. lt
| shakes the tree and ripens the peach II i
! EVERYWHERE 1t Is no more of an accident
| than are the Pyramids, but il an universal
| law, wonderful in its harmonious opera
| ton.
| This force also works through all life.
| The soul does not shape itself mo the I'M
| pure by accident. Men do not drlit INTO
| crime by chance. The deposits in tumble
Of water are put down atom by atom with
mathematical precision. ThIs Is not
| chance. There is something, Jaw, be-
| hind A sunny lite j. not an accident.
| The purpose and emotion which constitute
| iu do not tumble into beautiful exactitude.
In the beautiful as well "a IN the ugly
wonders upon the floor OF the sea and
there is system everywhere. Inc many
Cham bered rainbow hued nautilus, Is not
exquisite bv the accidental falling together
o It's parts. fish within 1t formed 1t, just
as a fish within a clam forms its ugly shell
The same soil that produces the sweetest
rose builds up by its size the odlous
weed.
This force takes the form of habit. The
text speaks of the habit of Jesus of going
out to the Mount of Olives, where he loved
to 90 and pray. Habit originally meant
dress. AT first men made their habit from
fig leaves, next bark was used. Finally It's
meaning was trans fcrred to moral quail
ity-to the continued doing of anything "a
men continuously wore their habit.
This force habit shapes the soul for eter-
nifty. If it was shaped al random then woe
betde it. 1t is given to the young man 70
guide and enlarge his manhood. As good
George Herbert says, man must keep the
reins." That villain who is now abhorred
was as bright child as the sanity man
His mother was proud of him, ana iohdlY
hoped for great things in his future man
hood, but the wrong habits led him down.
Some men acquire such habit of lying you
don't know when to believe them.
Great results are possible from TINS force
of habit in religion. Little daily efforts
will build good habits which will be for
tunes for our defense against the EVIL most
Self-denial is acquired by constant habit.
/ IN ust be practced in little things. An
old philosopher had such habit OF self
control that when his antagonist, in d heat
ed controversy, threw a glass OF wine IN MS
face he calmly wiped it off, and remarklng
that that was a depression, continued his
discourse.
The child that gets all it wants by crying
forms habit that leads in the direction OF
the gallows. Habits must be toned to the
law of virtue. The force out of which they
are formed is vitality given us with winch
to train our moral natures.
In the centennial art gallery was a PIC
ture by Walter SherlOw of the founder
working upon new bell with upllfted
hammer. listening keenlY TO the notes OF Il
violin. He was ''toning the bell" Every
church bell thus has its peculiar tone. 50
must we by the force of habit tone up our
religion to a high note in Christ's harmOnl-
Gus music.
Habits are wound around the soul, and
are harder to break than bolts or chains
The habits of childhood are the most last
ing, and often old men will forget fifty
years of their middle life only to wildly re-
call all the incidents of their boyish days
UnconSciousiy formed habits are full OF
evil. Boys think it smart to walk with a
swaggery, and girls with minclng gait
and the foolish habit remains. Boys ac-
quire a vulgar way of eating, which when
fortune introduces them to society, they
cannot shake off The doctor here related
his own terrible experience in breaking on
from the confirmed habit of smoking, Ii
was the hardest struggle of his life. The
best female talker that ever lived could not
utter word in society unless she was
twisting a string around one of her ringers,
One Of the most eloquent of American pull
pit orators could not speak without holding
Slnall SIP OF paper Ill HIS MANU. Inc lLb
mense influence OF these small unconscious
habits is not fully appreciated
Splendidly educated men of good Judg
ment often fail great men do not succeed
frequently in the pulpit; good politicians
often cannot get an office and 90 to the wall;
sound business men become bankrupts-
all fall short because OF some habit that
turns the scale at the decisive moment.
The religious application of habit is APP
parent
NTat,o.,;,,1 ,,,a,.;,,,, o,,o,, 1,,itb tbo gpir;t
absent is better than none. 1t keeps up
the habit, so the spirit can return. If you
miss church seven times you will miss
twenty times. then year, and then quit
altogether. 1t is better therefore to come
even in the hot MINER and be bored to
death by poor preacher than to lose the
habit of coming regularly to the House of
God,