Mountain Home bulletin. (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1888-1889, 1888-11-24
THE HABIT or DELAY.



why It IL Fatal - An seoaal Well-Bein
ana Happiness.
Some one has given the wise counse.
that. IN times Of pressing smergency.
when there is but . minute in which
to act, one-third Of that time should be
devoted to thought. Certainly harm
is frequently done by rushing into .sc-
tion without reflection; at the same
time, an opposite evil Of equal II not
greater magnitude results from delay
Ing the action which has already COM
mended ftself 70 me Judgment. A
large malorit1 d the. ,unfulfllled du-
ties Of the W0rld dis6 6anseA by the prac-
ticss n 4e1ys HG1bd intentions arc
abuhd4Ms; the aabfiity and the will to
carry them out are not wanting; but the
habit Of prompt action has never been
acquired. Persons with this deficiency
are wrecked in an emergency. Let
the Np116 ba on fire or any sudden
danger threaten them, and, instead OF
concentrating their mind upon the re-
quired decision for portion OF the
time afforded, they spend the whole
time in wavering considerations until
the opportunity for action is gone, and
the threatened evil that might have
been averted overwhelms them.
In all business. this lack is most dis
astrous. Each day brings new prob
lens to solve. new decisions to make,
new duties to perform Each one Of
these demands q certain amount Of
careful thought. but it also demands
final conclusion and prompt action.
He who does not learn how to appor-
ton these to the hourly necessities
can not hope to succeed in his business,
be it what it may II he does not
promptly decide and promptly act, time
decides for him; the offer Is with
drawn, the opportunity is gone. the
chance hns slipped away. and the dila-
tory man stands bereft of the power he
might have welded and the advantage
he might have gained.
This habit OF delay is fatal to all
social wcll-being and happiness. In
our relations with others nothing is
more ncedful than to do quickly that
which we are able to do for their COM
fort and pleasure Much Of this con-
sists OF little things. OF which, indeed,
the greater part Of life is made up. A
letter is to be answered, u call to be
returned, n friendly word of greeting,
or congratulations, or warning, to be
uttered, a temporary distress to be re-
loved. noble charity to be aided,
some cheering news to be communi-
Gated. These things are constantly
occurring TO our minds, and we mea"
to do them, but not quite yet. We
wait little while, and, meantime, the
spirit that would have animated them
dies away, and either they are nc,
done at all, or, coming 30 late, they
f;.'l Hat and unheeded.
When we are animated by evil
thoughts or unkind desires, when W.
are prompted to revenge wrong, to
reproach a failing. to say bitter words.
or TO do cruel deeds. then is the time
for delay. Then may we we'll wait.
and suffer these baneful feelings to
cool and better ones to take their
place. But If there is any righteous
deed to be done, any justice to estab
lish, any kindness to express, any love
10 manifest, any Joy to diffuse, let IL
hasten to give it form and voice, know
ing that there is neither time to waste
nor space to pause in the blessed work
Of doing good. Christian Union.