Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-01-31
LESSONS OF SELF CONTROL.

LESSONS OF SELF CONTROL.
The first and most important lesson
to be learned in life is self control. 1t
IS the first thing to teach a child. 1t
should be our chief aim through life
to be master of our selves. There is
no sane person that has not some idea
of what is right and wrong. Chill
dren form some conceptions about
the time that reason begins to work in
in their minds. We all know that we
should choose to do that which is right
and avoid the wrong. Yet we know
too well how easy it is to yield to the
temptation that besets u.s. We either
do this wilfully and knowingly, or we
build up to our selves some specious
reasoning with which to square our
acts with an inner consciousness, mean
while, that the reasoning is false.
There are times, indeed, in which
evil holds us and we act~before think
|
ing at all.
The thing to learn is to control
our selves SO that we can make our
selves do that which we know we
should do and refuse to do what we
know to be wrong even if at the cost
of inconvenience or a deprivation of
seeming pleasure, or with unwilling
resistance to the entreaties of others
Cultivate the moral courage and
hardihood to stand firmly to our sense
of right, whoever and whatever would
draw US otherwise. This self control
canpot be all learned in a day. We
canfiot be self -indnloent- thnn,, s. h
youth; the Younger the better to gain
the power. If not taught these
lessons by parents they may come
harder, but once learned, stand US in
good stead. DoCnot imagine that it is
great matters only that are important.
| Discipline your self in little things
every day, in eating, drinking in
speech; in action, in all things where
one is liable to act on impulse rather
than on principal. Good principal
should be the foundation of our every
thought, word or deed. A constant
habit of governing ones impulse in
the little every day matters will
strengthen the character to meet the
greater temptations.
Habit of thought are as easily
formed as habits of the body. The
| musician practices till his hands per-
form their part without his willing
| it, or sometimes without even his
knowledge Of what he is doing We
may wish to cultivate certain style
OF walking, and by diligently thinking
and practicing it, after a while we do
it without thought. If we compel our
selves to follow certain lines of thought.
certain rules. of mental action, the
brain soon comes to act accordingly
without compulsion. It has been
argued that many sudden and ap-
parently npremeditated crimes have
come to be committed in this way.
One has allowed his mind to dwell on
covetous desire for what. another
possesses; or it may be he nourished
hatred for some one. He may for a
long time conceal I'll csc thoughts.
Then some day without volition on his
part. his body acts on the impulses
and he is surprised himself to find he
is guilty of a crime. Much could be
written about the action of the mind
on the body. 1t is mystery that it
may take centuries to solve. The
thing for US to do at the present time.
IS to persist in trying to master our
selves to gain self control. The more
strictly and constantly we discipline
ourselves, the easier it will come.
1t is the one thing most necessary in
acquiring a character of sterling worth
and to gain and hold our respect and
the respect of others.