The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1886-10-22
WHAT WE THINK.
People Who XIII Themselves by Think.
Ing Mean Things.
Especial Corrcspondcncc.1

ing mean InIukss
Especial Corrcspondcnccl
Boston, Oct. l9.--If you are unhappy
from ATTY cause you are sinner. We are all
sinners! Our present religions don't seem to
make the majority of the professors happy.
Il has told us truly to reform our acts II
suys little about reforming our thoughts.
The average New England deacon of forty
years ago often died OF consumption; be-
cause he thought such set of mean thoughts
they killed him There Is scientific truth
involved in the phrase about mans being
"too mean to live." Meanness does kill peo-
ole. It's not so quick as arsenic. But its
slow and sure. A mean thought is q
mean thing put out in the air. Its none
the less real for being invisible, no more than
is electricity or any unseen power in nature.
Some houses make you feel mean to go into
them. It's because there's so much actual
mean element floating in the air and per-
nleating the walls. Think mean and you'll
act mean. Every act of the body has a mood
of mind behind that made the act. Murder
in the mind always precedes murder by the
body. You can't do mean thing without
several hours of mean thinking before. Some
people take several years. More's the pity.
They pay for it by sick bodies Pure, un-
adulterated villainy is never we'll True, it
may be on its legs and about the streets.
But more people are sick on their legs every
day than are sick in bed Don't get angry at a
mean man. He's suffering more than you are,
unless you get angry. Anger brings on bile.
The trouble with many people who want to
reform the world is they make themselves
sick at the start by getting angry and scold-
-,
and anger poison the blood. The thought so
put out is the destructive element It draws
and attracts the same element from those
scoded at. You can pile pills all day down
scolding woman and they won't help her.
She is profitable patient though for the
doctor.
Short cases mean short fees A good prac-
tice needs long cases and long purses behind
the cases Don't blame the doctors They
only give what their patients call for. The
doctor knows that all the woman needs is
rest The woman thinks she needs pill.
The doctor gives the pill to satisfy the
womans needs. She needs it not because it's
really necessary, but because she thinks it is.
Then it is not necessary. Just as need
cigar because l think do. Put me where
couldn't got one and I'd soon find I didn't
need it, No sound preaching is good unless
the minister takes his own medicine. l
try always to swallow my bitterest doses.
Bnt no preacher is obliged to practice what
he breaches. I've as good right to do wrong
as my parishioners If do the penalty will
whack me and whoop me up all the same.
The idea that man must or should practice
what he breaches to others is ridiculous.
Telling man that getting drunk will give
him u headache next morning has nothing to
do with your getting drunk or keeping sober.
You've told the truth. Whether you handle
the truth or not is another affair."
That is right proves itself in the amount of
happiness it brings. One hours "drunk"
brings day of pain. This is the proof that
the drunk was sin. If you want your
drink and must have it, and are willing to
suffer for it, you are entitled to it and it is
nobody's business but your own. All this
preaching by others to others as to what you
shall do or shall not do is SO much strength
brown away by the preacher to the preacbee.
p have perfect right to do wrong.
h MHan't do wrong without getting your
little whack for it at every step Go OH in
wrong doing my friend. Go on as long as
you can stand it. L. 1. GREY.