The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1888-08-24
Il UNIVERSAL EVIL
The Habit OF Delay which Causes .
Vast Deal or Trouble


when there is but a minute in which
TO act one-third Of That time should be
devoted to thought Certainly harm
is frequently dos BY rushing into ac-
ton without reflection; at the same
time, an opposite evil OF equal, if rot
greater magnitude. results from delay
ing tina action which has already COM
mended itself to the judgment A
large majority Of the untitled duties Of
the world is caused by tina practice Of
delay. Good Intentions a-e abundant;
the ability 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
house be- on FIRE or a sudden danger
threaten them, and. inssead Of con-
~centrating their mind upon the requir-
ed decision for a portion Of the time
afforded. they spend the whole in a
ering considerations until tho oppor-
tunity for action is gone, and the
Threatened evil that might have been
averteG oyerwhelms them. How many
lives have been lost in FIRE or ia water
or by other accident how much prop
erty has been destroyed how many
calamities have overtaken men simply
for the want Of this habit Of quick
thinking and speedy action!
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 m OF
these demands a certain amount Of
careful thought but It also demands q
final conclusion and prompt action. He
who does not learn how to apportion
these to the hourly necessities cannot
hope to succeed ia his business. be
what 1t may. II he does not promptly
decide and promptly act, time decides
for him; the offer is withdrawn, the
opportunity is gone, the chance has
slipped away, and the dilatory man
stands bereft OF the power he might
have gained.
Not only in cases where d decision is
called for. but in all the plain duties
OF life. is this habit Of prompt action
imperative. Many persons mean to
do the things which their ~consciences
demand, who YET fail simply from de-
lay. Certainly they will return that
borrowed money. they will attend to
those unsettled bills. they Will perform
this or that neglected duty, but not
just nov. This is putoh from time 10
time. trouble Is caused By the unjust
delay, other duties crowd in. and they
carry a load OF uns-lalled obligations,
continually increasing unsl life itseli
seems one huge burden which they can
hardly bear. Il is not strange then
that conscience. thus continually re,
pulsed. should cease her warnings and
|, that such people should sink first into
feebleness and then into guilt A re-
cont writer we'll said: Life is short.
considering how much there Is TO b.
done in il, how much there is to be put
into IT. how mnch there is to be wor
from it; its work requires Dispatch
J the prompt thought the decisive will.
I the instant deed. The winged houra,
the approaching end, rebuke our
dawdling and punish u slcth.''
This habit Of delay Is fatal to al
social well-being and happiness. In
our relations with others nothing is
more needful than to do quickly that
which we are able to do fos 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 ii to be answered. a call to b
returned. a friendly word Of greeting.
or congratulasioh or warning to be
uttered. a temporary distress 70 be re-.
J heyed, a noble charity t be aided,
some cheering news to be commune
Gated. These things are constantly
occurring Il our minds and we NEAR
/ to do them, but not quite yet VIZ
wait a little while, and meantime the
spirit that would have animated them
dies away, and either they are not done
at all, or, coming so late. they fall fla
and UNDECIDED. II is when thes@Ft j
warm with affection that tho tokens Q
love are moss precious. when enlnus
iasm burns the deeds il inspires al,
most servieeable. "A good deed dom
quickly is twice done; q seasonkbl
~sesvice Is doubled in yslHe.' Surely
/, IL ii be our power To commUnicat'
happiness in any form. TO wipe ava,
the tears Of distress, to nIlaysh cor
Foding fear, 70 comfort 10 help, 4
guide. to encourage, 10 inspire an
!. one, the more speedily we sst about /
the more good we shan do. The amc
!, &ons Of love. compassion and synFa
thy soon dies out CT The breast Of or
who withholds or delays their naturs
! expression. OF they turn into useIes
and sickly s~entimentality, while in th
Il heart Of him who hastens to embed
them ia his life aud astions they vii
1onon.n 1tvsrr fnanfafua ~ 4ov 81 hin.