The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-14
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
LARGE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE
VIRTUE OF sELF-COxTRoL.
Sermon by Rev. George II. vande-
Episcopal Church, New York.
81 am verify a man" Acts xxi. 3.

/
per or controlling the passions. 1t is the
whole power of self over self: the power of
making the best OF circumstances, and
utilizing to the greatest extent our facul-
ties; the ability to get the most out of the
machine which we manage.
To do the best work when we work; to
| turn the current of things about us at our
will; to make existence positive element;
TO use others for our advantage, not injur-
| ing, but benefting them meanwhile: to
make life thing real, a thing earnest
this. take it, is the function Of self-con-
troll.
This world seems full of ordinary people
| that just missed being great. They live like
moles, never getting out to the sunshine.
/ They do not make the most of life. They
need stirring up. They miss the chances.
! They are not wideawake, have no apprecia-
ton of what life is, sleepy. some
times even stupid. seldom happy, always
| just this side of success. 1t is too bad, but
most people are insignificant 1t is not
| necessary to be such. More men might be
| at the front, less among the humdrum level
of the masses, if they only would see
| things as they are, and comprehend that
honor and fame arise, not from conditions,
| but from determination, clear grit and self
| control.
Nine men out Of ten are too well satisfied
with the easiest thing. Few really love to
work. Most men seem to have been born
both late and tired. Genius is not an at
tainment, but it demands work to make it
shine. 1t is like the gold in the mine be-
| fore it is extracted. smelted and refined.
Genius is like the capacity for sound. 1t
| is lodged in most all created objects; min
erals, vegetable matter, woods of all kinds,
| gases and some liquids, contain the notes
| of the musical scale. Those who make
| musical instruments put no notes into the
| construction of organs pianos harps
| or violins or what not. They simply con-
| trive 20 get out the sound that is already
| In, so 10 speak. They comply with the con-
ditions necessary to bring the music from
| the wood, the Steel the brass; and the
| melody breathed into these when they are
| created is the harmony that we get out of
| them, after genius and mechanism have
| contrived to get the most out of these ele
ments.
Self-control, then, in like manner, is the
ability to get the most out of self. This
ability comes in the way of self-govern-
ment. Because the powers We possess are
powers. they have to be governed. They
will drive us If we do not drive them. Con-
controlling them can we make them oper-
ative for good. There is no faculty we pos
sess but may become curse through mis-
use or dsuse. Conquer myself is life's last
ing lesson. 1t is a lesson one must always
keep learning, since new requirements
| bring new forces to be utilized. and each
| day adds to LIES responsibility.
Seneca tersely expressed the force of this
virtue when he said, Most powerful is
he who has himself in his own power"
| Till one has learned to govern himself he
| ia but a slave. 1t is TO me the strangest
| thing that often parents, responsible for
| the training of their young, pay so little
| attention to this subject of self-control.
| though knowing well that all success de-
| ponds upon the mastery of self; that every
| temptation resisted, every sinful thought
| repressed, every bitter word withheld,
| every noble aspiration encoure ged, adds TO
| the impetus that bears nature along to-
wards a richer life and higher character.
| They will select "a good school, see that
| the children have opportunity to dance,
provide for everything social and intellec-
| tual, ask anXiously if they are progressing
| in their studies. see assiduously that they
are correct in their manners, and yet never
| give so much as thought apparently to
| the subject of self-control They never
seem TO ask. or examine, or think whether
| the dear boy can restrain his passions, say
mo TO his appetites. hold in check his
temper; whether he is Industrious, ener-
| getic. grateful. generous, humane compass
| sionate, benevolent or just.
| The great and good Dean Stanley once
| said: More dear in the sight of God and
his angels than any other conquest is the
| conquest of self" And Archbishop Whately
| once addressing the school boys of Elton,
| very quantity remarked: III tell you the
| man against whom you have the most rea-
son TO guard yourself. He is the man you
see when you look in your mirror.
| Ny friends, the best thing any one of us
can do is to learn self-control. The most
precious of all your possessions. 1 care not
what the future may have in store for you,
| is the power over yourself. Who to himself
is law. needs no law. When one is cool,
! calm collected, master of his voice. his ac-
tions if possible his countenance. if he have
] right at all on his side. he can work upon
others at his pleasure, and is master of
| every situation.
The great Alexander. who, having sub
| dued the world, sighed for other worlds
| TO conquer. was failure because he had
L
| There is nothing so pitiable the sight of
| a middle-aged, or old man, the victim Of
his own unruled passions. unused abili-
| ties. Antony in the arms of Cleopatra Ma
| poleon languishing at St. Helena, are but
| types of men we might name who to-day
| are wrecks and failures merely because
early in life they never learned to say no
| and stick TO ii.
Let me tell you lastly that there is but
| one way TO obtain complete Self-control
| The only way to learn self-mastery is by
| beginning TO yield yourself TO the one great
| master, Jesus C1rist. Following him is
| finding life. a cold monumental stubborn
ness of will you may get without religion: a
| kind of stole, daredevil bravery you may
secure without loyalty TO Christ. There
| are moral men who are not religious men.
| But the type, the ideal man, is not one
| who has warmth in his nature, in
| trinity in his makeup, no weakness that
| he acknowledges, but rather one who has
| all these, confesses them and them for the
| love and by the help of God. brings them
| all under control, and conquers them.
| The man who never had temptation and
| impulse TO do wrong, the man who never
| has had q struggle to do right. the man
| urho knows nothing of the delights fools