The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1894-09-07
BEING PATIENT.

Temper of the Soul, Manifesting ItseIs
in Willingness for Careful Preparation
and Waiting for Orderly Unfolding OF
Results.
The virtue of patience is commonly
held to denote the equanimity with
which one bears disappointment. 1t is
supposed to be elected by hardships,
trials and reverses. But these are only
few of the conditions in which this
quality reveals itself. In its essence
patience is temper of the soul which
is willing to wait for tire orderly I'M
folding of results without attempting
to hasten or force their processes.
For instance, it is as truly mark of
patience to be willing to undertake the
pains and cost of thorough preparation
for a life work as it is to bear be-
reavement without complaint. Young
men, on every hand, see ministers, law
yers, physicians, and other professional
men whose work is supposed to require
peculiar discipline, rushing into their
careers with a smattering of real knowl-
edge and discipline. The temptation
is strong for them to do likewise. But
one who. in spite of this temptation,
subjects himself to thorough discipline
in academy and college and profess
sional school. IN order that he may ad-
dress himself intelligently and skill
fully to his life task, is manifesting
patience of a high order. We have
often been surprised to hear those who
profess to have received special Chris
tian graces defend their course in TAX
ing .'short cuts into the ministry when
by little grit and effort it was possible
for them to obtain a thorough equip
ment. They appeared to forget that
their haste and overweening desire to
achieve immediate results were not a
good comment up the success in acquir-
ing the grace of patience.
Our moralists are constantly warn
ing us against the peril of seeking to
be suddenly rich. What they urge us
to guard against is impatience with the
slow, laboriOms methods of acquisition.
But why limit this warning? Minis
ters, college professors, lawyers and
physicians need it quite as much as
business me1i- They are all tempted to
achieve results by a ''spurt;" to strain
and tax themselves to gain by a dash
what should naturally be the product
of the wears of careful and faithful
toll Indeed, we are not sure, but these
men need This warning quite as much
as business men. The shortcut
temptation appears to be to many
of them quite empowering. The re-
suit is seen in the fact that, despite
all the colleges are doing, the average
level of professional capacity is not ris-
ing The ministry still remains the
best educated of the professions; but
the ranks of lawyers and physicians
are crowded with men who have had no
thorough mental discipline.
At this season it is worth while also
for some of US to remember that we
may manifest quite as much of this
virtue by taking vacation as Iy pre-
serving our serenity under a reverse
There is many man who is called in
these weeks to drop his task, and be-
take himself form store or shop or Office
to the fields He thinks he can not do
it, that he may miss some advantage or
lose a little money, and not get on
quite so fast if he takes the needed
rest. But what does patience mean
except the willingness TO take things
naturally, the ability TO look ahead
and see that In the long run worn
nerves and shRttered health are a worse
loss than few weeks Of timer oatoH
hHtehElaR,