Article February 28, 1914 Issue

Concerning Habits

EVELYN L. WEBB

If we analyze our mode of living, we will find that our sense of existence is made up largely of habits, some good and some bad. No habit of course is good which has not grown out of our conformity to the law of Truth. Mrs. Eddy tells us that "Truth not error, Love not hate, Spirit not matter, governs man" (Science and Health, p. 420); hence, he who is approaching spiritual manhood is governed more and more by divine intelligence and less and less by unintelligent habit.

A curious incident which came under my notice lately, goes to prove what a large part mere habit has in the animal nature and how absolutely unreasonable it is. My brother usually takes his dogs with him every day to his place of business, where they are housed in a big box until it is time to start for home again. On one occasion, when they had got themselves into a very wet and muddy condition on the way to the office, he tried to change them from their accustomed place to another near-by, where there was a supply of straw. These dogs are setters and trained to absolute obedience; they are also good-tempered and devoted to their master, but from their puppyhood they had been in the habit of going to that particular box, and they absolutely refused to change to another. Both kindness and force were used in the effort to move them, but to no purpose; when my brother undertook to compel them, they showed fight, and would have attacked him rather than give up their habit. Thus we see something of the domination of habit in the animal kingdom, and we do well to inquire how largely it governs us.

In Christian Science we learn that our sense of intelligence and of right should govern our habits, rather than allow them to govern us. Then we should always be ready to give an intelligent answer as to why we do so and so, rather than to say, "Oh, that is my habit!" We have all had experience in different ways as to the effect of a new idea, when proposed to a community of people by one who, from an outside point of view, sees clearly how a change of method would be for the advantage of every one concerned. To our surprise we have often found that the proposal was opposed by the greater part of those whom it would benefit. Perhaps we tried to show them how reasonable and logical the proposition was, but, whether we knew it or not, the trouble was that we were at war not with reason but with habit,—possibly the outgrowth of a long past course of action which may have been wise at the time and has been accepted as right ever since, without question as to its need or propriety. Seeing so clearly ourselves that what is recommended is an improvement on the old method, that if adopted it would be for the betterment of the situation, and feeling too that we are not opposed by reason, we may try to force the issue. In such a case we are using one animal force to oppose another, and are likely to meet with resentment not unlike that exhibited by the dogs in our illustration.

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