Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-10-26
Cultivating Self-Control

Uncontrolled anger may be ex-
lplained as a fit of temporary and pre-
lventable misunderstanding for which
I'VE are individually responsible and
accountable; and for which we are
therefore not excused by law nor by
Jour friends for crimes or cruelties com
mitted during its hold upon US.
| We are not quite responsible for
what we do or say i'm fits Of passion
violent bursts of temper-but we are
Irresponsible for the fit of temper itself
and since its fury works US threefold
harm for we are worse physically,
mentally and morally after the out
burst, and furthermore may work
harm to those around us. and this
harm also may be threefold, the re-
SIonsiblity Is "A grave one.
Know thyself-watch thyself-"quit
you like men-be strong"
When under the influence of anger
we cannot judge fairly because 1t is
| absolutely impossible for us to see
! things Is they are. The vision Is for
the time colored by angry feelings;
| and though our hot Indignation in it
| self may be just and well merited-to
| act upon the first impulse is in most
| cases to act unjustly, and invariably
to show more severity than if we
| waited till anger had colored and judg-
| ment resumed its sway, with mercy at
its right hand.
Once give free rein to your temper
| and there Is maddening rush Of blood
to the brain-the veins in neck and
temple may swell and rage, almost
blind you for a time; it certainly
| makes you deaf to all other voices
| tran your own. You who in saner
| moments would not hurt a fly take ex-
quisite delight in giving pain-physical
and mental-to all who chance to come
| within the circle Of your wrath
| Your reason is for the time unseated
Yau say things you do not mean, you
do things that will cause you to blush
for shame when your passion has
cooled. Your one desire is to hurt
hurt-hurt-any body-everybody You
are insane in your fury Men and wo-
men have dropped dead in just such !,
RACES, killed by the violence of their
own tempers.
The arm raised in passion to strike
another has suddenly fallen helpless in
death-the delicate blood vessels of the
brain have burst under the fearful
prematurely. Such abnormal out
bursts cannot be INDUCED in without
bringing their own punishment and the
ugly TEMPERED man or woman soon
finds telltale lines carved indelibly in
the face.
Each passionate outburst leaves the
body in a physically exhausted state,
and the high state of mental excite
ell 90
rental depression in no wise relieved
by the prickings of conscience. In
some the result is a feeling of deep
remorse, in other cases it gives little
comfort to know that you have hurt
no one in your wrath since others
laughed at your impotent rage and
some merely pitied your lack of self
control.
Self-control is one of the necessary
virtues to cultivate if you would be
truly strong-strong of body, mind and
soul. AS daily exercise is to the body,
strengthening it. improving it, round
ing it out, developing it to its utmost
SO are our little daily T.
struggles and trials exercises for the i
mental and moral sides of our nature.
Temptations l once heard called
"gymna sites for the SOUL Without !
the soul could not grow
nor develop. How do we know how
weak or strong we are till tempted to
do some wrong? Each time we con-
quer the temptation, be it a temptation
to do some deed of violence or to say |
some little unkind word, we are
stronger and better able to meet the
next one, and each time we yield we
are weaker; for we have handicapped |
ourselves in the contest by making the !
next step down a little easier to take
the next NO" a little harder to say.
Not long ago I watched three tiny ,
tots playing near my door; two were {
turning the rope and the third was just
about to take her turn at pepper and .
salt when a sweet faced woman ap-
qeared at the window across the street
| Ise,,hA;. Come, darling" The child
Jump o., s'Nsto go, but her play
anu ....eeabres ggos Wo,nf not have caused
hit ,lidn't yoG if2ss-- t--y,or aerod would
me-" and then ran.
That little one will make fine wo-
man some day-she pays Afternoon "
the little things and instead OF opeyhis
in from two to five minutes opeys
once She does not even walt lons
enough TO listen to the arguments OF
the tempter-she has no time Tor arsu-
ments. for mother called" IA
How much better for all OF us II we
obey more promptly when "mother
calls" or when conscience warns US
inst as clearly as did mothers voice SO
long ago-that we are on the Wrohs
nath-it is time to halt and turn aside
Self-ccntrol is not only a fine marx OF |
good breeding. it is more; II is the
mark of a strong man or woman.
The writer's and teachers of long ago
dwelt much upon this training OF the
shirt: and lack of self-control was
condemned, scorned or pitied then as
now.
Did we never grow angry | fear weo
| be more than human. 1t IS not ex-
| nected that we shall never feel the
strong hand of wrath pulling at our
hearts tempting us to say and do that
! for which later we must feel remorse.
| Anger in itself is not shit Is ho
1 1,n