The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1907-05-07
Prof. TerwiIIiger's
Lecture on Mind

The mind is a marvellous thing,
said Prof zachafiah Terwilligcr to his
class in psychology Let us to-day
consider one point--that process ex-
pressed a thesgood, .old homely phase,
making no ones mind.
"a problem comes up for solution.
let us say or. to give yet greater d.
rectness to the matter. let me cite
present, personal fact. condition.
Il am on the threshold Of an i'm
portant decision. What | determine
to do may have grave bearing upon
my whole future.
Let us examine my mental pro
cesses. taking from the study such
iessons as we may.
First ponder over the matter
carefully. look at It in its every
aspect, turning it round and round,
so to speak; examining 1t search
ingly in all lights, from all angles.
'By the subtle. indefinable processes
OF reasoning arrive at certain con
clusion; perhaps 1t would be better
to say that | receive certain strong
Impressions. For happen to be gift
cd with an unusually open mind.
"Then as a man of discretion 1t
behooves me to secure counsel: to
let other minds see this issue in
timately and to allow whatever re-
sulting impressions there may be
to become duly arranged. orderly
fashion; set forth and exposed.
Il listen carefully to these judg-
ments. noting zealously each per-.
sons individual bias, the so-called
personal equation, in order to make
proper allowance in each case.
Then l assort and. as 1t we're,
catalogue these several outside opin-
ions. ] range them alongside my own
half formulated one.
Il then step apart psycbically and
view the whole array as the con-
noisseur in an art gallery might
view and observe a group Of core
lated paintings.
Having. as | modestly beg TO
claim. singuiarly plastic though
notably individual and strong mind.
am able lv thus project what the
Theosophists might call my astral
self momentarily n the attitude, the
personality of Brown, Jones. Smith
and Robinson and to view my own inn
presslons and my own status as they
| might view them.
This young gentlemen, is an espe-
cially valuable and illuminative exer-
else. 1 urge you to cultivate the facul
ty or seek to create it in yourselves.
Finally | return to propria persona
and give one last. sweeping survey to
the entire subject. Then | decide. my
mind is made up, irrevocably.
''No stress. no threats, no duress
could alter the decision.
mo pleading, no cajolery, no urging
could modify it.
For next to moderation and open
mindedness, let me impress upon you.
there is nothing so valuable as firm
ness. l may, indeed, err but | will
follow that course. for | have by this
intricate and painstaking process ar
lived at the absolute conclusion that
II is best.
"As / intimated the illustration has
been taken from actually. | have
just come TO my unalterable decision.
What ! have determined upon shall
unequiyocally take place.
"As a further object of study, give
you leave TO note the results"
The students departed much inn
pressed.
A little later the professor, yet in a
| glow OF agreeable self-satisfaction,
sought his home.
Mrs, Terwilliger met him at the
door.
''ZacLariah." she said, have you
come to decision on that matter?"
Yes. my dear; | have thought II
over most carefully and have decided
to say mo-"
Really" There was touch of
irony in the good lady's tone that the
| professor did not altogether like
well. Pye thought ii over. too. and
I've decided that you must accept II
would be nonsense to-" Mrs. Ter
winiger's aspect was ominous.
Very well, my dear interiected the
professor, quickly and meekly. "Al
right, 10 not let us have any words
OF course shall accept; Of course"