HUMAN HABITS SEEN AS DICTATORS

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 204, 26 May 1938, Page 8

HUMAN HABITS SEEN AS DICTATORS

Must Be Opposed By Right Thinking And Acting That human habits were dictators who had to be fought by right thinking and acting was the burden of an address by Monsignor T. F. Connolly at Ute Wellington Returned Soldiers’ Association’s luncheon at Kirkcaldie and Stains’s rooms yesterday. There was a large attendance, over which the president of the Wellington R.S.A., Colonel A. Cowles, presided. Among those present were the Rev. A. G. Gardiner, who served in the Great War with the Australian Infantry Force.

In the present revolutionary state of society, said Monsignor Connolly, there came prominently before the mind that type of man known as a dictator. Habit was a dictator. It did not take long to convince a. man that then' were many tilings he did tbrough force of habit. It should, therefore, tie a. wise thing to put this little tyrant in the dock and examine him. Most of our actions admitted of variation, but if we repeated any of them too often they became habits. If one acquired almbit of eating or drinking greedily or sparingly the practice was likely to grow. Man bad the power to control his passions and direct his actions by choice. Heredity no doubt was responsible for certain habits, but man’s higher nature told him that he should control his actions and his thoughts. The speaker instanced firn ease of a young man who might decide to discontinue the use of alcohol and who got up in tlie morning, repeating “No, never again.” When lie approached his favourite hotel, he would brace himself, and mutter, “No, you mustn’t,” and successfully pass the hotel. He would probably lie so pleased with himself that lie would exclaim, “Well done, that deserves a drink,” and he would thereupon return to the hotel.

As proving that one’s natural inclinations could bp controlled, Monsignor Connolly related a story of a golfer who played a round with a bishop. His lordship played very badly and. to the admiration of Ids opponent, not one single word of petulance came from the bishop, do matter how wretched a shot lie played. Upon being congratulated upon bis amazing self-control after the game, the bishop remarked, “You never heard me say a word during lhe round, but just go back along the course, and examine the grass where I spat.” A vote of thanks to Monsignor Connolly was carried, on the motion of Mr. J. H. Luxford.

Songs were sung by Mr. JI. E. Loach, Mr. G. F. Holloway presiding at the piano.