Does not God often appear to withhold aid only that we may have the joy of winning victories by our own powers? (Text.)
(2874)
That self-help is the best help is illustrated by the statements of a writer in Health, who says of the muscles:
It is dangerous to assist any muscle of the
body. The more a muscle is assisted, the
weaker it gets and the less it responds to
the motor nerves. If any part of the body
is deformed or has become weakened as the
result of certain muscles failing to perform
their duty, the muscles should be strengthened,
not helped. If the abdomen protrudes
as the result of the abdominal muscles having
become weak, do not support the abdomen
with a bandage, thus making the abdominal
muscles still weaker. Strengthen the abdominal
muscles, thus making a natural
bandage. The same is true in reference to
other braces and bandages. Never help a
muscle, for you only weaken it. Exercise
the muscle; it will then help itself.
(2875)
SELF-HIDDEN
One way to win success in work and war is to subordinate self to the service, as the following lines suggest:
He held the lamp of truth that day
So low that none could miss the way;
And yet so high to bring in sight
That picture fair—the world's great Light;
That, gazing up—the lamp between—
The hand that held it scarce was seen.
He held the pitcher, stooping low
To lips of little ones below;
Then raised it to the weary saint,
And bade him drink, when sick and faint!
They drank—the pitcher thus between—
The hand that held it scarce was seen.
He blew the trumpet soft and clear,
That trembling sinners need not fear;
And then with louder note and bold,
To raze the walls of Satan's hold!
The trumpet coming thus between,
The hand that held it scarce was seen.
But when the Captain says, "Well done,
Thou good and faithful servant—come!
Lay down the pitcher and the lamp
Lay down the trumpet—leave the camp,"
The weary hands will then be seen,
Clasped in those pierced ones—naught between.
(Text.)
(2876)
Self-improvement—See Mutualism.
Self-injury—See Suicide Prevented.
SELF-INSPECTION
John Wesley drew up at Oxford for himself
and his companions a scheme of self-*examination
which Southey declares, with
some truth, might well be appended to the
spiritual exercises of Ignatius Loyola. Here
are samples: "Have I been simple and
recollected everything I did?" And under
this head is a swarm of microscopic tests of
"sincerity" which the soul was to apply to
itself. "Have I prayed with fervor?" Then
follows a list of the times in each day at
which prayer must be offered, and a series
of tests for ascertaining the exact degree of
fervor in each prayer—tests which irresistibly
suggest a spiritual thermometer, with a
graduated scale to register the rise of the
mercury. Wesley adopted the practise his
mother urged of asking, "Have I, in private
prayer, frequently stopt short and observed
what fervor in devotion?" That is, the
anxious soul was to keep one eye directed to
the object of prayer, and the other vigilantly
fixt upon itself, so as to observe its
own behavior.—W. H. Fitchett, "Wesley
and His Century."
(2877)
A traveler, reaching a mining camp unexpectedly, found the miners very rough in manners and appearance owing to their long absence from conventional life. On leaving the camp for a farther journey, the traveler handed one of the leaders a looking-glass. A glance at it amazed the man, and soon all the other miners were crowding round him for a sight of themselves. Then the traveler departed, promising to return in a month. On his return he found an extraordinary change had taken place. The men, having realized by the mirror what uncouth, unshaven fellows they had become, had reformed as regards their appearance and were now as smart and clean as ordinary civilized beings. It was a sight of themselves which had worked the change.
(2878)
SELF-LIMITATIONS
"Lakeview; why, I should have thought
they would call it Seaview!" exclaimed the
island tourist, standing on the brow of the
hill.
"But they don't see the sea from the
