Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-05-27

n Gs CHu1Ca ldSt
night to listen to the second of a series
of special sermons by the pastor. the
Rev.. DR.. S. T. Westhafer. His theme
last night was How To Control the
Temper" and he treated it in a manner
which made it not only instructive. but
very Interesting. DR.. Westhafer's re-
marks We're substantially as follows:
Text-Letsnot the sun go down upor
your wrath" Eph. 1925.
The author of an interesting little
book entitled "Menti-C Culture" saws
Anger and worry are no more neces-
sary a other passions civilized man
mas learned to control, and 1t Is only
needful to realize that they are unneces-
sary IN order to make it impossible to
feel them, much less to show them" 20
prove that the temper may Re CONTROL
led and how we may control 1t. is my
purpose in announcing this sermon for
tonight.
The subject is highly important. An
English philosopher declares that more
than half of the human family is af-
ficted with ill-temper. In order 70
prove that this sweeping declaration is
not mere guess work, he put two thous-
and persons unconsciously under sur
velllance as to their temper, and care
fully noted the results. The footing nm
OF the returns were not complimentary
to the 1000, for it showed that ffty-two
per cent. OF that number were BAD
tempered in various degrees.
ln1s same philosopher has almost en-
tirely exhausted the dictionary in his
search for adjectives to describe the
varying shades Of ill-temper. He found
forty-six terms, each of which de-
scribes a different phase Of bad tenn
per. This minute description shows
how seriously the temper affects every
mood and experience of our life.
II this be true, the case is, / think.
even worse than we had imagined.
There is little encouragement to love
your neighbor as yourself in the
thought that every other person we
meet is easily provoked, flies into a pas
sion on very slight occasion, is naughty.
domlneering, peevish. fretful or vindict-
i've.
what is necessary to the control of
the temper? In view of the fact that
Ill temper is common and that most
people are more or less Indifferent to-
ward 1T, is not the first great need a de-
termination to control the temper. Our
attention must be called to it. We must
learn 10 loathe it. A desire must be
awakened. Desire must sharpen into
conviction, conviction into determine
tlon, and determination into action.
Whatever, then, attracts the attention
TO the temper, stimulates desire, deep
ems conviction and helps to determine
not TO be ruled by it, may be considered
a first step in the control of the tenn
per. Among the many things that
arouse us to resolution and will in the
control OF the temper is a feeling that
III tempe dlsfigures character. There
is nothing about which people in gen.
erai are more sensitive than their per-
sonal appearance. We loathe diseases
that leave their mark upon the body.
we dread the Cain marks of heredity.
is 1t not true that while many per-
sons are painfully careful in all matters
pertaining to dress, the cultivation of
bodily graces and in the whole
round of social duties that make
them agreeable to companions and at
tractive in society; and wholly neglect
the more serious Disagreement of char
acter caused by an unrestrained tenn
per.
Again, resolution in the control of
the temper is aroused by a knowledge
OF us EFFECTS upon our health and hap
plness n that of others. There is
nothing so exhausting to the
physical health and the mental fac
ulties as protracted indulgence in i'll
temper. 1t racks the nervous system.
IL hurts digestion. 1t heats the blood in
the brain and the heart until the whole
body is stimulated and then depressed.
1t causes insomnia. 1t brings the
slanderers who have torn your reputa-
ton in pieces and injured your business
into the quiet of your room to rob Won
OF the greatest blessing GOD can give
you-sweet, refreshing and invigoratingS
sleep. 1t sours the disposition. 1t casts
a gloom over ones life.
Resolution in restraining the temper
is aroused by the assurance that we
can control it. A great many people
who have been long under the influence
OF bad temper have grown Indifferent
because they have made themselves be-
lieve the control of it an impossibility.
What is the verdict of reason? What is
the verdict of Christianity? A moments
consideration of the life of an athlete
shows that man possesses a remarkable
power of s~elf-control in training the
body.
Coming up a step higher, note the
power men have under certain circum-
stances to control prejudice. If it be
true that man has power of %self-control
in training the body and in ruling pre-
judice even though it spring from a low
motive, Is it not true that under The
impact of a worthy motive and By the
help of the Grace of God, he can con-
troll the temper? That INDUCTION oil
the Apostle Paul is not arbitrary. We
can restrain anger If we viii. "Let not
the sun go down upon your wrath"
Now, as we look at the subject from
another angle of vision we are con-
fronted by a consideration of still
greater importance, namely. how shall
we control the temper? Many have
been hindered in restraining anger by
that teaching that the Spirit
of God represses, destroys. utterly re-
moves temper. A moments reflection
will show the fallacy OF that teaching.
A