The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-08-28
Keep Your Temper,

Oh that l had wings like a dove!
for then would I fly away, and be
at rest.-Psalms, w., 6.
1t is probable that these words
were called forth by Absalom's re-
bellion. He wanted his fathers
throne and had himself proclaimed
king. When David heard of this he
was greatly distressed and wished
that he could get away into some
quiet desert place. It was q foolish
wish. He was not at his best and
should have waited until his feelings
were under control.
, No hour of life calls for more care
than that which brings us face to
face with an unpleasant experience.
1t would be unreasonable to ask that
such a thing should not affect our
feelings, but it Is not unreasonable
to ask that we should move at such
a time with great care. Every man
knows when he Is not at his best
and, knowing, should school himself
into the habit of waiting until he
Gains down before speaking or act
ing. No surgeon would perform an
operation calling for great care If
he had trembling Of hand. No engi-
heer would go into his engine to do
important duty if he had serious
trouble with his eyes. United to do
his best either would say. 81 cannot
do this until I am in better condi-
ton"
1t should be the same in everyday
life. If things have gone wrong in
the Office so that We cannot meet
the visitor in a pleasant, manly way,
we should ask him to call at an
other time. If the annoyances OF
the home have been such that when
the child does wrong we cannot adj
minister correction without a show
Of temper, we should either defer
the correction or let the wrong 60
unnoticed. We make a mistake every
time we act out feelings which do
not represent our best selves and
sometimes do injury to others. D
No man "a be at his best all the
time. The most even tempered may
be ruf1ed sometimes. The mcst
cheerful may have blue moments AS
well expect that the body should hot
be affected by changes in tempera-
ture, az that mind and heart should
not be affected by the experiences of
everyday life. A man who spends
the night in tossing Is not as we'll
prepared to meet the i%rritatlons Of
the Office as one who has had sound
sleep. The man suffering from bod
lily ills finds it harder to give a pleas
ant answer to every question than the
man who scarcely knows what ache
or pain is. 1t is not possible to pre-
vent unpleasant circumstances hav-
ing some effect upon our feelings,
but 1t Is possible to refrain from
speaking or acting until better feel
ings come.
Most Of us contrive to control our
feelings when there is something
personal at stake. The a Of bust
ness may be vexed, but when a good
customer appears there is little dan
ger Of his doing anything rude. Many
annoying things may have come into
the life of the good housewife, but
there is not much danger Of her
showing their effect when a good So
ciety friend calls. The day in the
store may be hard, but the husband
If he will can control his feelings
when answering tedious questions
from his wife as when such questions
are asked by a good customer. The
day in the home may be trying, but
the wife who can despite this con-
troll her feelings and be agreeable
to a visitor should be able to assume
an equally pleasant manner to her
husband.
We cannot always be at our best,
but when our feelings are rufled 1t
is our duty to keep them under con-
troll and to be especially careful at
such times in our treatment of others.
The Rev. Pleasant Hunter, Fourth
Presbyterian Church, New York City.
in The Sunday Herald.