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O。M。 You would always do anything in your power to please her？
Y。M。 It is a delight to me to do anything to please her！
O。M。 Why？ YOU WOULD DO IT FOR PAY； SOLELYfor PROFIT。
What profit would you expect and certainly receive from
the investment？
Y。M。 Personally？ None。 To please HER is enough。
O。M。 It appears； then； that your object； primarily； WASN'T
to save the girl a humiliation； but to PLEASE YOUR MOTHER。 It
also appears that to please your mother gives YOU a strong
pleasure。 Is not that the profit which you get out of the
investment？ Isn't that the REAL profits and FIRST profit？
Y。M。 Oh； well？ Go on。
O。M。 In ALL transactions； the Interior Master looks to it
that YOU GET THE FIRST PROFIT。 Otherwise there is no
transaction。
Y。M。 Well； then； if I was so anxious to get that profit and
so intent upon it； why did I threw it away by losing my temper？
O。M。 In order to get ANOTHER profit which suddenly
superseded it in value。
Y。M。 Where was it？
O。M。 Ambushed behind your born temperament； and waiting for
a chance。 Your native warm temper suddenly jumped to the front；
and FOR THE MOMENT its influence was more powerful than your
mother's； and abolished it。 In that instance you were eager to
flash out a hot rebuke and enjoy it。 You did enjoy it； didn't you？
Y。M。 Forfor a quarter of a second。 YesI did。
O。M。 Very well； it is as I have said： the thing which will
give you the MOST pleasure； the most satisfaction； in any moment
or FRACTION of a moment； is the thing you will always do。 You
must content the Master's LATEST whim； whatever it may be。
Y。M。 But when the tears came into the old servant's eyes I
could have cut my hand off for what I had done。
O。M。 Right。 You had humiliated YOURSELF； you see； you had
given yourself PAIN。 Nothing is of FIRST importance to a man
except results which damage HIM or profit himall the rest is
SECONDARY。 Your Master was displeased with you； although you had
obeyed him。 He required a prompt REPENTANCE； you obeyed again；
you HAD tothere is never any escape from his commands。 He is a
hard master and fickle； he changes his mind in the fraction of a
second； but you must be ready to obey； and you will obey； ALWAYS。
If he requires repentance； you content him； you will always
furnish it。 He must be nursed； petted； coddled； and kept
contented； let the terms be what they may。
Y。M。 Training！ Oh； what's the use of it？ Didn't I； and
didn't my mother try to train me up to where I would no longer
fly out at that girl？
O。M。 Have you never managed to keep back a scolding？
Y。M。 Oh； certainlymany times。
O。M。 More times this year than last？
Y。M。 Yes； a good many more。
O。M。 More times last year than the year before？
Y。M。 Yes。
O。M。 There is a large improvement； then； in the two years？
Y。M。 Yes； undoubtedly。
O。M。 Then your question is answered。 You see there IS use in
training。 Keep on。 Keeping faithfully on。 You are doing well。
Y。M。 Will my reform reach perfection？
O。M。 It will。 UP to YOUR limit。
Y。M。 My limit？ What do you mean by that？
O。M。 You remember that you said that I said training was
EVERYTHING。 I corrected you； and said 〃training and ANOTHER
thing。〃 That other thing is TEMPERAMENTthat is； the
disposition you were born with。 YOU CAN'T ERADICATE YOUR
DISPOSITION NOR ANY RAG OF ITyou can only put a pressure on it
and keep it down and quiet。 You have a warm temper？
Y。M。 Yes。
O。M。 You will never get rid of it； but by watching it you
can keep it down nearly all the time。 ITS PRESENCE IS YOUR
LIMIT。 Your reform will never quite reach perfection； for your
temper will beat you now and then； but you come near enough。 You
have made valuable progress and can make more。 There IS use in
training。 Immense use。 Presently you will reach a new stage of
development； then your progress will be easier； will proceed on a
simpler basis； anyway。
Y。M。 Explain。
O。M。 You keep back your scoldings now； to please YOURSELF
by pleasing your MOTHER； presently the mere triumphing over your
temper will delight your vanity and confer a more delicious
pleasure and satisfaction upon you than even the approbation of
your MOTHER confers upon you now。 You will then labor for
yourself directly and at FIRST HAND； not by the roundabout way
through your mother。 It simplifies the matter； and it also
strengthens the impulse。
Y。M。 Ah； dear！ But I sha'n't ever reach the point where I
will spare the girl for HER sake PRIMARILY； not mine？
O。M。 Whyyes。 In heaven。
Y。M。 （AFTER A REFLECTIVE PAUSE） Temperament。 Well； I see
one must allow for temperament。 It is a large factor； sure
enough。 My mother is thoughtful； and not hot…tempered。 When I
was dressed I went to her room； she was not there； I called； she
answered from the bathroom。 I heard the water running。 I
inquired。 She answered； without temper； that Jane had forgotten
her bath； and she was preparing it herself。 I offered to ring；
but she said； 〃No； don't do that； it would only distress her to
be confronted with her lapse； and would be a rebuke； she doesn't
deserve thatshe is not to blame for the tricks her memory
serves her。〃 I sayhas my mother an Interior Master？and where
was he？
O。M。 He was there。 There； and looking out for his own
peace and pleasure and contentment。 The girl's distress would
have pained YOUR MOTHER。 Otherwise the girl would have been rung
up； distress and all。 I know women who would have gotten a No。 1
PLEASURE out of ringing Jane upand so they would infallibly
have pushed the button and obeyed the law of their make and
training； which are the servants of their Interior Masters。 It
is quite likely that a part of your mother's forbearance came
from training。 The GOOD kind of trainingwhose best and highest
function is to see to it that every time it confers a
satisfaction upon its pupil a benefit shall fall at second hand
upon others。
Y。M。 If you were going to condense into an admonition your
plan for the general betterment of the race's condition； how
would you word it？
Admonition
O。M。 Diligently train your ideals UPWARD and STILL UPWARD
toward a summit where you will find your chiefest pleasure in
conduct which； while contenting you； will be sure to confer
benefits upon your neighbor and the community。
Y。M。 Is that a new gospel？
O。M。 No。
Y。M。 It has been taught before？
O。M。 For ten thousand years。
Y。M。 By whom？
O。M。 All the great religionsall the great gospels。
Y。M。 Then there is nothing new about it？
O。M。 Oh yes； there is。 It is candidly stated； this time。
That has not been done before。
Y。M。 How do you mean？
O。M。 Haven't I put YOU FIRST； and your neighbor and the
community AFTERWARD？
Y。M。 Well； yes； th