The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1879-09-19
~ ~ For the fines.
Difioulty Of self.Gevernment.

We do not say that it is easy to acquire hab-
its which are against the original tendency of
The character. For one who is born careless and
pfocrastinating IL Is exceedingly difficult to be
methodical and prompt. The instinct is not to-
do to-day what can by any possibility be put off
till Tomorrow; nnd trying to take time by the
forelock Involves struggle and much exertion.
Yet, both method and promptitude to be
learned, and humhn nature, being on one side
Of 1t, automatic habits are formed whereby that
which was in the beginning beyond measure dis
tasteful becomes comparatively easy. Those
who really wish to become methodcal-say care.
full over their minor duties--cnn heip themselves
by mechanical aids. They can put their unan-
swered letters. for instance. in one place and
their answered ones in another, and take pleas
ure in seeing the pile of one diminish while that
Of the other increases. They can find enough
energy surely TO take day for their accounts and
persstenly let the unsettled book weigh like so
many incubi on their thoughts, until they are
properly balanced and arranged. They
force themselves to be orderly by small begin.
nings, if they cannot do things all at once; and
they can make themselves ashamed Of the fright
full muddle in which some people live to which
they themselves arc prone, but which, also, If
they will but SEQ things rs they are, they will
understand is q vice and 10 be avoided as they
would avoid the beginnings of degradation
All these things to be done by conscious and
courageous self discipline; and without that
self discipline nothing viii hs pli.hed--
There is no more royal road TO good habits
than to learning. Step by step, and with pain
full effort, we conquer here, we subdue there
We mould ourselves bit by biz and houi by hour.
| till time comes in to help us with our work, and
habit reacts on itself by crystalizing and con
solidating, or custom becomes necessity and nc
tion automatic. Then VIC may say that we have
formed good habits, and we may be, so far, sats-
fed with ourselves. But we must always re-
member to condemnation--if we deserve
condemnation that the most unsatisfactory in
clinations in the world could have been con-
quered and turned to good had we but the cour-
age to attack our secret foes and determine
forcing our way into the higher class Of the self
disciplined. And what we can do with the
more mechanical habits OF life we can also do
with the moral nature. The irritable and i'm
patient can, if they will, learn calmness and pa
tience, the fretful can be cheerful, the brooding
open hearted, the passionate can tame down
those wild beasts, within their hearts and the
jealous can become less selfish and learn
"aitruism" for the good Of the world We
can nl have the possibility Of n conscious if
we do not cultivate what we have; and we
oil have certain amount of reasoning fac
ulties which might make moro of il we
would. we will, we may be good, Mt least up
to certain point; for though il is not given to
every human being to be hero or a saiut it is
given to every one not an idiot or born n casta-
way, to rise rather than to fall, to cultivate his
virtues rather than sacrifice to his vices. 1t is
all a question Of self discipline. whether the
good has teen uppermost or the bad most cher
ished. PHS