South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-11-26

II was Henry Clay who said that
be would rather be right than De
president. and he well said for
he conveyed the idea that 20 be able
to control all pass. ons and ambitions
and make them subservient 20 the
great one o. being Master OF ones
self was the highest place any man
could climb. He that ruleth his
own spirit - greater than he that
taketh a city" And the man who
is Master OF himself Is matter Of all
there is in the world that is worth
while No this Is not n selfish
thing IN the though. Il Is sanctioned
se,f!shness. The man who has
nothing TO give can give nothing. It
!s only the man who has created
for himself a competence OF char
acter or laid up for himself riches
In the spiritual world that really
has anything worth while 20 give
20 this wond. Come let US learn the
fine art OF mastering ourselves. then
and only then VIII we be able 10
master greater worlds.
There Is danger in any good thing
and there Is danger in the modern
cry for peace. Sin. darkness, crime.
iniquity. and the political rogue all
want peace. They are perfectly sat
.sfied with peace. That great Prince
OF Peace said II came not 70 send
peace upon the earth but a sword"
He did not want war but he wanted
right TO prevail and right must pre-
vail no matter what the odds against
10. Paul wrote Il have learned in
whatever state am Herewith TO be
content" He was not content with
the state OF conditions around him.
nor was he satisfied with the Roman
prison he was then enduring but
he meant that no conditions however
had mastered him. He was still
master Of his conditions. He could
rise above his surroundings and
master his circumstances. He was
master Of himself. He was never
listless. Indifferent. or apathetic
about life and its struggles.
He prayed to be free TO fight once
more. He docs not deny agony, pain
or heartbreak. He speaks OF the
numerous sorrows that he had en-
dured but he wants and Graves no
pity for he is superior TO IL all and
has an open sesame that keeps his
heart unafraid. That is what he
means by the word contentmenc.
Self-reliant, independent, competent,
self-sufficient.
Have YOU ever thought TO con-
traSt Napoleon and Paul. See Napo-
leon standing on the shore of his
island prison, beaten, respondent.
cynical. unhappy. Here is Paul in
prison under the sentence OF death.
| triumphant and unconquerable. He
could truly say with Healey:
1T matters no how straight the
gate,
How charged with punishments the
! scroll.
1 am the master Of my fate;
| I am the captain Of my soud.'
Here was a man who knew how to
be rich and keep a right spirit, and
how TO be poor and not be a pauper,
| He knew how 60 be abased and how
10 abound. He was master Of him
self and time nor tide had power to
move him. Such contentment is a
rare grace.
The lesson OF se1f-mastery cannot
| be learned IN a moment. It IS a very
| lard lesson TO learn but Paul learn
| ed it and learned 1t well and so can
| you. 1t is not a matter OF health or
good feeling or hereditary temper
| ament. We have long excused our
/ selves upon such superficial and un-
| worthy grounds. You are not the
| only man who ever had trouble or
sickness or poverty or distress or
what seemed to you SIT fortune.
| There were hundreds before you and
/ Paul was one Of them. Paul had a
! bad disposition. We are first intro
/ Guced 20 him when he was breath
ing ont threatenings' against all
/ Chris, ians. He had a passion for
/ the blood OF Christians. Now see
| him in Rome. Come life. come
/ death. come sack cloth. come roses