Chapter 3—Unbalanced Minds
God has committed to each of us sacred trusts, for which He holds
us accountable. It is His purpose that we so educate the mind as to
be able to exercise the talents He has given us in such a manner as to
accomplish the greatest good and reflect the glory to the Giver. We are
indebted to God for all the qualities of the mind. These powers can be
cultivated, and so discreetly directed and controlled as to accomplish
the purpose for which they were given. It is duty to so educate the
mind as to bring out the energies of the soul and develop every faculty.
When all the faculties are in exercise, the intellect will be strengthened,
and the purpose for which they were given will be accomplished.
Many are not doing the greatest amount of good because they exer-
cise the intellect in one direction and neglect to give careful attention to
those things for which they think they are not adapted. Some faculties
that are weak are thus allowed to lie dormant because the work that
should call them into exercise, and consequently give them strength,
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is not pleasant. All the powers of the mind should be exercised, all
the faculties cultivated. Perception, judgment, memory, and all the
reasoning powers should have equal strength in order that minds may
be well balanced.
If certain faculties are used to the neglect of others, the design of
God is not fully carried out in us; for all the faculties have a bearing
and are dependent, in a great measure, upon one another. One cannot
be effectually used without the operation of all, that the balance may
be carefully preserved. If all the attention and strength are given to one,
while others lie dormant, the development is strong in that one and
will lead to extremes, because all the powers have not been cultivated.
Some minds are dwarfed and not properly balanced. All minds are not
naturally constituted alike. We have varied minds; some are strong
upon certain points and very weak upon others. These deficiencies, so
apparent, need not and should not exist. If those who possess them
would strengthen the weak points in their character by cultivation and
exercise they would become strong.
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