, 1904-09-21
As n Nan Thinketh.


tempters he has to fear. Whatever is
most inside him he will live out sooner
or later. The only way to reform him
Is to eradicate the evil from his heart.
This can be lone by supplanting the
lgnoble thought by a higher ideal.
We are just beginning to realize that
the ruling world is the interior world.
The social filth we see is but an indi-
cation Of the mental filth we do not
zee. The greed everywhere apparent is
the result of the love of money incui-
Gated in the minds of the children for
generations.
The fear of the law does not perma-
nently reform men. If a man has it in
his heart to steal and is deferred by
dread of punishment, he will usually
scheme around to overreach and cheat
his ~neighbors in less hazardous ways.
In other words, actions are ruled by
Intervals, not externals.
Whatever the ideals of a people are
will be shown in the national life. If
they are greedy and covetous they will
want conquest. If their chief aim is
material wealth they will reverence
and enthrone the man who has most of
1t. If they have little regard for the
rights and liberties of others they will
be less liable to resist oppression them
selves. If they are corrupt in their
hearts they will wink at corruption In
others. In fact, they are more lenient
toward a wrong that they would com
NIT Il they had the opportunity.
The roots of governmental wrongs
are in the people themselves. The re-
form of the nation begins at the fire
side. The man who would get society
right must get right himself and teach
others TO get right. If we would have
cleaner politics we must nave cleaner
hearts.
The world is just beginning to un-
derstand the power of thought and
suggestion. Many a jailbird would do
better if everybody did not regard and
treat him as a thief. Many a woman
who has gone wrong would get back
into the right path if she had the help
of a little love and confidence. Let ev-
erybody constantly suggest to a man
that he is a rascal, and after awhile
he may get to thinking so himself, and
Their he will become one.
Find out what a man thinks of most
and you will be able to tell what kind
of a man he is. His actions are only
the outward expressions of his dreams.
If his mind is full of carousing. of
lewdness, of greed, of murder, and he
does not get rid of these thoughts. his
] actions finally will get in line with his
desires.
The need is not only to guard the
deeds and the words, but the thoughts.
In them is the fountain head of evil.
Set a warder on your mind. Quit think
ing of the unworthy thing. Drive the
unclean concept from you, for therein
is the root of sin. You do not carry
your exterior through the gates of
death. You take only the interior, and
that will make your heaven or your
hell.
The mar is not sinless who keeps his
mind on the plane of wrong, filth and
uncharitableness. Do you say you can
not control your thoughts? Oh, but you
can. Use your will. That is sovereign.
You are master, not your appetite.
Your body is only a machine to obey
you. 1t will rule you, it is true, if you
are weak enough to let it. But, like a
dog. it will be submissive if you assert
and maintain your mastery.
Think of the good, the pure, the
sweet, the beautiful. Every time you
catch yourself thinking of something
unworthy turn to nobler things. After
a time the higher thinking will become
a habit.
The Christ explained all these things
perfectly, and it has taken us nineteen
hundred years to begin to realize them.
blessed are the pure in heart, for they
shall see God" Solomon expressed 1t
also, "As a man thinketh in his heart,
SO is he" Some one else has put it, ITO
the pure all things are pure" And still
another. EVIL to him who evil thinks"
Ideals are the dynamic force that rule
the world. Keep your mind upon the
true, the lofty and the loving, and your
life will become as beautiful as the
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