The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1899-12-01
EheRfmurrat-S Star
POWER OF sELF-GUIDANCE.


Our forefathcrs unquestiOningly be-
lieved in the active intervention OF
personifled powers In human affairs.
They called, generally, the beneficient
power. Providence, having too great
reverence for the Almighty lightly TO
speak his name; the malvolent power
Satan, Lucifer, or the Devil. Their
hands held the reins that guided to
good or i'll, and man was credited with
vOlition little beyond that of a pup
pet. For what was mans will against
the purposes Of God or the devil?
Therefore, II a child showed evil ten.
denotes, the case was hopeless. He
was fore0rdained to be bad, and, con-
S%equently was lost. 1t was a tragic
belief, but it has its counterpoise. 1t
laid no responsibility upon its parents.
How could 1t be their fault il the
child turned out badly? lie was born
TO "Original SIM" that explained all.
Now, W. are growing to know differ
emily. The Almighty power is there
how much mightier, wiser, tenderer
than we knew we are only beginning
to spell Out-but we have learned now
that to each child it gives, not a char
acter rigidly moulded for good or i'll
before the first breath is drawn, bnt
infinite capacity for good and for i'll.
and we know, or should know, that it
lies very largely within 0ur own hands
as parents, as educators, as compan.
ions Of children, to develop either
good or Ill.
Man IS not an entity, scientists say,
but a complex community of entities,
each tiny cell OF which brain and
nerve matter is composed being capa-
bic Of individual action, and indlvld-
ual growth and death. We can feed
and exercise certain cells, and they
will grow strong, vigorous and active,
or we a starve them and leave them
idle, and they will die of hamilton.
The cells that control taste, sight.
sound, feeling, all the various senses
and emotions that 90 to make up SEN
tient man, dwell together in little
colonies. AS they are exercised they
grow and stretch out long arms to-
ward edch other till, finally, they
touch, and something like Geographic
communication is formed. Hereafter
that particular colony Of cells will act
without conscious effort OF will-power
on u part, and what we call a "hab.
IL" Is formed.
II we have before our eyes and
minds good and lovely things, kind
words, just acts, a reverence for truth
and purity, the cells will receive i'm
pulses toward these things until they
will act voluntarily, and u thoughts
and the acts that result from these
thoughts will be all sweet, and lovely,
and true. II, on the contrary. we feed
eyes, ears and mind on EVIL thoughts,
words, sights, and thoughts sooner or
later, VIC Will become like them.
So it is with the cells that make up
the material part Of man. II we &C.
custom our tissue cells to nicotine, to
alcohol, to opium or any Of its treach-
erOus allies, the time will come when
the cells are masters of the man. So
true is it that a man Is what he feeds
on.
Knowing all this, will We be more
careful? Will we give to our children
the right to bless us, or to curse us?
The New York Herald gives this ,
pointer to merchants or all who have
an article to sell or buy:
advertising has become the mer-
chants greatest help toward ACHE
wing success. The complacent trades
man who relies solely upon his indivi.
dual merits to build up thriving
business may De commenced Tor tnat
faith that is in him; but such faith is
without a solid foundation. 1t is
much like that which was chlracteris-
tic Of the optimistic Mr.. Micawber,
who, being bald, was of the opinion
that he had been %providently depried
of his hair in order that he might
without discomfort wear the wig of a
Lord High Chancellor. A merchant
may be ever so worthy, but in these
hustlinR times he must in addition
do something in order to get the pub.
Tic interested in his establishment.
Good newspaper advertising answers
the purpose"