The Chief Scout Talk

Taranaki Daily News, 14 February 1931, Page 21 (Supplement)

The Chief Scout Talk

THE ROVER’S VIGIL. CBv Lt.. Gen. Lord ,Baden-Powell of Gilwell-). I have a weakness for fishipg. Whether I catch a fish or not docsn t matter. I just like to go fishing. And fishing is nood for me. ’ , . ,i It takes you away from the buzz and hustle of modern life and gives you peace.' .You can creep back for a tune into the arms of nature, among the flowers and birds, the dragon-flies and the water-voles and running waters. Your thoughts are your own, undisturbed by the chatter of others oi by the demands of politeness. You .are alone. You can think. And that is what so many people miss in these day. ° Yet without periods of clear, quiet thinking 1 don’t see how anybody can <ret anywhere beyond the limitations o routine 7 The Rovers’ Vigil is not, theiLfore, merely a bit of ceremonial or even

a lesson in discipline. It is an intio duction to a valuable practice foi evciy young mam It. is equally needed bj every young woman. There is, of course, the danger, especially when one is hr the adolescent

sta."c, of directing once thoughts In* wards instead of outwards-of becoming broody and introspective .instead of looking wide for inspiration,- . , ■ Mr. Henry T. Hamblin, writing in the Science of Thought Review, says: • man may have ha’, a difficult personality, always antagonising th they cannot work with, live with, or associate with him. By changing his thoughts of resentment, envy and bit - terne’s. to those of co-operation and "oodwili, he becomes so changed that people, instead of being antagonised, arc 1 attracted, with th.; consequence that his life becomes greatly changed for the better. Or lie may have been a brooder over his wrongs or troubles, to looking on the dark side of things, an entertainer of fears and forebodings: By changing his thoughts to those of an opposite character he has become so changed himself that he has been able to go forward in -ife and become truly successful and happy. But . he must beware lest, carried away by these successes, he may fall into tiie error of thinking that he can lift himself by his own belt.’’ REST PAUSES. I would urge every Rover, aye, and every Scouter too, deliberately to plan for ’himself occasional “rest-pauses, periods of solitude and reflection, be they vigils, or retreats, or even fishing. They bring refreshment of soul and big ideas for one’s onward course. They "ive you to see things in proportion and bring content that can never come when you are motor-biking yourself at i full tension through the rushing torrent of modern life. And very closely allied with quiet contemplation and thought and. possibly a good step towards acquiring it, is the practice of reading. By reading 1 do not suggest ‘-Edgar Wallace books so much as those which promote wholesome or enlightening thought Nowadays, in the hustle of modern life, such occasional slacking off is becoming' more than ever a necessity, and at the same time thh huge increase in the number of books and publications available to your.'hand gives more than ever the opportunity to each ne to get literKture suited to his taste; and there ■ is no excuse for e fading the doctors orders, which are to take, frequent doses ■ of rest-cure between the covers of : good book.