Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-13
49, ~ flD|


spoke much of firmness of soul. When we
acquire the Pythagorean firmness of soul
We shall not be so readily persuaded by the
aporous moods and emotions that hover
ever near. The stuff of which we built our
stable center will not have in 1t anything
that Is in affinity with them The unstable
stuff will have been eliminated.
This frmness can be vastly helped by a
little morning forethought. Perhaps It is
going to be a long. hard day for us. This.
If we give the matter a thought. We recall.
will induce a mood of detection. But by
forestalling ourselves for the occasion this
may be averted. We may not avo-. the
WEAKNESS Of the flesh altogether But the
spirit We can keep fresh and bright
The complement of the morning prepare
ton for the day is the evening review. II
when the day is done our minds go over 1t
and note in how far we have compaSSeu
our purposes we shall have all the advan-
tages the next time of our conclusions and
counsels on the experience of today.
Bodily
Poise promotes mental equilibrium. When
!; the body is in disorder the mind is certain
to reflect the diseases Many moods arise
wholly from physical disabilities. And I'M
less our bodies are kept sound as may be
we cannot expect sound minds
A celebrated teacher of cookery argued
that all human ills verify proceeded from
Indigestion. Some one asked Dwight l..
Moody whether he thought real dyspepsia
could become a Christian. We all know
the salutary influences of out-of-door life,
of the morning bath. of daily exercise. OF
regular hours. of simple dietaries Some
times a breath of air is all that is needed
to dispel mental distemper.
A father received in curt reply from
his young daughter evidence that she was
in a sorry frame of mind. oh said he.
with gay wisdom. ''if that is the way you
feel go out and take a walk"
Games. stories. amusing diversions. are
often mood cures. We need not always
take ourselves seriously. young woman
who was distressed. vastly distressed over
her religious experiences. her views and de-
fections from orthodoxy spoke to a cele-
brated clergyman friend Let the matter
alone for little while" he counseied with
perfect unconcern. Think of something
! else" And she had taken it matter of
life and death.
If
Despite all effort to avert mood, we new
ertheless fall under it's spell. we should
take heed not to act. not to commit our
selves by word or deed until the pressure
has passed away.
This was one of the old Pythagorean
rules mo Pythagorean." says Iamblichus.
when angry either punished servant or
admonished freeman, but waited until
silence to that end
Sometimes the moment of stress is eX-
ceedngly urgent. We feel that we must
say this. we must do this. No, wait Walt
until this unSeemly pressure has spent
itself, has subsidized and our judgment has
had chance to manifest. The times that
we are most swept by our impulses are the
times o: all times that we should keep
steady If can hold our own for the
one tumultuous moment the word is not
spoken. the deed is not done. The strain
over now appreciate that this thing
which we were vehemently impel.ed to
do is the precise thing vetoed by our judg-
ment now that it has declared Itself.
Whereas if our impulse dictated Alright the
judgment will only second its promptings.
Perhaps we depend our intuition. In
tuition. indeed, is far above intellect and
Pythagoras enjoned US always to leave
ourselves to be guided and directed by the
understanding that comes from above. But
fancied higher light on a matter oftentimes
proves to be the fitful flames of prejudice
and impulse. These If persistently followed
only blind the judgment and must all De
cleared away ere the divine sunlight can
shine through and illumne the mind.