I have read many Pamphlets and heard many Secretive Conversations in which men Complain of the Difficulties they have had with Forsaking Evil and Becoming Good. I speak Not here of those men who are Ignorant of Goodness, but rather those men who Know in Truth what Goodness is, and yet Still succumb to Evil Thoughts and Evil Deeds. I have heard many such men Protest at the Great Difficulties they have had in Abandoning their old Habits.

To these men I say: are you a Child? are you a Weakling? have you Forgotten Entirely how to Influence Yourself?

For in Truth a habit of Goodness can be Cultivated Easily, provided that one is not Wholly Ignorant of the nature of Good and Evil. For one must simply find an Appropriate Punishment for the Evil that one is Continuing in, and then Administer that punishment Unfailingly whenever one Catches oneself at it.

For example, consider a Cloth Merchant who cannot stop himself from wishing to do Harm to his fellow Sellers of Cloth. This is an Evil Desire, as any Priest of a Good God can tell you. If the man is Foolish or a Weakling, or does not in Truth desire to be Good, then he shall of course do Nothing, and rather Complain of the Struggle and Tumult he feels. But if he Desires in Truth to become Good, he might simply Lash himself whenever he feels this Wicked Desire, or if he has become Inured to Lashing he might administer some other Punishment to himself Instead. If he does this Without Fail whenever he experiences such Wicked Thoughts, the thoughts will Depart, and he will have become Closer to Goodness.

Such a Method can be used for any Ordinary Evil, whether in Thought or in Deed. In this way any man who is Truly Dedicated to Transforming his Character may do so Easily.