Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-10-07
HUMAN DESIRES.

Bernard Shaw is credited with say
ing that "virtue consists not In abb
staining from vice, but In not desiring
IT," In these few words he has but
paraphrased the Bible truth that the
heart OF man is the source of wicked
ness, rather than outside allurements.
We speak fluently of the temptations
that lay In wait for the unwary, espe-
cially the young and inexperienced,
yet overlook the fact that in nine
cases out of ten where we sin the sug-
gestion has come from our own evil
desires rather than from external In
fluence. The power OF environment
has its effect in producing the kind
Of character that is either easily per-
suaded into evil or is largely able to
resist evil suggestions. Environment
does not make men bad or good, but
it only makes them the better sub
iects for evil or good influences from
within their own consciousness. 1t be-
hooves us then. as matter of the
greatest Importance to our young
folks, instead of bending all our euer-
gies TO the removal of external tempta-
tions from their path, to rather pre-
pare in them sturdy moral sense
and n cleanness of imagination. They
will more likely resist the temptations
from outside when there Is not within
them an answering desire that urges
them to yield.
! 1t is n we'll known musical fact that
| for every tone of an instrument there
is an answering vibration of some in
animate object. Some other thing be-
sides the thing which produces the
sound is responsive to the same vibra-
tions and sounds in response. Just as
we have heard the windows of build
ings tremble at the music OF brass
band, or objects in the house echo
the tones of a piano, so there Is in
every mans heart strings that re-
spond readily to certain suggestions
from outside, whether they be for
god or evil. What is needed then is
not TO say that everything Is n matter
of chance, OF heredity, or of natural
depravity, but to tune the hearts OF
the young and impresslonable that
they may readily respond to the vibra-
tions OF good impulses and resist those
of evil That, after all, is the gist OF
forming the character of the young.
for. no matter what the convictions
Of the individual as to questions of
right and wrong, and no matter how
important IL is that those convictions
should be right and firm. the indivld-
uars cleanness Of life will hinge large
ly on this response to impulses.
It Is a foregone conclusion that a
very small part of this worlds wicked
ness IL deliberate and premedltated.
can be laid to impulse, and impulse is
not governed so much by convictions
as by habit OF thot. The man who
strives continually to be clean OF
heart. to Danish uncleanness from his
mind. 10 think evil OF no one and to
look for the good rather than the bad
In his fellow -men--this man will find
his life much happier and freer from
unexpected stumblings than II he were
obsessed with the prevalence OF evil
and continually anxious lest he should
fall short OF his creed. Many sin
cere Christian finds the way exceed
ingly hard because he esteems every
thing evil rs matter of course and
shuts his heart up in a sort Of mental
and spiritual seclusion. He sees evi
in the natural and innocent impulses
OF childhood. he finds bad motives ir
tho best Of intentions, and the world
TO him ic O bowling wilderness in
stead Of the beautiful place that God
made II. These men are the bigotet
reac ctionaries who see no Joy In life
and rehuka thosa who do see it. All