The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-04-01
os ANGELES. Cal. March 25.-In


 cial and business life, the curse of un- governable temper, and shows how the misdireeted energy of those who are vic tins of tAe habit may be transformed into a blessing. The text Is Proverbs xvi, g, He that is slow to anger Is bet ter than the mighty and he that ruieth his spirit than he that taketh city.
 Popular enthusiasm is most easily kim dled when the admirng multitudes are allowed to bend the knee before human idol clothed in a soldiers uniform The most inspiring call for the common peo- pie is the bugle blast sounding the cav alryman's charge. Iris true the most beautiful monument of Ednburg is the one erected to Sir Walter Scott, the writer and in London it is the one erect ed to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria consort and in some respects the most conspicuous monument in Brooklyn IS that erected to the memory of Henry Ward Beecher, the preacher. But where there is one monument erected in pronh- mt cities to the memory of statesman' a scientist, poet or an artlst there aie i've ten, twenty monuments erected 10 the memory of military heroes. It IS rlsht to honor the heroic deeds of these ehiet- tains. but the heroes of peace should be honored also.
 King Solomon recognizes this fact in the words of my text. He is not depre- ciating such triumphs as that of Cyrus, who 800 years later laid siege to the city of Babylon and captured 1t by turning the Euphrates river from It's course ana by marching under the city gates py night, when the king and all his eour- q lad a nival He is not sneering at military genius such as was displayed by Titus who captured Jerusalem in 70 A. D., but he is exalting the noble work of a man of God, who can capture the citadel or his own heart and hold his Will and lite In subjection to a higher law. So today I want to show you why self control is so important for a successful life and why "he that is slow to anger is better than the mighty and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city
 The ungovernable temper is to be dreaded and feared For the time being 1t undermnes a mans thinking and req soning powers. It may even become sui- cidal It puts a man in the unenYiable position of fighting against and destroy Ing himself. AS snake when leased by an enemy it cannot reach will in it's fren- zy bury it's poisonous fangs in its own body, so the slave of ungoverned temper becomes the victim of his own rage and chagrin.
 Dependent on Each Other.
 The brain in it's action is very similar to the organs of the body. All it's diff ferent parts are nterdependent. as the heart, the brain, the kidneys. the lungs and the stomach act and react upon each other When the heart stops its regular steady pumping, then every other organ
 
 Then the water of the blood exndes through the tissues, and dropsy sets in. When the lungs refuse to do their work, then the digestive apparatus Is anected. Stomach troubles can cause nervous pros tration. Once get the nerves out of tune and you may have nervous dyspepsia. The organs of the body are like the under ! stones of great arching bridge. Take away any of the substones and the whole | arch tumbles into ruin. Such is the interdependence of the different parts of | the brain. Let the will power once lose ! it's grip and the reasoning faculty, or the seat of judgment, is gone. Then mar | in his actions and words becomes like a runaway horse taking the bit in his teeth. | He is just as apt to smash up against stone fence or to leap a precipice or to dash before the onrushing locomotive as he is to keep the straight road of safety. At such times a man will do something | on the spur of the moment which he is apt to regret all the days of his life. He | Is like a drunkard drawing knife in a saloon brawl He is like a general in | trenched in some impregnable Gibraltar | who deliberately opens the gates and makes a foolish sortie. He is like an army which goes off and leaves it's fortress unguarded to be bounced upon by wait ] ing foe
 Now life under the very test of con- | dtions is such an awful and close strug- | gle that you and 1 cannot aqord to make 1 any mistake on account of an uncon- | querable temper. When we are in con | fiict with a skilled foe we cannot afford ] to let our contempt get the better of us, l as did Goliath when he went forth to attack David. If you do, just as sure as you live. you will place yourself at the mercy of your antagonist. When you are | preparing for lfe's work because some | thing goes wrong or an injustice has | been don you have no right to lose your temper as did Phil H. Sheridan at West | Point when he thought sergeant had | insulted him. So fiery was the young | Irishman's temper at that time that he | made an attack upon his officer with | a murderous bayonet and by that act was in danger of being expelled from the academy and his glorious services to his I some enemy had been unrelenting in his | attacks you cannot afford no matter
 how great or little you mayp be, to lose l your temper. as did James c. ---.,ne when I he once attacked Roscoe Conkling in | Congress and thereby destroyed forever | all his own prospects of entering the l White House as chief executive. Every | time man lets his anger get the better | of him he does not injure his enemies | nearly as much as he damages him. l self. If you would be great in your in- l huence over others. you must be great in | your power over yourself This means that, no matter how great the provocation | you must learn to suffer injustice in l silence. You must learn to bare your
 back for castigation If you deserve it l and grimly hold your tongue even when
 the lash is fetching the hearts blood
 An UngovernabIe Temper.
 The ungovernerable temper is to be 1 dreaded and feared for a second reason. | No sooner does a man lose his temper
 than he drives from his side those who
 would naturally come forward as his
 defenders He spikes the guns of those
 who would be his protectors. All through
 the world there is a desire to see fair l play. If when going down the street you
 see a big boy whipping small boy you | naturally take the small boys part. And | so in this great wide world if the masses | of people see that you are being abused
 they will take your side if you yourself
 are willing and ready to suffer in si- | lence. e..
 If you govern your tongue amid at-