The Denver star., 1916-06-24
LYMAN ABBOTT ON
MASTERY OF SELF
Noted American Instructs Stu
dents at Hampton Institute.
AROuSES GREAT INTEREST.
Man Who Succeeded Henry Ward
Bssehsr at Plymouth Church Ex.
plains Difference Between Self De.
niaI and Self ControI-Ths Latter 10
. Duty and Life Fundamental.

piains Oiuefonco Between Self De-
niaI and Self ControI-Ths Latter 10
Duty and Life Fundamental.
Hampton, Va.--The address delivered
by the j.aT. nr. Lyman Abbott on o
Sunday eNe'ins recently at the Hamp-
ton (Na) Institute aroused much inter
est among the Students and has also
been the occasion Of much favorable
comment among the people OF this
town who were also fortunate enough
to hear the noted preacher. lecturer
and author speak.
The Rev. Dr. Abbott in part said:
II want to re-emphasize the lesson
which we received from our preacher
this morning. He made very clear the
difference we forget sometimes or do
not recognize at all-the difference be-
tween self denial and self control. Self
denial Is sometimes duty. 1t is never
an end, but always means to an end.
Self control is always a duty. 1t Is al
ways an end of life. fundamental
without which there can be no success
Of any kind in life. You illustrated
that truth very clearly In your athletic
games. watched those athletic ex-
ercises and those dances in the gym
nasium on Saturday night. Your self
control was wonderful. You had alb
solute mastery Of your bodies and
limbs. l really did not see any indi-
cation OF self denial You seemed to
-Ae having as good time as you were
giving us.
1T was self control without self de.
nial. Self denial is sometimes a ne
cessity and Is essential to self control.
You could not have exercised the self
control which you did II you had not
gone TO the gymnasium sometimes
when you wanted to stay away. II
was the preparation for self control
heard story the other day which
seems to illustrate this sermon.
1T was this: A little girl had gone
to church on Sunday morning. and her
father had stayed at home. When she
came home her father said. Well.
what did the minister preach about
this morning. She said. I cannot tell
you what he said. but his text was.
Keep your soul on top" like the
little girls version better than the
words OF the tcNt-'l keep my soul on
top. That is essential to life II you
would have mastery Of Yourself.
The Greeks imagined there was
such n being as ccntaur The body
TO the fore legs was Il horse. and then
attached to the breast OF the hor.e
were the body and head OF man.
II was a man down to the front legs
and the body was a horse-man and
horse Joined together. or course there
never was q man and horse Joined to-
eether. But every one Of you. saint
and sinner, is part man and part AMI.
NAL Which shall have control? Shall
It be the man and the animal or the
animal and the man. This is the great
question of life.
Have you ever been horseback rid.
ing? Do you know 1t makes a great
deal OF difference whether the horse
goes where you want him to. whether
the rider controls the animal or the
animal controls the rider? Are you
going to be controlled or to control?
Which part OF this composite creature
are you going to be; Are you going to
he man from the breast up or horse
problem of self control Shah 1 mas
ter myself or not? 1t Is primary, per
haps-the mastery of the body. But 1t
Is not only that 1t Is mastery OF the
whole man.
They talk about temperance and
its varied meanings. II man has
never drunk a drop of liquor they say
he Is n temperate man. That is only
one phase OF temperance He may he
temperate in that one thing only. TN
be temperate man must be under
self control, not only his appetite, but
his body, his tongue and his dsts-hi.
tongue, with which he may strike a
deadlier blow than any other way
We hear of the wrong of using force
II Ia not the instrument. out the spirit
with which we use it. YOU girls may
do more harm with uncontrolled
tongues than the boys can do with
uncontrolled fists. Self control Is one
OF the fundamental virtues or life.
There IL disease known as locomo.
tor ataNia. In that disease man loses
control Of the nerves and muscles. lie
cannot control his body. He secs
friend, and he wants to reach out and
shake hands with him. His hand goes
In that direction. He wants 70 look
ut something. and his head goes that
way. He wants to walk here. and ne
goes there. 1t is most pitiful dis
ease.
sometimes have talked to II con
grcgation-not this one, I am bound to
say-and I have seen men looking
around, not paying attention to the ser
non. l have wondered II the fault
was mine. MIR. Bccchcr was asked
shat was the remedy for a sleepy con,
SrepatiOn and kc sui,1 'wcto m tho