Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-02
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conduct of the dag sinks into oblivion. The
conversation and the situations become
hazy, and just how matters stood we for
get. We remember only failure or success,
happiness woe.
There can be too much introspection, NOR
bid remorse and sad sghings over what
might have been. But these are not profit
able. They may render fearful, but
they help comparatively little in making us
careful to avoid repettions of our days
mistakes.
A little systematic review of the day does
wonders We ask ourselves what was the
best thing We have done today? What was
the worst faiure-and why? What have we
omitted that We might have done? What
did We do that would have been better left
undone? What have said what have
we thought that has been helpful and agree
able to our associates? How has our day
affected those around us? What thoughts
have set a1oat in the invisible world to
influence the thought currents of other
minds? Pythagoras said Never sleep to
close thy eyelds after thy going to bed till
thou hast examined by thy reason all thy
actions of the day. Wherein have L done
amiss? What have 1 done? What have
omitted that I ought to have done? If in
this examination thou find that thou hast
done amss reprimand myself severely for
it: and if thou hast done any good re-
joice."
An easy way to review the day which
also indirectly invigorates the memory is to
begin with the bed time hour and go back
reach the rising bell.
In this way the entire day unfods itself
to you like a panorama.
There Can
Be system even in being good and in be-
coming good. Business men often owe their
success to tLSir magnificent orderliness and
method, s~ir systematic way of accom-
plishinv what their hands have found to do.
And many saints more perhaps than
fancy are indebted for the utility of their
character to the methodical ordering of
their daily walk and conversation. to their
systematic cultivating OF the true, the
beautiful and the good.
We cannot expect to do much by spas
modic enterprises. Whether we are in
business or In the fine arts in house
keeping what not else, whatever 1t is.
need system to do our best: Part of
the beauty of nature is in the orderly har-
mony of its movements. the possession OF
the senses the revolutions of the stars and
planets. the growth, poisoning and frui-
ton. decay and death of the trees all NOV
ing under immutable law and order.
We are wise in emulating the great and
good ways of Mother Nature.
The more we systematic the routine of
our everyday processes the more we can
do and the more harmonious is our living
Bedtime and rising time. and meal times
should follow each at its fixed hours; work
ing hours should be ordered with like pre-
cision. a French physician has made an
inquiry into the best conditions for work.
And the fixed hour for beginning work was
of the primary requisites he stipulated.
lie said that the world geniuses were nat
urally great workers, and that all of us
should practice the habit of working at
regular fixed hours that the mind would
hunger for its daily exercise just as the di-
gestive apparatuses hunger al the regular
hours for dinner and breakfast.
The Bodily
Hunger recurring at appointed intervals
for nutriment and the mental hunger for
work and reading which comes regularly to
those trained in systematic habits have
their counterpart on still higher planes.
Those. who accustom themselves to the
daily hour of prayer. to the daily hour OF
meditation. introspection, silent time" as
some boarding schools have named the
quiet hour appointed for thought and prayer
and reading have their daily yearnings for
these hallowed occupations. And without
these occupations their day is left with a
void.
As the hour for pensive reflective silence
recurs the mind instinctively attunes itself
to some higher and sweeter thought, in
stinctively scars to some purer air and
finds lodgment IN some r1cn, falr theme,
where the fret of ones care is dissolved.
and some pure ray serene seems to illumine
our heart.
In the morning before breakfast and
again in the evening before retiring are two
excellent times for withdrawing ones
thought from the outside world and
tering ii on some theme that will invigor-
ate ones hope and cheer the mental and
moral forces.
ADA MAY kRECKER.