Sweetness of Disposition
By Frederick M. Rossiter
FREDERICK M. ROSSITER, M. D. “Let your mildness, or sweetness of disposition be recognized among all men. Our Lord is near.” Phil. 4: 5. Syriac Version. These words are very beautiful and are deeply significant. They represent in a concise form what a moderate, or temperate, life is. A life in which moderation is a controlling principle is a temperate life in the fullest sense of the word. In the light of the rendering given to this verse, it is proper to say, Let your moderation, or temperance, mildness, or sweetness of disposition, be recognized among all men. Why?—“Our Lord is near.” It is obvious that this text has a special application to the end of the world, and is a divine command to those who are conscious of the fact that the “Lord is near.” The standard of temperance revealed in God’s Word and that taught or lived by the world are totally different. In the world a man is temperate who abstains from alcoholic drinks altogether, or does not use them excessively. In many of the European countries one may use beer and other light alcoholic drinks and be considered temperate. He is temperate because he uses these beverages with moderation! The temperance standard of many Christian bodies is not much higher than this. In fact, many active temperance and Christian workers resent the application to their daily lives of a more strict interpretation of temperance than this. For this reason so little is accomplished in promoting truly temperate lives. The Bible standard of temperance is a very lofty principle of right living, covering every thought and action. To be truly temperate is to be holy in spirit, soul, and body. “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” These forcible words of the apostle apply to the very beginnings of temperance and intemperance. Most of the temperance reforms of to-day cut off the topmost boughs of the tree instead of applying the ax to the roots. Alcoholism, morphinism, murder, and physical excesses are the products of intemperance, and not the beginnings. Great acts, good or bad, only follow after many repetitions of small ones. Thoughts precede acts. This is an inexorable law. Mildness, and sweetness of disposition are mental qualities, but are greatly influenced by physical conditions. Every sense and organ and structure of the body is servant to the mind. Before any sense can be gratified, moderately or immoderately, it must have the consent of the mind. This makes every individual responsible for the care of his own body and mind. Any habit, or indulgence, or pleasure, or mental disposition, or occupation that weakens the body, and exhausts the nervous system so that one can not be mild and manifest a sweet disposition is intemperance. A Christian Characteristic
We naturally are drawn to one who has a sweet disposition. It is a pleasure to be in the society of such a one, and we are refreshed by the association. It is clear that every follower of Jesus Christ should be mild and sweet of disposition, a center of attraction, a positive influence. Christ set the example. His life was tempered with moderation, and pervaded by an ever sweet, constraining influence. It is no special test of character to be mild and sweet at times. A lion is very mild at times, but let it be irritated, and it becomes furious. Strength of character is determined by the feelings which we are able to subdue and control. The worldling is able to control the feelings and to be mild part of the time, but the true follower of Christ is able to do so all the time. The swift pace of the present day, the mad rush after wealth, fame, and social influence, together with the free indulgence in alcoholic drinks, tobacco, tea, coffee, late suppers, and riotous living, followed by a long train of resultant evils, has a tendency to produce anything but “mildness” and “sweetness of disposition.” Because of these evils the world is full of physical paupers, neurasthenics, hysterical men and women, and “down-in-the-mouth” dyspeptics. The gloom and the “blues” emanating from such cause a veritable pall of depression to rest upon the earth. If those who are given to the “blues” every other day, and to frequent hysterical outbreaks, could only realize a tithe of the general depression they create in a family or in a community, they would make heroic efforts to control their morbid and purely selfish feelings, and try to manifest some sweetness of disposition. How different this world would be if each individual made an effort to create a little sunshine for others. But there must first be sunshine in the heart before it can brighten the way of some one else. Happiness comes from within. Sweetness of disposition must come from the heart. It can not be put on. Mildness under all circumstances is a product of self-control. A certain class, not at all small in number, get up in the morning out of sorts with every one and everything. They come to the breakfast table with furrowed brow and long face—objects of despair, casting a gloom upon every one. They take a certain pride in their morbid feelings. They do not try to rise above them. They crave sympathy. They yield themselves to their feelings with a sort of satisfaction, very much as the opium eater yields himself to the influences of the drug. How much happiness and sunshine would come into thousands of homes if these subjects of selfishness would cheer up, and begin the day with smiles, and songs, and soft words, if they would act on the principle expressed in the verses:— “Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep, and you weep alone;
For this brave old earth must borrow its mirth,—
It has troubles enough of its own.
Sing, and the hills will answer;
Sigh, it is lost on the air;
The echoes bound to a joyful sound,
But shrink from voicing care.”
Mildness is temperance itself. Mildness and intemperance are incompatible. Immoderation in eating, drinking, working, or thinking causes physical exhaustion, irritability, and lack of self-control. In such a condition mildness and sweetness of disposition are negative qualities, and only spasmodically manifested. Health alone makes it possible to be mild. Health means vigor and energy; hence for a man or a woman to be mild and sweet of disposition does not imply a very gentle, easy-going, inert individual, but one whose mildness is tempered with firmness, zeal, earnestness, and optimism.13 A Characteristic of the Remnant People
“Let your mildness, or sweetness of disposition be recognized among all men.” This scripture certainly applies to the people who make temperance and the gospel of right living a cardinal part of their message to the world. The mildness and moderation of this people are to be recognized among all men. Men do not recognize theoretical mildness. It must be an actual quality of character acted out in daily life. If the seventy-five thousand Seventh-day Adventists were actually doing this, what a testimony would be borne to the world! And it would be recognized, too. Shall it not be so? What a testimony it would be if this people were all known for their mildness and sweetness of disposition! Why should this be so?—“Our Lord is near.” When the spirit of this verse is acted out in daily life, there will be little disposition to gossip, to criticise, to devour one another, to be immoderate in any way. To be mild when severely criticised, to be mild when harshly spoken to, to be mild when you don’t feel like it, to be mild when everything seems to go wrong, to be mild when the weather interferes with cherished plans, to be mild under all the buffetings of Satan and in petty sicknesses, reveals Christian temperance in its most practical form. “Let your mildness, or sweetness of disposition be recognized among all men. Our Lord is near.” Begin the day with these words. Let this verse be a motto hung in memory’s hall; repeat it often, and life will take on a new meaning and possess a new charm.