Norwich bulletin., 1915-01-28
MANS CHOICE OF LIFE
 IN HIS OWN HANDS
Rev. C. H. Ricketts Spoke Upon Topic of intelligent Faith at Shop Meet ing.

Intelligent Faith was the subject upon which Rev. Charles H. RicIzetts spoke at the plant of the Richmond Radiator company at noon on Wednes- day under the auspices of the local |. M. C. A. Among other things Rev. MT. Ricketts said that the greatest friend or the greatest enemy you can possibly have is yourself. The only monarch that can be enthroned in your life is yourself. This monarch can never be droven from his throne; un- der no conceivable conditions can iu be usurped by another. If that mon arch is sort of Iyrannical Nero, who grips you with a cruel hand and crushes you down into the Inire you have only yourself to blame. You put him there, and keep him there. He couldn't hold the sceptre over your soul a, single moment without the con sent of your will and affections. If the king who rules your life is Q good one the honor belongs to yourself who invited the King of Righteousness or Decency or Kindness to rule in your heart.
 No Blame on Others.
 1 never like to hear man snivei about somebody leading him astray. Nobody on earth can lead you astray unless you choose to go astray. If brute force compelled you to act against your will it would not be a misdemeanor. There is no going astray apart from deliberate choice. If you ever find yourself in the mire of intemperance, Ihievery or uncfeanneSs 1t is because you have dragged your self down. The only power that is responsible for your going up hill or down is yourself. Good and bad in 11UenCes may be thrown about you, but 1t is up to you yourself to say whether they shall be accepted or rejected.
 Our lamented ancestor. Adam. lost his claim to respect when he lost his nerve. He certainly was not much Of q sport. Of course it was a mean thing to eat the forbidden fruit. but it was a thousand times meaner to squeal on his wife, saying, She gave me of the tree. and I did eat" This kind of squeaiinG has been SOine on ever since: a cowardly attempt to shift responsibility. \ man is never so great an enemy to himself as when he is q, coward. and never so great friend as when he is brave.
 Heredity Overdone Sometimes. think we greatly overdo this heredity business, and we can hardly blame some people for working it for all it is worth because it is the only clam they have to public notice. The character of your grandfather wheth- CT saint or sinner. has little to do with you. You will stand or fall bv your own character. and that is some thing that you fashion yourself. If your conduct is bad you are not jus titied in pointing to unfortunate sur roundings and saying ''E7nvironmeut did it. Divine law as well as hu- man law and your own conscience say: Rise above your surroundings" Your own soul is nightier than the shell in which 1t is put. We have no rigat to say that temperament is responsible for misdeeds. Temperament is only trend and if the trend is a bad one is is your duty to correct it..
 Intelligent Faith.
 Tn the battle of life you may be wounded by adversity, caIun1ny. sick ness and the like, but these things cannot pull you down. The life that now is contains a good deal of both heaven and hell, but these conditions are more often brought upon you from within than without. The amount of heaven you are going to sec in other people or in the community at large will depend on the heavenly spirit you cherish within. If you are a Ioval1Je people about you. Even if you become an invalid, or a pauper, or a criminal. and attempt to rectify the causes that have produced these results, YOU will not be crushed. As long as 2 man has faith in himself and in the integ- rlty ot his motives, he is bound to succeed as God measures success. Ter me encourage you then, men, to have rational and intelligent faith in your- selves. There is a majesty in the hu- man personality which nothing, can dethrone. Always have reason to re- spect yourself.