The Morristown gazette. [volume] (Morristown, Tenn.) 1867-1920, 1883-02-14
THE FORCE OF HABIT.
How a Man Assumes His Second
Nature by Long Continuance
I'm any Practice-POinted
Temperance Truths.


Temperance Truths.
wAAhington Post, FEB. ..
Habit; or the Powers that Be,
was the subject Of John b. Coughs
lecture at the Congregational church
last evening. The church was crowd
ed, every seat filled, and the aisles
filed with chairs. 1t was the clos
ing lecture of the Lyceum course.
Mr.. Cough began his address with
the remark that if he were a pru-
dent man he would have followed
the dictation of his physical condi-
ton and disappointed the audience.
He had chosen the word "Habit' as
a subject, for it gave wide latitude
for his lecture. Habit we usually
acquire uncons iOusly. Repeated
acts constitute the custom, aud Gus
tom creates the condition of mind
which makes habit. Perseverance
in a right course soon enables us To
form correct habits. Thus, II every
act ten q TO form habit, what ire
mendOus responsibilities hang upon
a single one of our acts. There Is n
power in gravity, and TO form a
habit of pOliteness is wisdom. Pc |
cuhAr habits of conversation and |
conduct are easily gained and should
be avoided. The habits which fash
ion inculcate are dangerous to health
and pocket. The habits which
desire for accumulation of money
bring often cling To those who form
them all through life, aud after the
occasion for them has long passed.
The habit of lying and that of pro-
family gain upon man when once ac-
eepted and practiced, and they are
the most insanely foolish of all hab-
its. Young men should remember
that TO swear is not manly, and TO
swear in public is indecent Ap
plause.1 To do anything that will
shock the religious sentiments of
anybody is, it seems to me, in bad
taste, and it is to me painful to see
a man talk upon the subject What
shall do to be saved, in an lrrev-
erent way, merely To make people
laugh. Applause. In many cases
the recklessness of youth leads to
habit of ignoring every good i'm
pulse. Men too often acquire the
habit of living solely for self. How
/ wish could get hold of these
Y Dung men and women who are
drifting along without an object in
life, with habits of doing nothing,
with no strong inn ulJes, no aim in
life. 1t is pitiful 10 see the slaves
of habit, the slaves to vice, the
slaves of plofInity, the slaves Of
drunkenness. Young men, as you
grow older you will find that what
ever you may forget, you will re-
member the incidents Of your own
life; so form habits which will make
those memories pleasant.
No man means to be n drunkard
There has been a cruel pamphlet
published by q New England min
lister saying a drunkard isn't worth
saving, and that drunkenness is the ]
result of innate depravity. i don't
belieye it. / am glad to say that {
these tracts have been rejected by
many of the churches TO which they
are sent. Intemperance and drunk I
enness are the result of a habit. If ;
would tell the truth they |
would tell US that more persons die 1
from systematic drinking than from I
There are men, I be- '
lieve, in Washington who are com 4
fortably full from one years end To q
another, and yet never drunk. The .
man with a nervous disposition can .
not do this-he cannot be a "tem-
perate" drinker. am one of those. .
You may call me weak minded for v
it If you choose; / don't care. 1t G
was not able to drink temPerately T.
had the strength of character to L
quit it entirely. [Applause. The G
habit of desire for intoxicating liq- p
nor grows constantly. Take your D
own case. Don't you, ii you drink q
lt all, drink twice as much now as e
rou did FIVE years ago2 If so, what IL
will it be, at this rate of increase, W
orty years from now? Now is the II
easiest time to give it up don
,ay that moderate drinker
: worse than a drunkard, that -
5 not the fact. There are II
ONE moderate drinkers who are
,OOd men, but they ought to quit il 81
md they will be better men. 1 o.
are not whether il is upon the =,
prince or the beggar, the power of in
rink Is debasing and scathing,
making men brutes. The habit 70
rows on men. -
Some men when they get drunk -
he first time 20 to their Office by NJ
he back way. The next time they Il
ave less shame and the next less 81
nd less and so on until-perhaps l Of
ught not TO say il they now sit sy
D halls of legislation 40 intoxicated al
5 to be a mark for ribald men TO in
oint at. Don't begin. III you have o.
egun stop It. If you see another a.,
help him 10 stop it. X
here In no greater dignity than he
looping to help another. Zap he
lause. Life is battlefield for ms =.
n. All of us have something to ~,
ght. There isn't propensity we b.
ave- that cannot DO overcome. En- tri