Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-02-14
Driving Evil Thoughts Out.

Driving Evil Thoughts Out.
Nashville Christian Advocate.
There are good reasons for suppOs-
ing that even the hottest men are
troubled at times by the presence Of
evil thoughts. The revelations of
biography teach us that the highest
saintliness is no absolute bar to the
entrance of these intrusive and un>
welcome messengers of Satan, these
foul anti hateful vultures of the spirit
ual world. That the common run Of
Christian people suffer greatly from
them is quite certain. The most of
us need travel no further than our
own experience for the full confirms
ton Of this statement. How we may,
therefore, guard ourselves against the
periIs involved in such fact becomes
matter of no small consequence. II
is not enough that we be aware Of the
fact itself. The highest wisdom re-
quires us to form an intelligent
scheme Of self-defense, and consistent
ly to adhere to it. There is little good
to follow our mere random fighting
against the suggestions of the devil.
We must study all his methods Of
approach and assault, and learn how
to anticipate and neutralize them.
1t is the common mistake of young
Christians, and of some older ones,
too, to suppose that evil thoughts
can be driven out OF the mind by a
mere naked fiat of the will. Such a
view betrays great ignorance of the
elementary laws of our spiritual be-
ing. Our control over the processes
that are all the while going on within
us, is, for the most part, only indirect
and mediate. By no single act of
mere self>assertion is it possible for
us to stay the current of these pros
cesses, or to turn it in another direC
ton. Our present states are bound
by the law of association to those that
went before them. A little intro
spectiOn will serve to convince even
the most skeptical of the truth If this
assertion. One state calls up another
with undertaking regularity and uni,
fOrmity. To initiate a new line of
thinking, we must manage, some
how or other, to introduce new set
of associations. We cannot pick up
our wicked thoughts neck-and-ears,
and toss them out of our minds by
mere main strength, any more than
we can lift ourselves over a fence by
our boot>straps; but we can accom-
plish this great result by calling to
our id,in ways to be presently noted,
the beneficent influence of purer and
better thoughts. DIR. Chalmers has
written grandly about what he calls
the "expulsive power of a new affec-
ton" The meaning Of the phrase
is, that, when an enthusiastic love
for the best things is stirred in the
heart, it drives forth, easily and
without effort, everything that is in
collision with it. We may get rid Of
any unwholesomespiritual conditions
by bringing in better ones in their
place.
To be more specific, let us indicate
three ways in which new train Of
associations may be started: First, we
may seek for it in good companships
This is often a very effective method
Ifyou feel that you are being over
mastered, 60 and talk to some wise
and true friend. 1t is not always
necessary that you should mention tC
him your difficulty. In fact, it is
often better that you should not dc
so. Let the subject of the converse.
ton, as far as you can control it, be
of such character as shall naturally
divert you from the matters that
have before occupied your attention
This suggestion, if faithfully needed
will bring you material help. Sec
ondly, ifno friend is near, get hold
ola good and stimulating book. BY
good book, we do not intend to desig.
nate exclusively a treatise Of devo-