Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1895-01-03
.entsi Self cnrErrI.

little consideration, J. e., the Iii
rectiOn and guidance OF the
thoughts. The habits we &C
quire, the principles We espeuse,
the duties We perform or neg,
Get. the temptations We resist
or weld to. the words We speak
anil the Influences xe exert are
matters upon which We are often
urged to be viEiInt; but the
thoughts and iusaEinings which
pass through our mind are sei-
dom brought up for scrutiny
There are two reasons f0E this
first, they are so entirely hidden
FROM others that all the class Of
motives which include the hope
of esteem or the fear OF ceusuTe
are quite imperative; aud, sec
ondiy. We are accustomed to
consider them So involuntary "a
TO prevent any serious sense Ct
responsibility. The first OF
these reasons il uudoubtedlT
operative No one but cur
selves knows what We are thiBk-
lag about; therefore. xe can be
held accountable for cur refec.
lions Oniy to OCr own eopseien
ces- The second. however, Is
only partly correct Impress
sIoas and conceptions do hDaI
through onr minds 1abldden;
bat We are not unable to resist
them. TO correct them, to turn
them into other channels, or to
dismiss them altogether. Tue
poser TO Do this resides IN eve
y sane person. and the degree
TO Ehlch II IL developed marks
with ioleTable certainty q e
strength Of the mind aad the
manlness of the character
There are weak acd ini0leui
tTeamers who are sIa-es to
their faneies, Who care not 70
break their chains. and whose
ability 10 do 80 is steadily d.
minlshing. Yet even in them il
msy be Teiusiafed, nor i il ever
wholly extinct, save n those ua
fortunate cases when. through
disease CT injrry. rraSoa has
been driven from her throne
The human miBi il never
EhoiIy inactive in its waking
hours No matter how passive
or hoN idle We nay he. the
thoughts and the fancies are
busy, With or without our Will.
Sometimes. indeed, they act e q
ergeiically. in obedience 10 our
purpose We set ourselves e.
work 10 think ont q problem. 10
weigh an argument. TO arrive al
a decision, tn faihOm an idea. TO
consider the details OF a an OF
a piece Of work, and cur
thoughts serve Us veil CT ID ac
cOrdIng 10 their training To
Thick cOnsecative.y and to :
conclusion is one of the supreme
arts OF life, and the power 10 dc
it Is one Of the best gifts tha,
education can bestOw. BeyoLd
this, however, there Is a vas'
amount CT musing and media
ton that seems to go Gu within
and Involuntary. Pictures risf
uD OF the past a. il vas or NIGH
have been. of the future as re
hope or fear i may be. These
are more or less vague or i1Iis
tInct I; but they either grOE il
~elearness or ia4e away, accord
ing to the interest they excite
within us Sometimes rhese
floating notions will take ID,
form of suggestions, and Eil
pass into real purposes, vhict
are put into execution In the
words Of another. The mine
plays with the picture of them
until suddenly the picture ha.
become a fact Many a crime
from which the aosr would cnet
have shrunk IL horror has slow
" shaped itself in hours OF Sc
eret meditation; and from lans
familiarity in solitary though
has lost IFS responsiveness. anC
assumed a strength aud proper
ton sufficient TO create the &C
tlal deed. On the other hand
many an act Of duty or self
sacTafee. at FIRST supposed TO b,
impossible. has by eoHtiDua
contemplation become 50 at.
tuned TO the disposition that /
has been performed with eas1
and even with pleasure.
Even where these imagining
are not realized in active life
they promote various msn;a
conditions and nOurish yarIou,
emotions \ fain: suspicion
entering the mind and broode,
over will often develop int,
jealousy. anger and hatred
while en- the other hand. parl
and noble thoughts eheTlshe'
will make the character NOR
pure and noble We a orooi
upon our troubles until they be
: come uabearable, or We ca
/ dwell upon our blessings unit
5 our hearts ate melted mt
I tbankfulRess- We al poude
: over the faults Of our neighbOr
: until We are imbued with disaV
!, prOval and contempt, or We ca
mnse upon their redeemIn.
| qualities till the kindly symp.
tbies OF our natures assert thee
selves. Self cOmpanionship. ia
: deed. is more influential 10 forrr
{ ing character and regulating liz
r than any other intercourse. /
T is more constant, more uHeOu
b strained, more absolutely sir
Z cere. Yet, 20 make Its iEfiuene
truly salucry, We must dIrer
4 Its course, and not suffer il =
irift with the wind and til.
: We mnst be master OF on
a thoughts, a. vel, as of our az
$ tlOns; We mast control the meI
. tai pictures Ia which We lndnlg
u as much as the words which i.