• Author: New Era
• Editor: B-7413
• Newspaper: The Umpire volume 5
• Page Number:
• Date: 1 5 1916
• Tags:
• advice

GOVERN YOURSELF The subject of self-control is well presented in the following article from the New Era: "The best governed city is the cleanest, and — its people are the healthiest and happiest. It is the same with the individual. "The object of government is to get people to be clean and right, and, if possible, each one to govern himself. To govern oneself, good judgment and a certain amount of executive ‘ability are essential at the outset. One must stop and think before acting rashly. This soon becomes a habit that stands one in good stead. One must be able to consider things wisely. He may not be able to do this at first, but if he persists earnestly, wisdom will come to his assistance. Trying to exercise good judgment, is the way to attain that quality. It develops it. Practice observing foolish acts of others and their following results, then avoid duplicating them. Learn to examine both sides of a question that presents itself to you. Put yourself in the other fellow's place before you condemn him. The habit of considering things seriously brings about a thoughtful attitude, and nearly all wrong-doing comes from thoughtlessness. A man may plan a crime, but he will not commit it, if he thinks well over the probable consequences. So that among the most deliberate sinners, thoughtlessness is a prominent trait. Therefore, rule yourself calmly and judiciously at all times. Why run to ask for the judgment of another before you have at least tried to judge the proposition yourself? It time to do so, whereupon you can compare yourself judgment with his and see wherein you failed. There is a profit in knowing that. All this self-training and self-ruling brings up very naturally as to the accumulation of good horse sense. It is well to imitate those who do better and get on better than yourself, but beware of imitating their faults. Shakespeare said, "Assume a virtue if you have: it not," which is clever, but in-doing so one is able to get tangled up with some pet vice that belongs to many a virtuous one. By always trying to improve upon yourself, you get into the habit of properly ruling yourself. Many very desirable things then follow. Among others, you get out of prison, and STAY OUT."