mean that he is a moral man; that is, one who has so long practiced the methods of right thinking, speaking, and acting that he behaves properly from force of habit. A man of bad habits is called an immoral man because he has become confirmed in wrong-doing, and can scarcely act otherwise if he tries. The moral quality of any action is not changed because it has been repeated so often as to become a habit. People often justify bad habits because they find difficulty in overcoming them, but the habitual drunkard who is unable to restrain the appetite that is ruining him and distressing his family, can not say he does no wrong because his habits are bad and it is too late to reform them. Bad habits are the fruits of wrong actions, and wrong actions are always a violation of good morals; but the fact that a man is unable to break the habit is no excuse for the wrong. He began wrong and continues wrong. Conscience governed by habit. We have already seen that the minds of men, as well as their physical powers, become subject to the influence of habit. The conscience also may be under the same control. Conscience is defined as the "moral sense," or "that power, faculty, or principle of the soul, which, when the judgment decides on the lawfulness or unlawfulness of our own actions or affections, will suffer pleasure or pain as it is obeyed or disobeyed." When we know the relations we sustain to God and our fellow-man, the judgment will inform us what we ought, or ought not to do, as right or wrong, and the conscience will approve of the decision. This faculty urges us to do right because its performance causes satisfaction, while the doing of wrong causes remorse. Like every other power or sense of body or mind, What do we mean by a man of good habits? Of bad? Is the moral quality of an action changed by its being a habit? May we justify bad habits because they are habits? Of what are bad habits the result? Define conscience. Is conscience subject to the law of habit? What office does conscience perform? Will conscience be strengthened by use? it is strengthened by proper use and is weakened, or perhaps destroyed, by disuse or neglect. This is a law of our nature. Anecdote.-A father and son went into a field to steal corn. When they had gone to the middle of the field, the father mounted a stump and looked cautiously around to see if they were observed. The boy whispered: "Father, look up." The tender conscience of the boy was disturbed by this violation of the law, "Thou shalt not steal." He felt that God's command would be broken, and he cautioned his father to look, where, from the habit of stealing, he had not been accustomed to apprehend danger or discovery. Conscience should be obeyed.-We should always obey the teachings of conscience. It is the highest authority to which we can appeal. If we think an action right, we are under the strongest obligation to perform it; if we feel it is wrong, nothing should induce its commission. If we neglect to listen to the appeal of conscience once, we lose our self-respect; we feel a sense of shame and meanness. If we commit the wrong a second time, its warning voice is not so loud, and finally, after repeated failures to secure attention, it ceases to urge us to do right. The law of habit which enables the conscience to grow each day stronger and more certain in its indications of right, will as surely, if neglected and abused, cease entirely to give its friendly advice. It is a dangerous habit to neglect the kind whisperings of so friendly a monitor. Character and reputation.-The sum of a person's good and bad habits constitutes his character. The good How does disuse affect it? Give the anecdote. What was the difference between the father and the son? Why should we always obey our conscience? Why do we study the moral law? Is it necessary to educate the conscience? Why? What is the effect of neglecting the appeal of conscience even once? What is the effect of repeated neglect? What is meant by character? and the bad are mingled together; if the former are in excess, he is said to possess a good character; if the latter are predominant, his character is said to be bad. The term character represents a man as he is. Reputation is the term which expresses the estimation in which he is held by others. Anecdote.-The following incident will illustrate the value, both of a good character and an unblemished reputation: Just as the civil war commenced, soldiers were enlisting and going away from almost every home in the land. A young man had volunteered, and was expecting daily to be ordered to the seat of war. One day his mother gave him an unpaid bill with the money, and asked him to pay it. When he returned home at night, she said: “Did you pay that bill?" "Yes," he answered. In a few days the bill was sent in a second time. "I thought," she said to her son, "that you paid this." "I really don't remember, mother, you know I've had so many things on my mind." 66 But you said you did." 66 Well," He went away, and his mother took the bill herself to the store. The young man had been known in the town all his life, and what opinion was held of him the result will show. "I am quite sure," she said, "that my son paid this some days ago; he has been very busy since, and has quite forgotten about it, but he told me he had that day, and says, if he said then that he had, he is quite sure he did.” "Well," said the man, "I forget about it, but if he ever said he did, he did." The value of such a reputation is inestimable. What is meant by reputation? Which is preferable, a good character or good reputation? Repeat the anecdote. It is not always the case that reputation is founded upon real worth, for some of the best men the world ever saw were neither understood nor esteemed, while some of the basest were reputed the most worthy. Still, as a rule among common men, a man's reputation is based upon a fair estimate of his virtues. If the young acquire the habits which distinguish ladies and gentlemen, if they become “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy," their good influence will soon be felt and acknowledged. These virtues are the results of education; for a good education is but little more than the formation and growth of good habits. Can habits be changed?-Yes; habits may be changed, bad characters may be reformed, and good reputations may be regained, but the processes are sometimes long and difficult. It is easier to avoid bad habits when they are shown us than to correct them after they have begun to control our actions. The habits of an old man are rarely improved. Youth is the time to accustom both mind and body to right methods of life. If wrong practices have been acquired, if bad manners have been formed, if incorrect ideas have been learned, the elasticity of the mind and the hopefulness of the youthful character make a reformation possible. An ancient prophet in reproving the sins of his people, who had long been transgressing, used the following sad but striking language: "Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil." If every youth in the land, who has acquired evil ways, were to have as little What habits distinguish the lady and gentleman? What is meant by pure? Peaceable? Gentle? Is a boy who refuses to listen to advice" easy to be entreated?" How are good fruits shown? What is meant by partiality? By hypocrisy? May these virtues be acquired? How? What is meant by a good education? Can habits be changed? What is the period to form good habits? Why are bad habits hard to change? What was the language of the prophet? What does it mean? chance of reformation as a leopard has to change his spots, then the hope of being and doing good would be truly faint. But fortunately it is not so. Evil habits may be overcome in the same manner they were acquired, that is, by practice. How shall bad habits be changed?-If conscience tells us that any habit is wrong, it is our duty to change it. There is nothing brave or manly in giving up the hope of reform, or in whining and complaining with a cowardly "I can't." It is folly to expect to break off in a day the bad habits which have been growing and strengthening for years. The reform can only be accomplished by constant, careful attention, by vigorous resolution, by courageously watching and fighting against the disposition or propensity to do wrong. It is not an easy undertaking. "Avoid the persons, the places, and the thoughts that lead to the temptation, and, on the other hand, frequent the places, associate with the persons, indulge the thoughts that lead away from temptation. Keep busy : idleness is the strength of bad habits. Do not give up the struggle when you have broken your resolution once, twice, or a dozen times. Any failure only shows how much need there is for your increasing efforts. When you have failed to accomplish your desire, think the matter over and endeavor to understand why it was you failed, so that you may be on your guard against the recurrence of the same circumstances." Be honest with yourself, and never suppose you can bear a temptation. Let the daily prayer be, "lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil," and thus strive to "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life." How are bad habits overcome? Did you ever hear one say "I can't?" What does "I can't" generally mean? What would it be better to say and do? Need we expect to correct bad habits at once? When should the reformation commence ? Why not postpone it? Is it easy to correct bad habits? Why? What must be done? Suppose we fail once? Is it well to put ourselves in the way of temptation? Why? Have you any habits that you should correct? If so, what is your duty? How often should you try to correct a habit? Should you give up trying? |