, 1924-05-22
CORNER
Edited by DR.. Jas. A. Fraser
PUT ON THE BRAKES

Some time ago we thought Of the Windshield of an auto
mobile. we found that the windshield was a very important
item in driving a car. 1t is always well to keep the windshield
clean. Conscience is the Windshield of the S oul, and Con
science must be kept clean or else accident will happen. Let
us think of the Brakes on a car this week. Without the brake
a car is almost useless. Men always see to it that the brakes
of their autos are working before they go out on a long jour
ney. There are many steep hills in all parts of the country
and, to go up and down these hills, the very lives of the people
who drive, depend upon the perfect action of the brakes when
applied. 1t is good to know how to drive a car; it is better
to know how to stop it when once it is in motion. Some time
ago, a freight train was wrecked in Rawlns because the brakes
were not sufficient to retard its motion. The train, or the ma
chine that cannot be stopped quickly becomes very dangerous.
1t is dangerous to those who drive and also to those who walk
on our streets.
1 am told that in the old days before there were air-brakes
on the trains, the brakemen set the brakes. When the engin-
eer found that he was going down hill too fast he would whistle
and the brakeman helped him hold the train back. Trains
need brakes! Do you think you would like to ride on a train
without brakesi I guess not! Do you take much pleasure
riding in an auto that has its brakes all worn QUIT l guess
not! Life is too precious for that.
Now boys and girls are like trains; they are like autos!
Why do 1 say thati Because boys and girls have plenty of
power. Some autos have thirty horsepower, some have even
ninety horsepower, and 1 know many boys who have at least
that much. And the more power these boys have the more
brakes they need. Great Scott! Think of a sixty horse power
boy with a weak brake. Remember we likened the windshield
to conscience. Let us lken the Brake to the Will. A sixty
horsepower boy with a weak will is a very dangerous machine.
Boys and girls must have good brakes: they must have good
wills. The more power a boy has the more will-power he must
have.
IAN IVY "A SAiAS "Aoh US AOoC PO"SA SShoAoi hoNSI
quick tempers. Temper is the fire under the engine or the
spark plug in the machine. The more speed thy have the
more brakes they need. When a boy gets angry and loses his
temper and does things that he ought not to do, people say:
'See how much spirit (power) he has, But he would be a
great deal better off if he did not have so much spirit. Better,
he would be far better off if he set the Brakes! God has given
us brakes. 1t is called the will. If we do not use our wills
we become dangerous to ourselves and to others. When we
find our tempers getting the better of us so that we want to
rush ahead and say hasty and unkind things or do harm we
simply must put on the brakes.
The other day 1 was reading an article about Christy
Mathewson. "Chrsty'' was one of the greatest baseball
pitchers ever produced. 1 have seen him pitch many times.
One wondered at his control over the ball. Never did he dis
pute a decision, always did he play the game. He put the best
he had into it. Why this controli Mathewson had control over
himself, and he also had control over the ball. He never lost
his temper, or if he did, we did not see it. He applied the
brakes, when the "brakes' went against him. He used his
will to stop the machine.
There were many times; and there are times now when
my prayer is, "God help me to keep my temper Why not try
saying that prayer. Don't drive your auto unless the brakes
are in good order. Don't let your temper get the better of
y your wills. Put on the brakes!