The Gavelyte, December 1914

CEDARVILLE COLLEGE 9 muscles, sooner or later, wi11 leave its imprint on the face, and one can easily read the face of a weak man, or the face of a strong man, and, more prcnouncedly, the face of a joviai or a crabbed man, even if it be in repose. The proces" of forming ·habit is relatively simple. It is similar to the folding of a piece of paper. After once being folded it tends to fall into the ame folds, with little effort exerted by the folder. Or, like a garment, which, after having been worn a certain time, clings to the shape of the body better than when it was new. But though the formation is simple the results of habits formed have the most L.. r-reaching con"eqmnce. lt is our dt ty while in college to form habits that will be bene– ficial to us in la~er life. If the period betw en twenty and thirty :s the cl 'itic.al one in the formation of intelleclual an d professional habits, the period below twenty is mor e impo1 tant still for the fixing cf personal habits. The great thi ng in all education is to make our habits our ally instead of our enemy. If we have formed habits that will broaden us we have achieved som ething. "Habit, like fire, is a cruel master as well a,: an invaluable servant." The coming C'hristmas should be one espe ially dear to this na– tion of ours and to eYery ind1ividual within its boundaries who is a t1 ue patriot or lover of peace. Not alone because it commemorates the bii th of the Saviour, although that is r eason for great rejoicing, l,ut beC'ause it is the commemoration of the hundredth anniversary of peace between Englan1J and the United States. On De cember 24, 1814, the treaty concluding the war of 1812 was i?igned at Ghent. So far as England and the United States are concerned the gates of Janus have been closed since that time. This vigil of peace has not been easily maintained. There has been a number of disputes arisen l etween the nations, but they have all been peaceably settle 1 d. As a r( sult of the friendly relations maintained, greater advancement bas been made than in any previous one hundred years of the whole world's history. Industry has been revolutionized by the introduction of modern inventions; commerce has increased by leaps and bounds and e ucational facilities bave been made better. Under such cir– cumPtanccs, hov;, befitting that these nations should lead the world in the e"tabli?bment of a "LPague of Peace." True, England is now engaged in a te1 rible conflict, but she wa" drawn into it in defense of justi<-e and for the ·am;e of humanity. Howev r, the United States Rtill remains a beac·on light to the nations now in the dark days of war Out yonder, on thP .Judean hills, the shepherds heard the joy– ful rnPssage, "Peace on arth, good will toward men." It is this peace that J ai; broue-ht us so n1any lJlessing< as a nation and we should reJotce thb C'lu iPtma. and always that we have the privilege of h, Ir ·1 1 I , firing about the timr· predict d by Tennyson, when ''The war drnm throb no longer, And ill<' battle flags are furled In the Parllameut of man, The J• rlc rntlu11 or the world."