The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1899-03-21
The Kingship OF Self=COntrol.

AN has two creators his GOD
vi and himself. His first creator
furnishes him the raw material of his
life and the laws in conformity with
which he can make that life what he
will. His second creator-himself-
has marvellous powers he rarely real
iEes. It is what q man makes Of him
self that counts.
When a man fails in life he usually
save, Il am as God made me-" When
he succeeds he proudly proclaims him
sglf a self made man Man is pie C &c
into this world not as a finalIty-but
ss 8 possibility. Mans greatest enemy
is-hlmselt. Man in his weakness Is
the creature Of circumstances; man in
his strength is the creator Of cIrcum-
stances. Whether he be victim or VIC
tor depends largely on himself.
Man is never truly great merely for
what he is out ever for what he may
become. Until man is truly flied
with the knowledge of the majesty Of
his possibility, until there comes TO him
the glow OF realIz alton OF mis- priv.
I5ge TO i've the life committed 10 him,
ss an Individual life for which he Is
individually responsible, ne Is merely
cropping through the years.
To see mis- life as he might make II,
man must go up alone into the noun
tains Of spiritual thought as Chris
went alone into the Garden, leaving
the world TO ges strength to live IN n
world. He must there breathe the
fresh, pure air Of recognition of his
divine Importance as an Individual,
and with mind purified and tiDglIng
with new strength approach the prob
lens of his daily living.
Man needs less Of the Il am a feeble
worm Of the dust" idea in his theology,
and more of the conception Il am a
great human soul with marvellous pos
slbiliGIes'' as a vital element In his daily,
working reIIgion. With this broad
euing, stimulating view at life, he sees
how ne may attain his kIngshIp
through self control. And the sell
control that is seen in the most spec
tacuIar instances IN history, and III che
sImpLes. phases of daily lie is precisely
the same IN kind and quality, dIferlns
oniy IL degree. This cOn rol nan Ca.
attain, If ne will; IL IS but d matter OIL
paying the price.
The power of s~elt-contrOl is one Of
tie great qualities that d.fferentIaUes
man from tne lower animals. He Is
the only animal capable OF a moral
struggle or a moral conquest.
Every step IN the progress Of the
world ha been a new control" IL
has been escaping from the tyranny of
3 iac5, TO the understanding and mas
terry of the fact. For ages man looked
il terror aG the lightning fash; TO
day ne has begun TO under stand 1t as
electricity, a force he has mastered
AID made his slave. The million
phases OF electrical invention are Du:
manifestations of u control over a
great force But the greatest Of all
control" Is self control.
At each moment of mans life he is
either a king or a slave. AS he sur
r5nders to a wrong appetite, 60 any
human weakness as he falls PROSTATE
IN hopeless s%uOjection to any condition,
80 any environment, TO any failure, ne
"a a slave. As he day by day brushes
~ human weakness, masters Oppos
ing elements within him, and day by
day ~re-create a new self from
from the sin and folly of his past-ther
ne is a KING He is a King ruling
with wisdom over himself. Alexander
Conquered the whole word except
Alexander Emperor of the earth, he
vas the s5rvIle slave of his own pas.
slOns
We look with envy upon the posses
slons Of others and wish they were oul
own. Outlines we feel this in a vague
dreamy way with no thought OF rea
attainment, as when we wish We hat
2Ioen NIctOria's crown, or Emperoj
Williams self satisfaction. Outlines
however, we grow bitter, storm at thI
The wrong distribution of the gooC