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Show SELF CULTURE. The Excellent Lecture by l'ror.B.l'luff, Jr. Delivered on Sunday at the Y. M. Conference in Salt Lake Tabernacle. Elder Benjamin ClulT, Jr., (of Brig-liam Brig-liam Youiitf Academy. I'rovo.) delivered deliv-ered a brief lecture on the subject of self-cu'ture. Closely connected with the subject of mutual improvement, he said, is that of self-culture. All improvement 's self-improvement; for it is by self-effort alone that we are e lucated. Our environments, our books, our teachers, all stimulate and direct us; but if we are to learn we ourselves must put forth effort. In no organization more than in the associations associa-tions whose conference we are to-day attending is effort tending to self-culture so necessary; because while much is to be learned in the general meetings meet-ings and class gatherings, the greater portion of the work, if done at all, must be accomplished by the individual in private study. There must be hard, earnest work at home if desirable results re-sults are to be reached. The great law of development running through man's whole being, moral, intellectual, physical, phys-ical, is systematic exercise work. Nature Na-ture abhors idleness, and reveals t the idle none of her precious .secret but those who apnly themselves with energy and system she generously unlocks un-locks her doors ami permits free access ac-cess to all her hidden treasures of knowledge. In a systeaiatic course of self-culture, the first powers of the mind to receive our attention are the perceptive powers. Then would follow the memory and the imagination, the conception,' judgment and reason, in their order. The feelings and emotions emo-tions also demand consideration the egotistic, or those we feel in view of self, the altruistic, or those we feel for others, and the cosmic, or the emotions emo-tions in view of '.he true, the beautiful nn J the good. Fallowing the emotions are the will power, attention, choice and action. All of these faculties and powers are capable of cultivation, and should receive care and intention from us to that end. The habit of close and careful observation should also be cultivated, cul-tivated, inasmuch as without this the uselul lessons nature would teach us are but half learned. These powers can be easily cultivated, and a proper study of the natural sciences, botany, geology, zoology, is an excellent exercise exer-cise for their development. The memory, mem-ory, too. should be carefully trained. This, however, not beim. a faculty in the sense in which we have used the term, but rather a capability of all tlie faculties, must be cultivated in connection con-nection with all the faculties. Some people are deficient in the memory of dales and names. Hiry should sttuh history. The M. I. A. reading course furnishes excellent books for their study. The great law of memory is to remember; reflect on that which you have read and hearJ and recall it often, if you would strengthen your memory. Imagination, Imagina-tion, that faculty of the mind by which self forms ideals, should also te developed. Every young man should have a worthy ideal, and should strive to attain it. A worthy ideal inspires laudable ambition, and ambition can be satislied only by energetic effort. Perhaps, after all, the faculty most worthy of cultivation at least it was so considered by 1 he ancients is reason, or the power to discern -cause relations. The study of b.:stry, philosphy. of log:c, mathematics and of the sciences tends strongly to develop the reasoning powers. Neither must we lorget iu our system of self-culture the cultivation of the emotions. Self-esteem and self-confidence, when they do not degenerate into egotism, are commendable in any younir man. Love and sympathy sym-pathy lor others should also be encouraged. en-couraged. But, though a man be gifted gift-ed with all the intellect lality desirable, desir-able, if he has not th-.- will power to back it, he losesin the great human struggle. Tin' power of concentration can be cultivated by carefully attending attend-ing to those subjects with which the mind is occupied letting no stray thoughts intrude upon the mind". Choice and action are similarly developed. de-veloped. The su'ijcct of will-culture is an important oi.e, for to the will more than anything else 1 attribute a man's success in life, and to the want of it his failure. To obtain the greatest results re-sults in self-culture, however, one must choose his course of study w ith reference to his adaptability. I do not believe that we can become proficient pro-ficient in any line we might select at random. We must work along those lines which the Creator has marked out for vis with energy and devotion in order to attain the highest degree of perfection. It is for us to seek and ! iind, thtm pursue with energy and devotion, de-votion, and success will crown our efforts. |
