The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1912-12-10

When the Apostle Paul gives list
of the fruits of the spirit he be-
gins with love, runs through the list
of ioy. meekness and the like, and
ends with temperance. This word
Temperance is one of those terms
whose meaning has been altered by
time and customs. When we use 1t
now we usually imply something In
regard to alcoholic liquors. No such
connotation was in the mind of the
people who employed the Greek word
Paul wrote in his day. They meant
simply 'self-control."
Love, then, is the first and self
control the last virtue in order OF
development.
This is psychologically true. We
are full, more or less, according to
our makeup, of forces. Out OF the
soul come desires, like strong cur
rents of electricity, streams of power.
1t is foolish to call any of them bad.
The Creator made them.
Love, passion, is the steam: self
control the captain or pilot OF the
soul.
A man, therefore, is like mariner
steering his boat between rocks and
shoals, keeping the safe middle chan
mel. There is no substitute for
wise pilot. There is no safe and sure
and easy method of attaining charac-
ter. Every minute we must weigh
and Judge and decide.
Onnd limitations
of self-control on the market. For
instance, there is stupidity. Many a
fat head has gained reputation for
being safe" man when, as mat
ter of fact, he never could be any
thing else. He is praised for self
control when he has nothing to con-
troll. DR.. Hale tells of a man who
became famous for his wisdom in
the legislature simply by conhnlng
his public utterances to two speeches..
One was, There has been so much
said and so well said that l can add
nothing" The other, Il quite agree
with the gentleman on the other side
of the house"
There are many persons who are
spoken of for their goodness who in
reality are nothing. They have no
force. no passion, no strong desires,
no fire and no go. Their heads are
stored with choice mutton. 1t is
trayesty upon virtue to call such as
these virtuous.
Let the storm-tossed and driven
take comfort. You are the real kings
For you the fires of creation were
kindled. For you the wind blows and
the stars shine. Sail on. OF course,
YOU must stand at the wheel day and
night. while the derelicts float by
without a lookout, peaceful in their
living death. Beneath you are strong
waves and sea monsters, around you
are storms and huge ocean craft like
Yourself freighted with responsible
tv: above you is the lightning. But
it's life. life, life!
The world has too long praised
mediocrity in character and worship
ped at the shrine of the moral weak
ling. Goodness is eternally defined
as being purely negative. A man IS
rated high morally by the things he
| does not do.
You have always been taught 10
look up to the Honorable Leading
| Citizen because he does not drink
nor smoke, nor go to theatres, mol
attend horse races, nor gamble, mol
dance, nor swear. Far be it from
me to intimate that these things are
not wholly reprehensible. But why
should the honorable gentleman
boast that he does not these? Meth
er does a fence post.
What is it that he does? Virtu'
? is positive, not negative. Does h
! feel for others, does he work, care
suffer and I've for others? Are h
}. strong tides of altruism runnin