Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1890-12-22
g RULING THE SPIRIT"
A DISCOURSE ON THE IMPORTANCE
OF sELF-C0NTRoL.
"He That Ruleth Bis Spirit is Bette,
Than BE That Taketh a City,
SO Saith the Bible.

Hall last evening, taking for his text: HE
that ruleth his spirit is better than he thai
taketh city."-Prov. xvi, 80.
These words" he said, place high
estimation on ruling the spirit. Self-con.
troll has always been important. Solomon
must have had such experience as is COM
mon to the rest of mortals. Matters did
not always go as he wanted them; annoy.
ances entered into his life to ruff1e his
spirits; all was not fair weather and sun
shine with the King any more than other
people, and at times anger would stir his
royal blood. Then he would storm around
until the keepers of the temple were made
to think that time for them had come to a
close. Then the King on his throne
showed his weakness. We read that those
whom the gods would destroy they first
make mad Then it is that king is a
small, weak man among other small, weak
men, who give way to all forms of passion.
For the time he ceased to be Gods an
nointed. The weakest servant in the king
dom, who controlled his spirit, was greater
than he. His kingly power had departed.
But thereaction was greater on the King
than on anyone else. His words and
deeds Inundated hiN. Thus it is a com.
mon experience that our conduct is often
humiliatipg to US. 1t hiss acted like the
Australians boomerang, and has whirled
back upon US with terrible force. A hasty
word was spoken; thoughtless deed was
done; ne nave given way to passion or q
rash impulse that causes us many rest
less hour. A little ruling of the spirit at
tho mi, n
many pang of regret. What would we
not give if We could recall the imprudent
word or deed.
As II goes in the world, it is usually re-
garded the GROWING glory of man to be
great warrior; to sit in the councils of the
nation; to win the laGrels Of the orator or
writer-and certainly these are not to be
despised if honorably gotten. But it is
still greater to be able to control SELF to
put the reins on our own passions. And
the reason is easily found. The conquest
of self is the greatest Of all achievements.
because il is moral conquest. The vic.
tories of greatest moment are in the moral
world, and not where sabers clash and
carnsge is rife. Some persons would put
the laurels upon the brows of such men as
Alexander, Peter the Great, Napoleon,
Byron, Poe; but none of them were truly
great conquerors, because they failed to
conquer themselves,
Then, many of the greatest achieve
ments are not matters of history We
read of the recording angel 1t is to be
hoped that he is very faithful in taking the
record, and that he may not be Influenced
In making it, else much that is of great i'm
portance will be missed. Things not con-
sidered worth mentioning in the world
have high place in the kingdom of grace.
The man who, on the farm, or in the shop
or store or Office, amid all the petty worri.
ments and vexations, keeps his temper un-
ruffled, is greater than the dauntless hero
who leads successful campaigns against
others but fails in bis campaign against
himself.
That faithful minister of the home
mother of the family, with the care of the
house, who can hea Christian amid all her
cares and annoyaDces, can be a Christian
anywhere. 1t is here that the spirit is tried
and the victory is the greatest. In the
small affairs Of life our power of self
mastery is most severely tried Here it is
true that he that is faithful in that which
Is least is faithful in much 1t is not SO
hard to be great on great occasions, when
the world is looking on with applause and
cheer; nor is it an essy matter to play the
hero in an cut of-the-way nook where no
OhS W III CNci hlOW what q Ual-
tie was fought. That will be time of rev.
Citations, when the King in his beauty
comes, and all his holy angels with him.
Many deeds of bravery will be made known
that never got into the papers nor the his
tories of earth. Then that which is hid
den now shall be revealed But how are
we to govern the empowering passion?
There is very plain way indicated in
this book. 1t seems that the first thing to
do is to go to God for help. We read of a
man who dwelt among the tombs. He
was terror to the nsighborhood. No one
could tame the demonisc till Christ came.
We have fierce, unruly passions that can
not be brought under subsection in any
other way than by giving Him who is
mighty to save the rule over us. These
natures must be changed and subdued, the
evil must be driven out and the good let in.
We must experience the expulsive pow er
of good Affection And this work can be
done. We have living witnesses that
may be summoned. You can easily recall
men who were tossed by their passions
like leaves before the wind until Christ in
His mercy gave them grace to overcome.
1t is very different with them now. They
saw their danger and heard of safety, then
fled for life to the sure refuge. So CONVEX
sion of the heart is the first step on the
road towards self control. 1t is not, how
ever, the last step.
Christ is very merciful and kind to
those who will put their trust in Him, but
He will not do everything for them. Much
discipline is necessary still; we are lifted
to our feet, but then we are expected to
walk. Even standing or pushing the chair
ahead of Us will be enough. We are
Christs children, but not His infants, and
thus He treats us like men and women,
and expects US to act accordingly. Will
power must be exercised many times, and
we must saw to passions: Thus far shalt
thou go, and no further Then the man
who relies 6n God TO help him but does
not do anything himself, is likely sooner or
later to have disgraceful tumble. We are
called to do service in the dark, when we
can have as little certainty oil Gods pres
ence as the disciples in the little fishing
smack had when the storm swept over the
Sea of Galiiee, and then all the powers
with which God has endowed US will be
called into action. God will help us, but
we must help ourselves. He controls those
who control themselves, and will never
suffer them to be tempted above that they
can bear.
WAS there ever a period when there
was greater need for self-control than now
Men in every rank of life are losing grip
upon themselves like prancing steeds.
Rather their prancing s.eeds are running
away with them. Self-res.raint seems to
be forgotten or worn.out virtue. The
young men of our day practice but little
self-restraint; they rather do, they give
way to every appeal to their evil natures.
The drink habit, gaming and pool table,
RIGHTEOUSNESS, are huriying thousands
away to sure moral ruin. all because they
will not put the reins on wicked passions.
Too often the example of old men helps
them on in these wicked ways. Like
father like son is the only common rule of
life. Then when ruling the spirit is not
practiced by the parent it is not likely to
be by the child.
Right here is dangerous tendency of
our times. Under false idea of liberty
men are making themselves and others are
helping to make them libertines. a license
Is demanded which leads to the worst
species of bondags-the slavery of him who
has lost the power to rule his spirit. 1t
was Just this that destroyed the cities of
the Plain, let the captors into the gates of
Babylon, humbled proud Rome, and has
lost none of its power to ruin men and
nations. True glory lies not in this direc.
ton. Self-restraint is the safer road, and
none was more capable of giving advice
than Solomon, who said, He that rules his
spirit is better than he that taketh city,, y
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