The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-04-15
By Mary CHAMPION
What thou doest, do quickly"

What thou doest, do quickly"
| Here was divine commandment
| what did 1t mean.
| If We think it over a while we may
draw some very profitable conclusions
| and decide that when We have an in
| tention OF any kind half formed In
| our minds II were best for us to trans
late II into words then into action
and get 1t over.
How many OF us are playing with
| the thought of sin? Or to put II In
more polite. less forcible language
| with the thought OF something tina,
is not quite right. perfectly kind, or
on the square.
With the longing for revenge
against some enemy who has injured
us. or even the half formed malevo-
lent wish that something will happen
we do not tell ourselves that---that
viii make the path of life smooth for
us. and rough for some one else we
detest.
With the temptation to some form
OF dishonesty.
What Is your grievance? What mis-
chief do you want to do?
Face the trouble like a true man
like true woman-and drag your
problem into the light OF day,
One or two of you. my readers, may
have some evil in mind. some crime
you contemplate committing. but not
now.
Oh, no; you will not go out and do
it at once. You must await the right
Arft .,V
the hidden. idea until an occasion
comes when you do do the thing as
it were by accident, and then cheat
you conscience into telling YOU that
1t was not your fault--you We're drag
ged into it--temptation was too strong
for you"
Tell me is that your own attitude
OF mind at the present moment?
Most of us have some pet form of
wrongdoing that we cannot call by
such strong name as sin. though
admitting that It. is somewhere on
the wrong side of the line OF recti-
tude.
Added to this some of is have a
vague idea of IL really wicked action
we should like to commit some day
at a time as | say when we can cheat
ourselves into believing that We could
not possibly help 1t. or we were per-
suaded into doing IL by another
So we cherish that vague phantom
OF sin---nurse II at the back OF our
lspipdss without feeling g its presence
there and unseen II grows and grows.
1t feeds on our strength OF Will,
and our will grows weaker. II feeds
on our cheerfulness and pleasure in
life. and a shadow spreads day by
day like dim cloud In the far back
ground of cons Ciousness
Gradually cur whole sky Is over
cast and we become trembling weak
creatures bemoaning our lost ideals
that the vapors born of our own evil
thinking hide from sight; destitute Of
faith. hope and trust in the good
ness of God and His creatures.
Then the chance we have longed for
half guilty through weeks. months
and years comes at last What help
have we? All our strength is gone.
Our will is weakened by dalliance with
the imagination OF evil. But God
only helps US to help ourselves.
Let me repeat. n you have a half
formed intention of doing something
you Know to be wrong or wicked. have
1t out with yourself--do It now.
You will not. Why?
You mean to do It some day. / sup 4
pose when you have become SUFFICIENT
ly weak and futile and foolish to do
It without any sense OF shame or re-
gret.
Would it not be better to get It over.
and then repent with your whole heart
and md yourself still with the strength
TO conquer yourself and make amends
md start again fair for the future!