The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-06-08
ers which will forever determine
the quality and tone OF your
characters.

a thing as mechanical statics.
But there is no such thing as
moral states. The law which
rules in the realm of the soul is
the law of dynamics-the law of
the play and interplay of the
moral forces which produce mo-
ton. The human soul is either
ascending higher or descending
lower every day. Each succeed
ing moment in its life is one
either of progress or of retro
gression, Of growth OF Of decay.
It is here that we have the most
striking illustration of the famll-
lar law of degeneration. which
has been so beautifully and with
such logical precision developed
in it's spiritual application by
Mr.. Drummond in his famous
book, Natural Law in the Spir-
itual World"
It is not necessary that a man
should abuse his powers, or sin
actively against the law Of his
being, to bring upon himself the
penalty of deterioration and re
PROGRESSION. Mere non-use or
disuse is just as fatal in its re-
suits as positive misuse. Just as
the nonperformance of its natu-
raj functions will sooner or later
result in degeneration, atrophy
and final loss of physical organ,
so the neglect or disuse Of a spir-
itual faculty or power will as in
evitably lead to it's gradual de-
cline, terminating at last in par
alysis and death. | advert to
these well-known truths, in
passing, simply for the
purpose of emphasizing the un-
speakable Importance of exalted
ideals. If it be true that the ex-
ercise of our moral and spiritual
faculties is a condition Of their
healthy growth and development,
the only alternative to which is
disease, decay and ultimate loss
of all power, and if it be likewise
true that the mode in which and
the ENDS for which those facul-
ties are exercised will depend
upon the kind Of ideals to which
we give our conscious or uncon.
scious allegience, then of what
vast and reaching Importance
to US becomes the choice of our
ideals. The truth is that, whether
we know it or not, we all have our
ideals. Some of these are low
and some are high. We may
never have gone so far in the
process of introspection and self
analysis as to learn definitely
what these ideals are; whether
they are noble or ignoble. And
yet, whether we are aware OF
their existence or not, they are
fixed in our hearts and lives and
are daily leaving their impress
upon US for good or for i'll.
1.-The strange thing" says DR..
Vandyke, sis that, though our
ideal of future character is so Of
ten hidden from US, overlooked,
forgotten, it is always there and
always potently, though uncon-
sciously, shaping our course in
life. Every one,' says Cervan-
tes. lis the son of his own works.
But his works do not come out OF
the air, by chance. They are
wrought out in a secret, instlnc'
tive harmony with a conception
of character which we inwardly
acknowledge as possible and like
iy for U.S.
What an awe-compelling
thought is this! That we are
thus, hour by hour. day by day,
even though we do not so intend,
even though we might wish it
to be otherwise, rearing the per-
manent structures of our charac7
ters-these structures which,
throughout the endless ages of
eternity, shall be what we are
now making them! Character
building is a growth, a develop
ment, each stage of which springs
out of that which preceded it and
is linked to it by the indissoluble
ties of the law of cause and ef-
feet. It is not an artificial me-
chanical process, which can be
suspended, or altered, or aban-
doned at will and recommended
on new lines, so as to neautrallze
old mistakes and obliterate their
effects. We may tear down and
rebuild a house Of wood Or a pal
ace of stone. Even then new
material would have to be sub
stituted for that which has been
dishgured or destroyed. But,
while we may, by supreme ct.
fort of the will, inspired and
guided by divine love and power
change the trend of our charac-
tiers, we cannot unbuild them, SO
to speak, and build them over
again. What has gone into the
moral and spiritual fabric OF
this structure must abide there.
Its consequences may be modih,
ed by the Transforming and up,
lifting power Of a new purpose
strengthened and consecrated by
the indwelling Of a grace from
on High; but it must forever re-
main true that, but for the p!ac-
;,r of this etono here and that