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Article MASONIC DIDACTICS; Page 1 of 2 →
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Masonic Didactics;
MASONIC DIDACTICS ;
OR , SHORT MORAL ESSAYS OF UNIVERSAL ADAPTATION . BY BROTHER H . R . SLADE , LL . B . CLERK . M . II . AND AUTHOR OF THE " TRANSLATION OP THE DEFENCE OF SOCRATES , " AND OTHER WORKS . " Masonry Is a peculiar system of morals . " No . I . —ON EARLY RISING , AS A BENEFICIAL HABIT .
Ut teipsum serves , iron expergisceris *—HORACK . Thyself to serve , thou wilt not early rise ? *—AUTHOR . THIS in terrogation of the poet is , in a very particular manner , applicable in our addresses to those motives of self-interest which mostl y actuate mankind . If the voice of moral rebuke be heard in vain , perhaps the alarm of selfish wants being in danger may sound a more awakening peal in our bosoms . Nothing should be lost siht of that
g may be made an inducement to rise early , or , as the poet expresses it , to bestir ourselves ; nor , on proper occasions , should it be neglected to enforce even the sinfulness of consuming hours that are precious , in slothful repose . Indolence , of every kind , and at all seasons , is highly culpable ; but the particular kind to which Horace alludes in the thesis is chiefly the result of a bad habit .
Habit is somewhere said to be " second nature ; " and if nature be left entirely to herself , it is well known that her fruits become wild , —so necessary is the art of cultivation . In the same manner , habit , then , unless controlled and regulated by reason and judgment , is likely to be productive of moral evil . To distinguish between a good and bad habit is not difficult . The man of reflection has only to turn his attention to the simple question
in discussion . Is the habit of early rising good or bad ? In support of the former is arrayed the whole strength of medical science , besides the evidence which is derived de luce natures . In proof of the latter , the health of every individual who wastes his time in bed may be appealed to . Drowsy sleep , such as comes upon us after nature has refreshed herself , is the consequence of a bad habit ; and the longer it is encouraged , the stronger does that antipathy to " shake off dull sloth" become .
Most physicians lay it down as an axiom , that six hours' sleep is sufficient for any human being in health ; and that period of bodily rest is quite adequate to renovate the frame . More only sows tlie seeds of premature debility , which must ultimately destroy the constitutional powers both of mind and body . This vice is , without doubt , also , inconsistent with a life of active virtue * nor can it possibly be essential to the nourishment of our faculties , and its only tendency is to enfeeble and disease us . Sickness is allowed to be excepted from the rigour of a general rule ; but when merely the gratification of an absolute laziness is the object , nothing can
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonic Didactics;
MASONIC DIDACTICS ;
OR , SHORT MORAL ESSAYS OF UNIVERSAL ADAPTATION . BY BROTHER H . R . SLADE , LL . B . CLERK . M . II . AND AUTHOR OF THE " TRANSLATION OP THE DEFENCE OF SOCRATES , " AND OTHER WORKS . " Masonry Is a peculiar system of morals . " No . I . —ON EARLY RISING , AS A BENEFICIAL HABIT .
Ut teipsum serves , iron expergisceris *—HORACK . Thyself to serve , thou wilt not early rise ? *—AUTHOR . THIS in terrogation of the poet is , in a very particular manner , applicable in our addresses to those motives of self-interest which mostl y actuate mankind . If the voice of moral rebuke be heard in vain , perhaps the alarm of selfish wants being in danger may sound a more awakening peal in our bosoms . Nothing should be lost siht of that
g may be made an inducement to rise early , or , as the poet expresses it , to bestir ourselves ; nor , on proper occasions , should it be neglected to enforce even the sinfulness of consuming hours that are precious , in slothful repose . Indolence , of every kind , and at all seasons , is highly culpable ; but the particular kind to which Horace alludes in the thesis is chiefly the result of a bad habit .
Habit is somewhere said to be " second nature ; " and if nature be left entirely to herself , it is well known that her fruits become wild , —so necessary is the art of cultivation . In the same manner , habit , then , unless controlled and regulated by reason and judgment , is likely to be productive of moral evil . To distinguish between a good and bad habit is not difficult . The man of reflection has only to turn his attention to the simple question
in discussion . Is the habit of early rising good or bad ? In support of the former is arrayed the whole strength of medical science , besides the evidence which is derived de luce natures . In proof of the latter , the health of every individual who wastes his time in bed may be appealed to . Drowsy sleep , such as comes upon us after nature has refreshed herself , is the consequence of a bad habit ; and the longer it is encouraged , the stronger does that antipathy to " shake off dull sloth" become .
Most physicians lay it down as an axiom , that six hours' sleep is sufficient for any human being in health ; and that period of bodily rest is quite adequate to renovate the frame . More only sows tlie seeds of premature debility , which must ultimately destroy the constitutional powers both of mind and body . This vice is , without doubt , also , inconsistent with a life of active virtue * nor can it possibly be essential to the nourishment of our faculties , and its only tendency is to enfeeble and disease us . Sickness is allowed to be excepted from the rigour of a general rule ; but when merely the gratification of an absolute laziness is the object , nothing can