The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1881-01-01
Self-COntrol.

FL
tense love Of the strong. Power is the
principal source of the sublime. 1t more
than delights--it awes and fills with adj
miration. The mighty engine, the swift
lightning, and the laundering cataract
are sublime, because they exhibit pow
er. Man looks at them and feels his
own insignifcance in their presence.
And yet to inspire awe, power must be
controlled, otherwise it terrifies and fills
with dire dismay. The sight of the
steam-engine, moving speedily over the
track, drawing after it the whole train
of cars freighted with human life and
valuable merchandise, never becomes
old or common. The workman will
cease his work every day to watch it,
and when it has passed he resumes his
task with the thought, power is grand
when it is controlled. But suppose the
engineer falls asleep or neglects his
duty, the power of the engine is robbed
of its grandeur, and it becomes thing
to be feared, and almost to be hated.
The workman looks at the frightful
wreck of life and property, and then he
knows that the charm of power lies in
its being strong, yet controlled. Who is
to blame for the wreckP The enginep
No, you say, the one who ought to have
guided its power.
There is wonderfully good cheer in
an open fire. As the business man
comes home at night, he loves the
hearth that glows for him. But when he
comes near and finds his dwelling all
ablaze, no longer does he love the pow
er OF flame, for it is fast spreading be-
yond the power of control. Yet the
fame is not to Blame, Man is reverent
to the power of electricity, and he glad
ly makes it his messenger while he can
control it, but when it slips from his
guidance, and becomes the forked light
ming, and shivers the hardy oak of his
field, or makes ruin of his habitation, Oh,
how he bows with fear before the power
he can not control.
You may sometimes see man who
bears all the elements of a noble man.
hood, yet whose character is a wreck.
He commands no respect from his fell
lows; he deserves none. He does not
even respect himself What is the mat
terP Is he to be blamedp Why more
than the engine, the fire, or the light
ningP Evidently, because each man has
the ability to control his own power, and
if he does not, he himself must suffer.
He can do what he wills to do. His will
is an engine, moving with all his appe-
tites, passions, personal habits, and
everything about the man. He is an
engineer. He must be constantly on
duty, for if he falls asleep there is dan
ger of a wreck that is almost sure to
follow. There is no sight more terrible
than an individual who has lost control
of this power; he goes headlong on until
he rushes over a great precipice into
utter destruction.
A man who does not control his tenn
per is despised by all who come in con-
tact with him. His words are foolish
and wicked, his actions silly and base.
He receives no respect. Some one has
said that an angry man turns himself
wrong side out for other people to laugh
at; and the Word often mentions ssThe
wrath of fools.' Some people fancy
that it is an exhibition of power to be-
come angry. So it is, but it is that dam
gerous kind that is bitter curse. Men
often give us as an excuse for wrong
doing, 81 was mad and could not help
it." A poor excuse. Shame on the
man who does not control his temper.
However, to be self-possessed implies
more than simple control of temper.
1t implies perfect mastery of all
ones emotions. The person who
laughs when it is inappropriate,
who sneers at the mistakes and misfor-
tunes of others, who disturbs in places
of worship, the one who whispers, who
pays no attention during recitation,
who uses two legs of his chair instead Of
four, who pushes or crowds in the hall,
in fact, who does anything that per-
son of refined taste and manners should
not do, says by his actions, 81 have no
power of self-control-pity me. need
master. am like the horse, l have
great strength, but some other man
must put the bride upon me to guide
me Alright, or shall use my strength for
ruin" He needs pity. He must be
helped and controlled, but self-help is
the best help, and self-control is the best
control. There is no nobler sight on
earth than an individual who is master
of himself. He carries with him an air
of dignified, controlled power that fasci-
mates you from the first. He is happy,
for his habits are well fixed, and he in
spires all who meet him to try to lift
themselves above themselves. The self
poised people have strong and violent
passions, but have them in subjectlon.
1t is not that we want people without
passions, but that we want them con-
trolled. You can not help loving the
black-eyed, mischievous little boy, full of
tricks, better than the one who is always
a sober, staid, little man, and when they
become men, the one who has the strong
est feelings under the best control, will
make the best neighbor, friend, and
statesman.--The Campats.
Preferring Death to Liberty.