Sound methods from the five foregoing right principles, when they are truly apprehended and
practiced, will issue sound methods. Right principles are manifested in harmonious action,
and method is to life what law is to the universe. Everywhere in the
universe there is the harmonious adjustment of parts, and it is this symmetry and
harmony that reveals a cosmos as distinguished from chaos. So in human life,
the difference between a true life and a false life, between one purposeful and
effective and one purposeless and weak, is one of method. The false life
is an incoherent jumble of thoughts, passions, and actions. The true life
is an orderly adjustment of all its parts. It is all the difference between
a mass of lumber and a smoothly working, efficient machine. A piece of
machinery and perfect work order is not only useful, but an admirable and attractive
thing. But when its parts are all out of gear and refuse to be
readjusted, its usefulness and attractiveness are gone, and it is thrown on the
scrap heap. Likewise, a life perfectly adjusted in all its parts so as
to achieve the highest point of efficiency is not only a powerful life, but
an excellent and beautiful thing, whereas a life confused, inconsistent, discordant is
a deplorable exhibition of wasted energy. If a life is to be truly lived,
method must enter into and regulate every detail of it, as it enters
and regulates every detail of the wondrous universe of which we form a part.
One of the most distinguishing differences between a wise man and a foolish man is
that the wise man pays careful attention to the smallest things, while the foolish
man over them or neglects them altogether. Wisdom consists in maintaining things on their
right relations, in keeping all things, the smallest as well as the greatest,
in their proper places and times. To violate order is to produce confusion
and discord, and Unhappiness is but another name for discord. The good business
man knows that system is three parts of success, and that disorder means failure.
The wise man knows that disciplined, methodical living is three parts of happiness,
and that looseness means misery. What is a fool but one who thinks
carelessly, acts rashly, and lives loosely. What is a wise man but
one who thinks carefully, acts calmly, and lives consistently. The true method
does not end with the orderly arrangement of the material things and external relations of
life. This is but its beginning. It enters into the adjustment of the
mind, the discipline of the passions, the elimination and choice of words and
speech, the logical arrangement of the thoughts, and the selection of right actions.
To achieve a life rendered sound, successful, and sweet by the pursuance
of sound methods, one must begin not by neglect of the little everyday things,
but by assiduous attention to them. Thus the hour of rising is important
and its regularly significant, as are also the timing of retiring to rest and
the number of hours given to sleep. Between the regularity and irregularity of meals
and the care and carelessness in which they are eaten is all the difference between
good and bad digestion with all that this applies, and an irritable or comfortable
frame of mind with its train of good or bad consequences. For attaching to
these, these meal times and meal ways are matters of both physiological and psychological
significance, the due division of hours for business and for play, not confusing
the two. The orderly fitting in of all the details of one's business times,
for solitude, for silent thought and for effective action, for eating and
for abstinence. All these things must have their lawful place in the life of
whom whose daily round is to proceed with the minimum degree of friction, who
is to get the most usefulness, influence, and joy out of life.
But all this is but the beginning of that comprehensive method which embraces the whole
life and being. When this smooth order in logical consistency is extended to the
words and actions, to the thoughts and desires, then wisdom emerges from folly,
and out of weakness comes power sublime. When a man so orders his
mind as to produce a beautiful, working harmony between all its parts, then
he reaches the highest wisdom, the highest efficiency, the highest happiness. But
this is the end, and he who would reach the end must begin at
the beginning. He must systematize and render logical and smooth the smallest details of
his life, proceeding step by step toward the finished accomplishment. But each step
will yield its own particular measure of strength and gladness. To sum it up,
method produces that smoothness which goes with strength and efficiency. Discipline is method
applied to the mind. It produces that calmness, which goes with power and
happiness. Method is working by rule. Discipline is living by rule. But
working and living are not separate. They are but two aspects of character of
life. Therefore, be orderly in work, be accurate in speech, be
logical and thought. Between these and slovenliness inaccuracy and confusion is the difference between
success and failure, music and discord, happiness and misery. The adoption of
sound methods of working, acting, thinking, in a word of living is
the surest and safest foundation for sound health, sound success, sound peace of
mind. The foundation of unsound methods will be found to be unstable and to
yield fear and unrest even when it appears to succeed, and when its time
of failure comes, it is grievous. Indeed,