The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1885-07-30
eAD-TEMPEREo MEN.

BAD. MEN.
A Grievous Fault which Can he Cured
By Special. Continuous and Persevering
Care, Aided by Divine Grace.
There are many men who fill the de-
scription which venerable lady once
gave of her son: "John wants to be q
good man. but he don't know how"
and majority of these men are bad
tempered. Some of them are subject
to fits of anger, Others are suspicious;
some can not overlook slight. others
are always demanding praise; some
are sour as buttermilk, others are re-
seniful and touchy. The catalogue
might be extended to great length, SO
numerous are the forms in which bad
temper plaques its victims and the rest
of mankind. No doubt the bad-tem-
pered people lack knowledge of their
besetting sins, and of the means to
overcome them. TO know ourselves is
not easy especially when full knowl-
edge would be humiliating to self-love.
The victim of bad temper blames 9TH
ers for causing his sin, as child kicks
the stone over which he stumbles; and
it comes to pass that the good-tempered
folks are made to answer for all the
bad tempers of their neighbors. This
might be borne with patience if by
bearing it the sweet could cure the sour;
but unfortunately, though patience is q
duty, it is not remedy of radical
nature. The man whose irrational an
ger enco inters no obstacles will soon
cool oil, but he will be hot again at the
first provocation. 10 bear his anger is
best and easiest; but bearing it will not
cure it.
No device has been found equal to
this case. We once knew company
OF good brethren to concoct an extern
poraneous class meeting Ito tell each
other their faults The angry, the
morose and the suspicious brother were
present. The angry man grew hot with
rage when his fault was mentioned; the
morOse man went into tit of sulks; the
susp cious man declared that the meet
ing was trap. A little order being
restored by singing hymn, the hot
eOlu PClCo WV uCI ChPiuliCo ehoo hio
fault was meekness; he bore too easily
the ill-will and bad conduct of his
brethren He felt that he ought to re-
sent the things, but for the sake OF his
Master he endured them. The sulking
brother said that he did all he ought to
do, and much more, because he loved
the cause; but he was not so forward as
some others to lead of in everything,
because he did not seek honor. The
suspicious man declared that frankness
and trust were his special failings, but
his confidence was so often abused that
he found his duty sometimes disagree
able. Mild remonstrauces were made
to these professions. TIE bad-tempered
men were told by chapter and verse
the cases in which they had abundant
| ly proved their vices of disposition and
manner; but it was useless-they per-
SISTED in claiming the virtues which were
tie oppos.tes of their faults. The meet
ing broke up in disorder, and no second
session was held. The bad tempers
| continue TO plague the church.
Ii all were as blind as these brethren
there would be nothing to do but to
pray. The sermons on sins Of temper
would not hit the mark. The men for
whom they are meant will pass them
along to others less culpable than them
sci es. There is, however, minority
among the bad-tempered who know
something of their faults though they
blame others for them. these can per.
hars be reached by suggestion that a
fault of temper must be corrected by
the man himself, and that to correct 4
he needs to take special, continuous
and persevering care. There are men
who in this way have cured themselves
of bad tempers. It need not be said
at length. for it Is understood, that
Di, inc grace is necessary. Happily
the grace has not to be made for the
occasion; it exists in bouudless plenty
What is needed is that the victim of q
bal temper shall use this grace for hi
sp, cial sin. He must, in order to use il
clearly, recognize and confess his sir
to himself; he must check and restrain
his tendency to blame the innocen
occasions of his temper; he must speci
ficslly ask Divine help for this evil; h,
must watch himself at this point. w,
know there is shorter road to sancti
fy,pg power. OF which many speak; w
do not discredit that road. but the aver
age man with q bad temper will meek
in every case to watch his weak poin
and direct the healing efficacy o
prayer to that weak point He vii
ned keep his eye on anger, his vii
holding fast to purpose to subjugat'
it TO r gheous law.
There is much neglect by Christian.
of the details Of character. They lik,
to think Of the work Of grace Is . whole
sale matter, clean sweep, . boom o
salvation. and they forget the necessit,
Of watcafulness. vigilance, patient con
tinuance in self-subjugation. The mai
who has IN intirmity Of temper ough
TO concentrate his efforts on that line o
self-ref0rm with full confidence that b.
will have oil the grace be win use, an,
that by Gods help he can liberate him
self from his bondage He may thu
change his spiritual habits and .put OF
the new man" Let him stop maxim,
excuses 10 himself and accusing other
Of 3 ur;ng his disposition aud inflaminI
his resentments A few mouths O
patient and steady effort will convinc
him that be Goa DO perfectly healed o
his plague No matter what the In