The mirror., 1896-02-06
Selections from the Piltt-
adelpiiia Pa Saturday
Eve. Post.

thdt tdCll one ol us Is 1t DdIU Ol
the very society which we SO freely
criticise.
\ great step is gained when a
child has learned that there is nc
necessary connection between lik-
ing thing and doing it.
For one evil deed done with Il
strong purpose and firm deter
mination there are hundred com
mitted from the lack OF power to
resist.
Remember that, if the oppor-
tunities for great deeds should
never come, the opportunity for
good deeds is renewed for you
day by day. The thing for us
to long for is goodness. not glory.
Today's privileges cannot be en-
ioyed nor today duties discharged
tomorrow. Tomorrow may never
come. If it has come. it will bring
It's own privileges and duties -
privileges made less and duties
made greater by todays neglect.
The cowardice which is degrad-
ing, and which weshould all deeply
>iespise, is that lack Of moral cour-
age which leads us to stifie our
own convictions and violate our
own consciences for fear of the
rIdicule OF contempt of some one
who stands by.
What can we do. each of us. to
hel p others to bear their burden
IF sadness? This: If we are
merry. our mirth will not be less
ened by trying to bring good cheer
so others less fortunate than our
selves: if we too, are sad. our sad
ness will he made lighter by for
Getting ourselves in thinking of
others.
Obedience is good and need
ful habit-it fosters the power of
~elf-restraint in one important di-
section: but the wise educator will
never be satisfied until it is sup
plemented by a atraining in strength
If purpose and independent force
tul thought, leading to wise and
permanent self government.
4 +/>, l.
make rs sad. but sober: not to
make Us sorry. but wise: not to
make us despondent, but by it's
darkness to refresh us, as the nj chit
~efreshes the day: not to impover-
ssh. but to enrich us. as the plow
anriches the field: to multiply our
soy. as the seed, by planting, is
multiplied a thousandfold.
Strong impulses often blossom
out into speedy and striking deeds
Passionate love is capable Of sud
len self-sacritice: fierce anger
orings the hasty blow: a compass
slonate impulse prompts a quick
and kind deed; love of fun NAV
'traW forth the most cruel ridi-
"ule. \ ct such acts do not betray
strong purpose or firm will:
They are but the crude outbursts
If crude feeling.
Character is consolidated habit,
and habit forms itself by repeated
action. Habits are like paths
beaten hard by the multitude of
light footsteps which 90 to and
fro. The daily restraint or indul-
gence Of the nature in the busi
ness. IN the home. in the imagina
non. which is the inner laboratory
of the life. creates the character
which. whether it be here or there,
settles the destiny.
Seltishness. greed Of gain. inius-
tIce. oppression, eyotism are not so
much positive as negative sins. |
They begin in the desire for indie !
pendence and the effort for self !
provision, which are perfectly le- |
gltimate and right. and form the |
foundation Of all human service
The advantages OF this are clearly |
seen and earnestly pursued. but
the virtue which is clearly its an
tithesis is weak and undeveloped, |
Generosity languishes, sympathy
tries up, pity and compassion are
dormant, and self-love degenerates
into selfishness: the proportions
of character are not maintained |
and all kinds Of evil result there
from.
The habit of considering the