Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-07-22
As "A Alan Thinketh.

A mans own desires are the worst
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 done by supplanting the
ignoble thought by 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
see. The greed everywhere apparent is
he 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. II 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 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
It, II 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 If 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 10 get right. If we would have
cleaner politics we must have cleaner
hearts.
The world is Just beginning to I'M
derstand the power of thought and
suggestion Many a jailblrd would do
better II everybody did not regard and
treat him as thief Many woman
who has gone wrong would get back
into the rig.t path If she had the help
Of little love and confidence. Let ev.
erybody constantly suggest to man
that he is a rascal, and after awhile
he may get to thinking so himself, and
then he will become one.
Find out what man thinks Of most
and you will be able to tell what kind
of 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, hi.
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 warder on your mind. Quit think
Ing Of the unworthy thing. Drive thu
unclean concept from you, for therein
Is the root of sin. You do not carr,
your exterior through the gates o
death. You take only the interior, ant
that will make your heaven or you
hell.
The man Is not sinless who keeps hi
mind on the plane Of wrong, filth an,
uncharitableness. Do you say you can
not control your thoughts? Oh, but yo'
can. Use your will. That Is sovereign
You are master, not your appetite
Your body is only a machine to ODE
you. 1t will rule you, it is true, If yo
are weak enough to let it. But, like
dog, 1t will be submissive IL you asser
and maintain your mastery.
Think of the good, the pure, til
sweet, the beautiful. Every time 70
catch yourself thinking Of somethin
unworthy turn to nobler things. Ate
time the higher thinking Will Decom
, q habit.
The Christ explained all these thing
perfectly, and 1t has taken us ninetee
hundred years to begin to realize then
BLESSED are the pure in heart, for the
shall see God" Solomon expressed
also, "As a man thinketh In his hear
J.. so Is he." Some one else has put it, "T
. the pure all things are pure" And sti
), another, Evil to him who evil thinks
}. Ideals are the dynamic force that ru
n the world. Keep your mind upon tt
q true, the lofty and the loving, and yor
. life will become as beautiful as tt
things you contemplate.
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