Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1892-02-19
Regularity of Habit.
from The Waperley Progress, by ]. L.
LODGE, D. D., Editor.

~ - uiluCut W uuuerStanu why Wnat II
really one OF the most valuable personal
characteristics should sometimes be treated
as Of secondary importance. 1t deserves to
rank with highest accomplishments snd ex-
allied virtues. The profit realized and the
rewards attained indicate universally be.
neticent law. Its neglect entails losses so
material and considerable as to stamp the
necessity OF its observance. 1t directly or
indirectly influences every phase of human
happiness and welfare.
With or without experience of suffering,
good health is conceded the richest earthly
blessing Providence can bestow. Equally
indisputable is the fact that its procurement
and preservation lies largely within per-
sonal control Its partial or thorough resto
ration upon returning to the observance of
the laws of health sufficiently attest the
truth. Eating seems very simple matter;
1t assuredly Is easy b make it q means OF
bodily destruction. Perfect digestion, upon
which good health almost entirely depends is
possible only under habits of rigid regularity.
The glutton is without hope, through viola.
ton of another law but am not dealing
here with beasts, but with men. A reason
able and necessary amount of food loses its
sustaining and recuperative power when
taken at irregular intervals, through de.
rangement of the digestive apparatus. In.
health producing agency, is sleep taken at
proper and corresponding hours. Insanity
is the terrible punishment of its loss, if from
willful abuse, or the deporable result il the
unpreventablec consequence OF disease. Food
and sleep are powerless to preserve beauty,
vigor, and effectiveness except in c0njunc.
ton with exercise. SpasmOdic, irregular
cessation from manual or intellectual labor
does not meet the requirement. Every day
finds the whole man necessitous and crav-
ing. Great stress may be temporarily main
tanned, but the effort is rsactionary. Every
fibre OF the e Exhausted brain, every nerve and
muscle OF the WORKOUT frame, clamors for
! rightfu adjustment and the establishment Of
the saving habit.
The man who should tighten the burdens
of all toiling men would be more reverenced
than Moses or any other great deliverer.
Every man is capable oil solving the prob.
lem for himself. Work of the hardest kind
may be made pleasure, a delight. IL can
never be so with the man who is hurried, |
driven; who approaches his task like a
galley slave, wincing under the uplifted
lash, murmuring against the endless chain
which holds him back from all freedom. |
Festtnd tente-make haste slowly-is Roman
economy In a maxim. Well enough; but
| it is possible 70 make haste rapidly; to have |
complete subsection to law, operating with !
out confusion, according to a rigorous sys
tenn that the work will be half done when
begun-justifyin Horace. Let the worker
begin with proper division of his time.
Let him, now, do the first thing, aud do it
in the first hour. No postponenlent on &C.
count OF fit OF lazness, or u slight indspo
sitien to begin or resume his labor. There
must be no overlapping Of duties no con.
fusion Of affairs. In the second hour do
the next thing, The mountain begins to
disappear. 1t will not be even mole hill
when the schedule is gone through-the
work will have been done There has been
no strained exertion, but persistent, resolute
despatch. A great man was asked how he
had managed to accomplish such enormous
tasks, and so thoroughly that his work will
last for centuries. lie replied: III was never
ia a hurry" For fifteen years after leaving
college, In the midst Of pastoral duties, the
writer kept up and considerably extended
his classic studies lie bound himself by
rule as memorable as any Medan or Persian
ever made
Method in employment will eventually
| gain Tor man mastery over his mind or,
IN other words, the mind will fall into the
habit OF adjusting itself to the requirement,
and be ready to act at the proper moment.
think; and will find prompt obedience.
What hour may be immateral, but there
must be set time. Sir Walter Scott wrote
at night. For close thinking many prefer
the early morning hours 1t is doubtless all
question of habit. Washington Irving
! could think only by fits and starts. For six
| months at a time he did not write line.
A sad weakness through lack of training TO
a better habit. An ambitious man, DESTROYS
Of being always at his best, will he tempted,
in moments OF mental sluggshness to lay
aside his work till an inspiration shall sieze
him. An error often committed. No man
is always at his best. Doing as well as pos.
sIble the thing In hand is the best and surest
preparation for doing splendidly the next
thing. The mind loses by inertia. Friction
brghtens it, sharpens it; power is gendered
and increased by use.
Regularity of habit augments efficiency.
There is not necessarily a difference in |
capacity. In no given calling or line Of
work can much be accomplished without
sell confidence. This habit will inspire it, |
A man comes To believe in the possibility; |
determined trial is made; ever afterward
he feels himself conquerer. lie has found
out that "order is heavens first law" In an |
entirely different sense from that intended |
by Pope; that displacement, disorder, hurry, |
first encouragement and then failure
Drive your work; never let your work |
drive you" A farmers maxim, but AZ good |
for the scholar and the mechanic. A per. |
son accustomed to visit many houses soon |
marks an illustration in women having the |
care of households One has her work sys. |
tematized, and has time 10 be tidy and ut
tractive; the other PUSHES at haphazard and |
IL slovenly The difference makes or mars
IA home. When the mistress is thorough
manager, and keeps details ever in hand.
even the negligence and slatternliness of
servants may be measurably controlled. |
| Not only Is the work more surely and bet
ter done where regular habits prevail, but |
the enjoyment OF the rest which follows is |
intensified manifold. The recreation is not |
at the cost OF neglect OF duty, Arrangement
of what was due and expected, but has been
fairly and honestly won. This conscious.
ness is rest.
Regularity OF habit economies time
| This is the strongest argument IL IL no |
longer matter OF choice, but becomes a
sacred obligation. We are bound 10 work,
and bound ~ perform all that is possible 10 .
us. Those worthless individuals who can
| find work for neither hands nor head-if
we adopt the rash presumption that they
have any brains at all-are social carbun-
Giles whose radiance from the system Is a
| blessing 10 be remembered, but which, ".
gether with the persons themselves, aPidly |
sink into everlasting oblivion. What may
be achieved under a fixed and vigorous sys.
tenn is amazing. The writer finds possible,
/ with the cares and worries Of a semi Sabine |
| farm, and the responsibilities OF rather too |
extensive pater tamdias, to preach 100 or
more sermons, make 100 to 200 pastoral calls, |
edit The WaoerLey Progress, write for three
or four papers, and read from 1900 to 10,
900 pages year. annotating and indexlng |
every thing read. This, with the detriment
of body which, like that Of Timothy, has |
its "oflen ipfrmities," astonishes many. The |
secret lies in not losing o minute. To
man who will compose three hours, study
eight, and labor with the hands three hours
every day, the solution will be easy enough.
] No rest Is allowed except BIZ changing work |