Third Noble Lecture Last Night

The third Noble lecture was given last night by Bishop Brent in Sanders Theatre on "The Power of the Human Will." The basis of his argument was that promises made to self are the same in essence as promises to another, and the breaking of a resolution as morally culpable as perjury.

The human will is the instrument of the motive and purpose is its outgrowth. Good desires are the raw measures from which purpose is created; the measures of human capacity for desires that are changed into the realization of character are replaced by new desires and so spiritual progress is achieved.

We live in a constant condition of mental change, not always mental progress, but if the desire back of the change is good the upward striving in its reaction on the mind is bound to have a good effect on character. Will power is more enduring and capable of achievement than the power of the tides them selves. Too often we confound wishing and willing, but wishing ends in nothing and willing ends in achievement. Because often wishing is not changed into willing there result so many broken vows and half-carried-out resolutions. Our vows are not serious enough; we are more lenient with ourselves than with others, and accept excuses for out broken resolutions that would never be accepted by others. From the Christian point of view a promise and an oath are identical, and a broken resolution and a broken promise are the same morally. The worst aspect of these broken resolutions is that they weaken the will itself and rob it of its kingly power. Take the promises that you make to yourself as seriously as you take those made to your friends!

On the other hand, the best thing about the human will is its power of triumphing over obstacles and difficulties that are constantly increasing. To the crowd it seems that things must ever remain as they are; it is the part of the leader to see things as they ought to be. The fear of change makes the ordinary man draw back-the fear of being thought eccentric, or of being thrust into obscurity by the crowd. It is the Christian watchword that responsibility rests on the individual. Wills have been given us-let us use them. Fate, heredity, chance,-these do not affect the freedom of the will. It is a ship opposed by the contrary winds of fate, heredity, and chance, but notwithstanding the ship reaches her harbor in safety.

We may consider the power of the human will in two phases, its early condition of negative obedience, and its later phase of positive service. In the school of obedience we get the training for out later period of service. But this obedience must not be mere acquiescence, but whole-souled acceptance of the judgment of another. In later life this sort of obedience merges insensibly into the power of command.