Early Thanksgiving Days

Early Thanksgiving Days By E. Cecil McGatvin Though Thanksgiving ranks with the 4th of July as an American institution, it touches a deeper chord in our feelings with its three-hundred years of historic associations. It com- bines the religious, social, and festal enjoyments and fills a very unique place in our social and national life. Our Thanksgiving idea was no doubt borrowed from peo- ple of long ago. We have many instances in the Bible of people offering prayer, praise, and gratitude to God for his mercies and blessings. The Hebrew feast of Tabernacles and the famous Pentecost were early forms of our Thanksgiving festival. It was customary in mythological times to offer sacrifice after great success in battle. The goddess Ceres, the protectress of agriculture, received homage after an abundant harvest. This custom passed down through the centuries, taking various forms among the several races. In England it took the form of the harvest festival and was perhaps the suggestion followed by our Plymouth fathers. Such a day was held in Leydon, Holland, October 3, 1775, the first anniversary of the deliverance of that city from siege. The first Thanksgivings offered in America were by the Newfoundland colony, 1578; by the Popham colony, 1601; and by the Pilgrims, December 20, 1620, "for safe deliverance from the perils of the sea, for1 the goodly land awaiting them, and for the birth of a son to one Susannah White, December 19." Governor Bradford in 1621 called the first full Thanksgiv- ing day on American soil. During the season of 1621, the Plymouth fathers planted twenty acres to crops of corn, barley, and peas. The corn ma- tured, but the barley and peas were scarcely worth gathering; yet they were grateful for what they did receive, and for the peace they enjoyed with their neighbors, the Indians. To the feast appointed by the Governor, they invited Massassoit and ninety of his braves, who brought with them venison and oysters, both new to the colonists. The men returned from the hunt with ducks and wild turkeys, and from this the turkey has grown to be our "Thanksgiving bird." By 1623, more than half their number had perished from hunger and exposure while those who survived were reduced

EARLY THANKSGIVING DAYS 37 to a ration of five kernels of corn per day. The drouth of this same year now threatened their crops and the colony's existence. On July 16, a fast was ordered and for nine hours they called upon their God for deliverance. Before the meeting closed the showers began to fall, and for fourteen days Mother Earth drank her fill. The more prosperous divided with the hungry until the supply was exhausted and their existence again threatened. February 5 was designated as a day of fasting and prayer to Al- mighty God, but fortunately a ship arrived on the 4th, bringing fresh supplies and new hopes. They were too busy to meet on the 5th, but on the 22nd of the same month, they gathered at the meetinghouse and gave solemn thanks to God for his deliver- ance. Days of Thanksgiving were common among the colonists, the Plymouth colony again ordering a celebration on December 22, 1636. During Revolutionary days the Continental Congress cele- brated Thanksgiving on July 20, 1775; May 10, 1776; January 29, 1777; and among the Continental army December 21, 1777, inasmuch "as God hath been pleased to smile upon us in the prosecution of our just and necessary war for the defense and establishment of our inalienable rights and liberties." It was Washington, in 1789, who first designated the last Thursday in November as Thanksgiving day. The date was sanctioned by Congress. The next universal Thanksgiving day was ordered by Presi- dent Lincoln, to be celebrated August 6, 1863. Since this date its observance has been annually recommended by the Presi- dent. The Thanksgiving festival was intended originally aa a strictly religious festival, but the wonderful New England din- ners and the joyful events that followed took away much of its serious aspect. It was the gala day of the holiday season; in fact, it was the "opening of the ball." The fattest turkeys and fowls, the choicest meats and viands, the most golden pumpkins, the sweetest cider and the most tempting home-made wines were all reserved for Thanksgiving. It was not so much an occasion for giving presents, but of family gatherings to enjoy the festive cheer and greetings. The home, be it ever so lowly, was sure to be decorated with the prettiest winter berries and the most luxurious winter evergreens of trailing vines and drooping, graceful boughs. Many a humble cot thus ornamented, with its wide, open fireplace and blazing logs or artistically; piled pine knots, the reflection of the bright light beautifying the room, presented more real comfort and true hospitality, and afforded more grateful pleasure to the inmates than the palatial

38 IMPROVEMENT ERA mansions of the present day. And this is why we continually revert to the good old times; our hearts were more tender in youth, and our enjoyments fewer and partaken with a keener relish. Now we actually bask in the sunshine of plenty and almost luxury, and the simplicity of former days seems to U3 hallowed by its old-time recollections and earlier associations. Thanksgiving day ought always to be celebrated not only as a positive Americanism, as much as Independence day is, but to remind our children of the customs observed by our Pilgrim fathers and why. Provo, Utah. Tobacco Men Near-Sigthed By Will M. Brown At the national convention of the Cigar Leaf Tobacco As- sociation at Atlantic City, N. J., in June of 1922, George M. Ber- ger, the president, said in his address that there were signs that the attacks on tobacco were diminishing; that "the people are taking a saner view of all social problems." The New York Trib- bune apparently thinks differently. It says of the anti-tobacco agitation: "The excitement has not actually begun! What is now under way is the preparation, the marshalling of data, the recruiting of funds, the organization of forces for the new move- ment." The New York World also warns the tobacco men that the storm against their business is gathering in power, while the New Orleans Item, calling attention to the growing sentiment against tobacco, says: "Smokers should take note of this. They may laugh at it, but it might pay them to remember the saloon- keepers who also laughed — at first!" Another thing the tobacco men should take note of is that the growing sentiment against tobacco is not confined to what they are pleased to term "long-haired men and short-haired women." The president of a large bank says: "We never em- ploy a cigarette smoker in this bank. We feel that our money is safer if it is handled by young men who do not hanidle cigar- ettes." The manager of a wholesale cotton house in New York said to a friend : "I would like to fill every position in this big con- cern with young men who do not smoke, but I can't get them." The private secretary of a Wall Street firm said to an acquaint- ance who called on him, "Plenty of these men right here now are nervously looking for twelve o'clock, so they may go out to smoke* Those men are not giving us value."

Fathers and Sons' Outings Fremont stake held its Fathers' and Sons' Outing on August 3-5. The company numbered 235, among whom were four M. I. A. stake officers, Officers of the M. I. A. Stake Board, left to right: L. V. Merrill, Assistant Superintendent; Oswald Christensen, Superintendent; George H. Maughan, Secretary; John L. Ballif, Jr., Stake Scoutmaster.

40 IMPROVEMENT ERA two of the high council, six bishops, six bishop's counselors, and twelve scout masters, and assistant scout masters. The journey took them into Scene near the mouth of the Buffalo River, Fremont Stake Fathers' and Sons' Outing Island Park at the forks of the Snake and Buffalo rivers, sixty miles from home. This is a beautiful place in the heart of the forest. At evening, around a blazing fire of pinion pine, all listened to de- lightful programs, where all joined in the songs and enjoyed the spicy talks, and were thrilled by the stories of distinguished fathers. The days were spent in playing games and having stunts where the lads and their dads met in contest or stood side by side against their opponents. The trip to Big Springs will never be forgotten. There the north fork of the Snake river flows from under a mountain range in one mam moth spring. From there the company went to the forest rangers' lookout from where could be seen a birds-eye view of the great forest-covered mountain valley known as Island Park. Many other wonder spots were visited by members of the party on their way home. As samples of the results of the outing one of the lads wrote the follow- ing: "Dear Daddy: I was just thinking how I could possibly get along without you to take me on Fathers' and Sons' outings and most everywhere 1 go;" and one good brother said on meeting another, "Yes, we got ac-

FATHERS' AND SONS' OUTING 41 Scoutmasters Fremont Stake quainted on the Fathers' and Sons' Outing." — George H. Maughan, Secre- tary Fremont Stake Y. M. M. I. A. Shelley Stake on Snake River The Fathers' and Sons' Outing of the Shelley stake was held August 2-5, 1922. On August 2, the company of forty-one automobiles, organized in ward units, left Shelley for Island Park a distance of 110 miles. Island Park is located on the Yellowstone Park highway, only a few miles from the entrance of the National Park. A roll call showed that seven out of eight wards were represented with a total of 222 individuals. Three of this numher were great-grandfathers, Lorenzo Sobriesky Young, the only re- Lorenzo Sobrieskie Young, fishing in the Snake river at the Fathers* and Sons' Outing. He is the only surviving pioneer of 1847

Top: Rafting on Snake River. Center: Snake river as viewed from Pine View Camp. Bottom: Upper falls of the Snake i*iver.

FATHERS' AND SONS' OUTING 43 maining representative of the original company of pioneers of 1847, was one of these three, twenty-three were grandfathers, forty-five fathers and one- hundred fifty-one were sons. The first day was mainly taken up in travel. At Warm river, a few miles beyond Ashton, all stopped for lunch. "Pineview Camp," reached about 5 p.m., as it is appropriately called from the thousand or more tall stately pines, was located on the North Fork of Snake River. Camp fires and tents soon appeared, and after supper the evening was spent around a big camp fire in community singing, stories and games. i Camp fire exercises, ball games, rafting, hiking relays, dashes and other sports followed, during the happy days, until on the morning of the 5th camp was broken up and the homeward trip begun. The ward units were held throughout, in camping as well as in travel. A side trip was taken by a part of the company to the Big Springs, where a short stop was made. At Flat Rock Bridge the company was delayed for auto repairs, but the time was well spent in fishing and playing tennis. On the home- ward trip stops were made at the Upper and Lower Falls on Snake river. The final unit of the company reached home after four days of out- ing, and when the common voice was sounded, all were of one mind — satisfied. Union, Oregon This picture shows the crowd at breakfast, just after morning prayers, at the Fathers' and Sons' Outing of Union stake, 1922, "O, how good those hot cakes with bacon and eggs tasted. Seventy-three is a large number to cook hot cakes for, but we did it." Oakland, California, M. I. A. Outing The Oakland M. I. A. took its annual hike to Willow Camp on Septem- ber 2. The hike had been thoroughly plannel by President John Larson and his committees, and during the two days spent in the camp everything moved smoothly and effectively. On Sunday morning at 6 o'clock the cooks and their assisting K. Ps' hustled about in the kitchen to prepare a good breakfast. By 10 o'clock breakfast was over and the crowd had assembled for Sunday services at Big Rock. During the services,

44 Improvement era which were conducted by Elder Silas Bushman, several inspirational and appropriate talks were given. The crowd later gathered around a large bonfire on the beach and spent a very pleasant evening singing to the strains of a ukelele and a banjo. Superintendent Gustive O. Larson reports that Louise Woodbury forwarded him a report of the proceedings, and adds: "We shall be pleased to have the foregoing report appear in the Improvement Era if you find it suitable. Reports are coming into this office from all parts of the mission full of the spirit of M. I. A. work. We shall be off, when the season opens, with all the vigor and characteristics of M. I. A. workers." — Gustive O. Larson, superintendent California Mission M. I. A. Top: Members forming the letters M.I. A. Bottom: Scene at the Oakland, California, M. I. A. Outing

Scenes at Vernal Fathers and Sons' Outing: Fishing. Top, The Camp; Bottom, Joy or Gloom Hard by the dancing embers' gleams; There is ever a sullen shade that seems To writhe its flight on the wings of night, And its grimaces tell of despair. Bathed in the dewnlripped morn there sings — Silver throated, and lithe, with brownish wings- The skylark gay, as he flits away, And his song is a carol of joy. Life may be dark or bright, you see, Either somber morassi or sunkissed lea, So try to smile, and whistle awhile, And be glad that you're living today. Ezra J. Poulson

Chapel in Ocean Park Dedicated The Largest Religious Gathering in California in attendance (See Frontispiece.) By Elder Rulon H. Cheney On September 24, President Heber J. Grant dedicated the Ocean Park chapel just completed at a cost of over $41,000. The building has more floor space, is the most pleasing in appearance and most practical L. D. S. chapel in California. Nearly eleven hundred people were in attendance at the dedicatory service in the afternoon. This is the largest gathering of Saints in California mission history. Representatives were present from nearly all the branches in southern California. Los Angeles, Long Beach and San Bernardino conferences were especially well represented. Besides President and Mrs. Heber J. Grant some of the prominent Church leaders were: President Joseph "W). McMurrin, Bishop Charles W. Nibley, Presi- dent George W. McCune, Susa Young Gates, Joseph J. Daynes, and Bishop T. A. Clawson. Music for the dedicatory services was furnished by the combined Los Angeles, Ocean Park, and Long Beach L. D. S. branch choirs, 150 voices under the direction of ¥m C. Salt. Some of the noted soloists and musicians who rendered special musical numbers were: Norma Hewlett, Harold Anderson, Ruth Jensen, Florence Peck, Miss Dorothy Reese, May Anderson, violinist; Irving Jenkins, Cellist; Alexander F. Schreiner, pian- ist and organist. Ground was broken April 6th of this year. The chapel stands on the corner of Strand and Washington streets. From it an execellent view is afforded of the city and of the ocean. The chapel is Mission style, and cream in color. It is built in the form of a T, with no basement. The bar of the T is the amusement hall and is separated from the main auditorium) by built-in sliding doors. When neces- sary, as at the time of the dedication, the doors are opened the chairs are turned from facing the stage to face the rostrum, and the amusement hall becomes a part of the main autditorium. The main entrance is on the side; from it one may go direct to the auditorium or to the amusement haU. Besides the chapel room and amusement hall there are in the building: seven class rooms, missionaries quarters consisting of showerroom, bedroom and bathroom, a ladies rest room, stage prepared with large drapes, room prepared for picture machine, baptismal font, two dressing rooms and a reading and recreation room. The latter 40 by 16 feet is located at the front of the chapel below the rostrum and choir stand, it lias builtjin book shelves and a hard-wood floor. The reading and recreation room is a new feature in chapels, the Church publications and standard works will be kept in this room and anyone, may come there and study at any time, the room will also be used for social functions which will not require the use of the regular amusement hall. The chapel is so constructed that a pipe organ and a radio set may be added later without any remodeling. Although the building was dedicated in the afternoon session, the morning meeting was distinctly a part of the later service. The first song "True to the faith" was the only number during the day which was rendered by the congregation. Superintendent Gustive O. Larson of the Mission Sunday Schools and Mutuals was the first speaker. His was ad?o

CHAPEL IN OCEAN PARK DEDICATED 47 the first sermon delivered in the chapel. He explained the historical events which preceded and brought about the delivery of the golden plates of the Book of Mormon to Joseph Smith, as depicted in the art window at the front of the chapel. Lon J. Haddock and President Heber J. Grant were the other speakers. The dedicatory service commenced at 2.00 p. m. Dr. Otto J. Monson, president of the Ocean Park branch, gave a brief history and outline of the conditions which brought about the building of the chapel, mentioning that the immediate cause was the sudden animosity of the Masonic officers in Ocean Park who expelled the Latter-day Saints from their halL when there was on other suitable place obtainable. He commended the finance committee who worked so enthusiastically; Orson Hewlett, C. D. Harding, Brother and Sister Marshall, Wm. LeCheminant, and Sister Houtz. Appre- ciation was expressed to the many people who contributed time and money. Dr. Monson especially thanked Bishop Chas W. Nibley, whose contri- bution made possible the purchase of the lot, Mr. and Mrs. A. W. McCune, who contributed the beautiful art window at the front of the] chapel; R_ D. Rutheford, the architect, who contributed much of his salary to the building, President Heber J. Grant for his personal contribution and for the assist- ance received from the Church. President George W. McCune and Bishop Charles W. Nibley each spoke briefly. President Heber J. Grant was the last speaker in this session as in all others during the day. He spoke of the growth of the Church, told what a wonderful class of people the Latter-day Saints are, invited investigation of their physical, mental and moral record. He told of the many meeting places in nearly every part of the world, and then he dedicated the chapel for the use of the Saints as a house of worship. President William J. Reeve, of the Los Angeles branch, under whose direction the Ocean Park Sunday school was first organized nine years ago, was the first speaker in the evening. President Joseph W. McMurrin of the California mission told of the satisfaction he felt at the completion of the building, praising the branch presidency: Dr. Otto J. Monson, Dr. George F. Harding and James Thomas, for their tireless and unceasing supervision of the erection of the chapel, and then spoke for twenty minutes. President Heber J. Grant spoke for an hour in this session, he said he knew there was much prejudice against the "Mormons" and referred to many current lies. "Just recently," he said, "I have had a newspaper clipping put into my hands which said that I governed the politics of five states and controlled four others. I do not even control the politics in Salt Lake City, let alone in the state of Utah. I have made no effort to govern any politics." In fairness, referring to the Church, "All that we ask of anyone is to investigate our message." He cited instances where men and women have received fabulous sums for telling lies about the "Mormons" while a well informed member could rent a hall in the same place and "preach to empty benches." Because the name of Joseph Smith arouses so much opposition, President Grant, at some length established the truthfulness of his message, used the Book of Mormon as evidence, he used prophecy as evidence, gifts and organizations of the Church as further proof, and closed by bearing testimony that Joseph Smith is a prophet of the living God. Los Angeles, Col. Success "A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches, and loving favor rather than silver and gold. By humility and the fear of the Lord are riches, and honor, and life."

Doing Common Things in an Uncommon Way A Study for the Advanced Senior Class, M. I. A. 1922-23 By Dr. George H. Brimhall, President Emeritus, Brighton Young University Lesson VII — Choosing Habits The lessons for this month deal with some of the most vital problems of life. The subject of habit will be considered from a point of view within the reach of anyone who has ability and inclination to think seriously on the process of improving the quality of individual and community character. For those who wish to go into the subject more deeply, the following reading references are cited: Human Traits, Edman, Chapter 11; The Mind and its Education, Betts, Chapter 5; Text Book of Psychology, Wm. James, Chapter 10; The Human Nature Club, Thorndyke, Chapter 12; Psychology from a Standpoint of a Behaviorist, Watson; See index references to Habit. Some Estimates of Habit: "Habit is second nature! Habit is ten times nature." — Duke of Well- ington. "Habit is the enormous fly-wheel of society, a most conservative agent" — James. "One cannot overestimate the importance of the system of explicit bodily habits. On account of their definiteness and permanence they become as essential to him as structual parts." — Watson. "In a very real sense we are what we are in the habit of doing and thinking." — Betts. "The hell to be endured hereafter, of which theology tells, is no worse than the hell we make for ourselves in this world by habitually fashion- ing ourselves the wrong way * * * We are spinning our own fates." — Quoted from James by Thorndyke. Human Nature Club, p. 139. "Just as capital begets capital, so one habit serves the basis for others. Harmful habits might be likened unto debts." — Thorndyke. "Only when the good is an habitual practice can men be said to be liv- ing a moral life."- — Edman. Habits and inheritance. — Under the law that like begets like, we are born with race habits or instincts, and under this same law the habits of parents are transmitted through the instinct of imitation. We are instinctively imitative. Parents may chose good habits for their children by choosing to be at their parental best. If the child's nature could make an appropriate protest

DOING COMMON THINGS IN AN UNCOMMON WAY 49 against telling it how to do, and doing otherwise, it would cry out, "I cannot go the way you tell me, because of the way your actions pull me." In the interest of our own character or soul quality, and in the interest of posterity, we must conclude that the choice of habits is of all choices the most vital. A picked up set of habits may be one of natural selection, but nature may be helped by mindful selection. A good set of habits. — To the question: What does a person most need in this world? comes the answer. — A good set of good habits. Good habits preserve health, bring friends, create wealth, and produce faith. — In fact, with a good set of good habits, we may make a happy life. A complete set of life habits must include five lesser sets phy- sical, intellectual, moral, aesthetic and spiritual. With these five sets, we shall have a character hand with which we may grasp and hold onto the sources of joy and the factors of happi- ness during an infinite number of "nows." Our set of physical habits must include: 1, cleanliness; 2, temperance; 3, exercise: a. work, b. recreation, c. relaxation, d. rest, e. sleep; 4, deep breathing; 5, morning water drinking. No set of intellectual habits is complete without (1) men- tal alertness. The person who attempts to get on in life half asleep will either get run over or) lost in the Catskills. (2) The thinking habit. "A free people must be a thoughtful people." — Henry Clay. (3) Thinking from the printed page. In this age of instantaneous communication, no one may hope to keep pace with the uncommon, unless he reads some every day. (4^ The habit of inquiry, either by experiment or question. Our in- quiries indicate our attitudes and often reveal our ability. (5) Community contact habit. This "getting out" keeps one immune from the dumps and lessens the liability of his getting the "grouches." (6) The habit of conversing on worthwhile topics in an uncommon way, i. e., of listening half of the time, and say- ing something when we talk. This sharpens the wits, exercises the memory, gives the will something to do, and polishes the whole intellectual personality. Though said long ago, it is still true that "thinking makes a wise man ; reading, a full man ; and conversation, a ready man." Our ethical habit. It will be too incomplete for acceptance if it does not include : 1. Sincerity. The habit of being sincere keeps the conscience on things of joy. 2. The square deal habit, or the habit of justice. This habit is social honesty in action. 3. The habit of industry. It is unethical to be idle when one possesses the power to "do things," and the idler is on the brink, if not in the stream, of immorality. 4. The thrift habit. The habit of improvidence is unfair to the world. The waste of

50 IMPROVEMENT ERA time, neglect of opportunity, and careless expenditure of money, in the individual, interferes with the success of the group. 5. The law and order habit. The habit of sustaining the law simply because it is the law makes the patriot the loyal citizen, while the habit of seeking the nullification of the law, by breaking it, marks the embryo anarchist in a democracy. In a free country like ours the law is the expressed will of the majority, which may be changed by education, and the law amended or repealed in a civilized way. The breaking of an objectionable law carries with it a training for the breaking of all laws, and is exceedingly dangerous. Indispensable to the make-up of a good set of aesthetic habits are: (1) The habit of courtesy, which is the kindness of conduct. Some call it politeness, which has been said to be the doing of the kindest thing in the kindest way. Courtesy is the beauty element of conduct. (2) Good manner, or the graceful conformity to good custom. The habit of easy adjustment to circumstance marks a person of culture. (3) Personal neatness. Tidiness is the embellishment of cleanliness. It is a sort of courtesy in dress; kindness in appearance. Personal neatness shows itself in the shoe string of the hod carrier, as well as in the necktie of the person behind the counter. (4) The gentle speak- ing habit. Gruffness is a kind of vocal ugliness that often distracts attention from kind heartedness. Gentleness of speech Keeps friends within reach. (5) The habit of genial salutation. This is an informal form of courtesy. It is heart-throbs in word, gesture, or hand shake. It is a signal of reverence or friendship, admiration, or love. The habit of saluting the aged carries with it gratitude and indicates the capacity to become great. The spiritual set. In making up a good set of spiritual habits one must have : 1. The habit of prayer. A habit that will not permit for- getfulness of God. The praying habit includes the habit of counting one's blessings, the habit of expressing gratitude and the habit of doing a duty to Divinity. 2. The church-going habit. Attendance at religious meet- ings is participating in a mass movement toward God; a move- ment in which each individual lets forth his fervency and re- ceives the benefits of the fervency of the group. 3. The tithe and offering habit. This is an ethical habit elevated to the spritual by Divine proclamation. It is the habit of honesty with the Lord. 4. The habit of loyalty to church leaders. This is a form

DOING COMMON THINGS IN AN UNCOMMON WAY 51 of fidelity to one's faith. Persons are rarely if ever as good or as great as the positions they occupy in the Church. The place is perfect, the office is without blemish. Men are mortal, while their callings are Divine. Speaking evil of the officer is dan- gerously near disrespecting the office. One cannot throw mud at the flag-bearer without spattering the flag. 5. The here-am-I habit. This habit places one on the "minute-man" list. It is a habit that comes from often repeated thoughts, desires, and determinations, of a readiness to respond to the call of the Lord. Obedience to counsel trains in the direction of response to a call. Suggestions for uncommon choice of habits: 1. Write a classified list of habits that you admire in other people. 2. Make an inventory of your own good habits. 3. Compare the two lists. 4. Make a list of the good habits not found in the inventory. 5. Issue an order on yourself for the immediate construction " of the needed habits. Questions and Problems 1. What does a habit mean to you? 2. Explain the transmission of habits through example. 3. Show that choice of habits is choice of character. 4. How may parents best choose habits for their children? 5. Prove that choosing company means choosing habits; choosing habits means choosing character; choosing character means choosing destiny. 6. What substitutions would you make in the five sets of five habits, if your choice of habits should be limited to twenty-five? 7. Make five suggestions for an uncommon choice of habits. 8. How many chapters of the Americanization of Edward Bok have you read? 9. Tell of Bok's uncommon acquaintance with the author of Uncle Toms Cabin. 10. Discuss the value of the habit of saluting the aged. Lesson VIII — Forming Habits The importance of the work. Choosing habits is choosing destiny, but forming habits is making destiny. Everybody forms habits. Yet few are in the habit-forming business. It is uncom- mon for people to form habits by voluntary attention. Habit-forming is bringing into existence the character of the self. An individual without habits is one without character. We can no more speak of the character of a babe than we can of its morals. It is neither moral nor immoral. It is unmoral, or void of moral responsibility. Uncommon or intentional habit-forming is a process of self-making. We are self-made just to the extent that we are the result of chosen and purposely made habits. What we are otherwise

52 IMPROVEMENT ERA is not due to self effort. Deliberate or purposed habit-forming puts us in the line of "architects of fate." One's habits today may place him among the elect, and his habits of tomorrow may require consistency to label him "re- jected." The common and the uncommon processes. Common form- ing of habit is accident. Uncommon forming of habit is pur- posed. In the one case habits are custom made ; in the other case they are made to order. Uncommon habit forming is the only way of ordering one's life. Without this intentional process, life, so far as we are concerned, is accidental. The common method of forming habits import no strength. Its value is limited to habit results. The uncommon method is of worth in its strength production as well as from its habit results. It is better to earn than to inherit, better to make than to find, better to climb than to be bootsed, and deliberate habit-forming gives us the best possible claim to self-hood and self ownership. It is fortunate to find one's self good, but it is glorious to make one's self good, at least to purposely cooperate in the self mak- ing- Deliberate habit-forming is mind-mastering. "The great thing, then, in all education, is to make* our nervous system our ally instead of our enemy * * * for this we must make automatic and hahitual, as early as possible, as many useful actions as we can." — James, quoted by Edman. The economies of good habits. — "Habit increases skill and ability; habit saves effort and fatigue; habit enables us to meet the disagreeable; habit saves worry and rebellion." — Betts. "It (habit) is an enormous saver of time." — Edman. "Habit simplifies our movements, makes them accurate and diminishes fatigue. Habit diminishes the conscious attention with which our acts are performed." — James. One habit calls for another of its kind, just as one piece of furniture calls for another to match it. The habit of sin- cerity or self-honesty calls for the habit of the square-deal, or honesty with others, and so on up the line, or so on down the line of forming habits. Some habit-forming discoveries. — "Habit forming is accompanied by modification of brain tissue." — Bepts. "Most personal habits are formed before the later teens." — Betts. "During the period between twenty and thirty most of the intellectual and professional habits are formed. Physical habit-forming does not pro- ceed on a uniform up-grade. The line of efficiency has its hills and plat- eaus."— See Human Traits, page 30. Some suggestions in habit-forming. — 1. Find or create your ideal. Provide conditions favoring the habit. Books, papers, good light, etc., are environment favorable to the ready habit of reading.

DOING COMMON THINGS IN AN UNCOMMON WAY 53 2. Launch into practice with full determination. Confi- dence in yourself and faith in God. Half heartedness and dis- belief are poor self helps. They must be dismissed; their pres- ence makes uncommon habit forming impossible. 3. Persist in repetition. Real trying consists in doing a thing over the best you can. Any other form of repetition is not only ineffective habit-forming but a careless, injurious varia- tion from the ideal. 4. Penalize the careless variations. Self censure and the imposing of penalties for avoidable failure stimulates the self to painstaking persistence. The careless self can be improved by rigidity of the careful self. Self censure should never go to the point of self-discourage- ment. A broken "I can" cannot hold will power. A loss of self confidence is a forerunner of a loss of self-respect. In all our willings we must will to refuse to be discouraged. Questions and Problems 1. When does habit-forming become a business? 2. In what ways does common habit-forming make one's life a chain of happenings? 3. State some of the discoveries made concerning habit forming. 4. Distinguish between a custom made character, and a made-to-order character. 5. Give five suggestions for habit-forming. 6. Discuss the relative value of unconsciously acquiring a habit and forming one deliberately. 7. Discuss the value of penalizing one's careless variation from the ideal. 8. Tell in two minutes the negro elevator operator's philosophy of knowing too much. — Bok, page 139-40. Lesson IX — Habit Breaking Necessity of resistance. Resistance is one of the sides of the ladder of progress. There was something for us to do besides building well in our preexistent state; part of keeping our first estate consisted in opposing rebels and finally casting out the evil social elements from heaven. Life processes are dual, are cumulative and eliminative. Habit-breaking means some sort of brain change — perhaps the smoothing out of old folds or wrinkles, and the closing up of some channels of response. Ethically the breaking up of a bad habit is the process of removing character spots. Spiritually habit-breaking is repentance. The common and the uncommon method of breaking habits. It is not uncommon to leave a bad habit to the care of hope or expectation, a sort of faith-without-works process. We hope

54 IMPROVEMENT ERA to change, we expect to reform, we say the habit will be out- grown, when the fact of the matter is it will become stronger every day of delay. Uncommon habit breaking has much of the "I will not." The habit of getting angry without a cause is broken by restraint, the breaking of a negative process quite distinct from replacing the habit by the habit of smiling when ruffled conditions arise. No amount of repeating proverbs, singing of psalms, or even uttering lip prayers will break the habit of swearing, nor can the smoking habit be broken by the use of "no-tobac" in pipe or cigarette tube. The breaking must be done by a refusal to respond to stimuli or yield to temptations. An old habit may be broken only by taking a strong positive stand. Habit breaking needs more than constructive criticism. The slogan of the soul in habit-forming is "I will," and in habit-breaking it is "I will not." William James' maxims for breaking old habits and substi- tuting them for new ones: 1. Launch ourselves with as strong and decided initiative as possible. 2. Never suffer an exception to occur. 3. Seize the first possible opportunity to act on every resolution you make. 4. Keep the faculty of effort alive in you by a little gratuitous exer- cise every day. Some common habits that need uncommon breaking. 1. The habit of hazy thinking. This is a sort of mental laziness that produces intellectual poverty. Break the habit and sub- stitute it by the habit of thinking things through. 2. The "putting off" habit. Refuse to let procrastination steal your time. Break this habit and put the "do it now" habit in its place. 3. The meddling habit. The "butter in" is a social nui- sance. The habit should be broken and substituted by the "Mormon" creed, "Mind your own business." 4. The habit of snap judgment. The breaking of this habit is worthy the best efforts of the individual and the group. A worth-while judgment is supported on the one side by a determi- nation not to decide hastily and on the other side a resolve to investigate; otherwise the mind is left in the prejudiced atti- tude. 5. The habit of cheap talking. Occasional gossiping may be tolerated but when it becomes a habit, it is unendurable to a progressive mind. A case of miraculous habit-breaking. Patriarch George W. Wilkins, of Spanish Fork, bore testimony to the following: "When I was a young man I met two 'Mormon' missionaries who ex-

DOING COMMON THINGS IN AN UNCOMMON WAY 55 plained to me the gospel of salvation as revealed through Joseph Smith, the prophet. I was convinced of the truth of their message, and formed an intimate acquaintance with them. They urged me to be baptized. I was conscious of a long-standing habit of swearing and decided not to enter the water of baptism until I had repented of that sin. I tried to break the habit that caused me to feel unfit for any divine ordinance. After weeks of effort to rid myself of it the habit clung to me. At last one of the elders said to me, 'If you will be baptized I promise you that you will be able to overcome this bad habit.' Feeling that he spoke the truth, I was baptized and confirmed a member of the Church. The day following my baptism, I had a series of accidents in the performance of my work. These annoy- ances were of such a character that my fellow workmen all expected me to express my displeasure in my accustomed way. Amazed at my calmness of self control finally the foreman said to me. 'George, why don't you swear, for certainly you have cause enough?' I then awoke to the fact that I had not been tempted to swear. And I have never had an impulse to do1 so since." Questions and Problems 1. Illustrate the difference between breaking an old habit and forming a new one. 2. Show that habit breaking has its parallel in physical growth. 3. Recite William James' maxima for breaking old habits and forming new ones. 4. Discuss the indispensability of the "not do" in habit-breaking. 5. Show that repentance depends upon habit-breaking. 6. Give directions for breaking the snap judgment habit. 7. Name five common habits that need an uncommon breaking. 8. How would you break the habit of mispronouncing a word? 9. Discuss the following experiment: A student in a university de- termined to break himself of the habit of using slang, and imposed upon himself a fine of ten cents every time he caught himself using slang. The fine went for charity. The Americanization of Edward Bok. 10. Discuss the proposition: Men are moral in spots. 11. Relate the habit-breaking miracle of this lesson. 12. What, from your point of view, is the best idea to be found in Chapter 16 of the Americanization of Edward Bok? Will to Think Right Though clad but in rags, What you are in your heart Step forth like a king! You ever shall be! Though a gutter did cradle thee— Man makes his own fetters, Thought is the thing r_,God cannot fset [r.ee _, j j .i i-f» »u l»e captive of sell. That upward doth lift thee. AnJ * .f y(m ^ Though men may defame This truth you shall know: Stand thou up firmly, Within each of thy cells And ever proclaim Is the impulse to grow. By look, word, and action, And growth shall transfigure Thy kinship with Heaven, And clothe! thee with Light — For power to conquer to mortals is But thou must will boldly given. And dare to think right. Maud Baggarley