Glasgow weekly times. (Glasgow, Mo.) 1848-1861, 1851-08-21
From the New York Observer.
The way to be Strong.


81 am going to the blacksmith's shop
said Mr.. Sayre.
"May go with you sir? "
81 have no objection" Richard took his
fathers arm, and they walked on the crisp
frozen snow towards the shop. Mr.. Beck
with, the blacksmith, was as usual hard at
work. Though it was midwinter, and the
door Of his shop was always open, yet he had
his coat off, and the sleeves of his red flannel
shirt were rolled up above his elbow. He
was blowing the bellows with his left hand,
and adjusting the iron in the fire with his
right, when Mr.. Sayre entered the shop
"Good morning, Mr.. Beckwith,' said Mr..
Sayre.
"Good morning." replied Mr.. B., accep-
ting Mr.. SIS proffered hand, "my hand is
not as clean as yours"
''Not as clean literally just now. trust
that, morally speaking, you have clean hands.
A blacksmith may have clean hands in that
sense"
"Clean hands in that sense means clean
conscience. He may have that. 1t is not
necessary for him to soil his conscience as it
often is to soil the hands, but great care
is necessary to avoid soilingit. When ones
conscience is soiled, it is not as easy to
cleanse it, as it is to cleanse the hands. Wa
ter will cleanse the hands, but nothing short
Of the blood of Christ will cleanse the con-
science"
By this time the iron was sufficiently hot,
and he drew it forth glowing and sending out
scintllations. When he laid it upon the an
vii and struck it with the hammer the sein-
tillations flew all over the shop. Richard
; was alarmed and got behind his father
From that secure place, he watched the eff
feet of the blows given by the ponderous
hammer which seemed to be welded with
perfect ease. He admired the brawny arm
of Mr.. B., and envied the strength that could
give such forcible blows. When the iron
became so far cooled that it was necessary to
, return it to the fire, Mr.. S. made known his
, business to Mr.. B., and withdrew.
"Father," said Richard, when they were
, little way from the shop, ''you seem tc
think a great deal of Mr.. Beckwith. was
rather surprised to see you shake hands with
, him."
Il do think a great deal of him, said Mr.
Sayre. ''He is worthy citizen, and a good
man. The fact that he is blacksmith does
, not make him the less man."
f Il know it does not, only persons do moi
$ generally think quite as much of man if he
t is blacksmith, as they do if he is a merchant
or something else"
, 81 hope my son will form the habit of es
timating men according to their real worth
y and not according to their emyloyments.
$ often have occasion to ask Mr.. Beckwith''
advice, and l value it highly. Our minister
= does the same"
"What strong arm Mr.. Beckwith has
what makes it so strong?"
e "He has made it strong by exercise-b.
n welding his heavy hammer"
t 81 should think that would wear it out in
t stead of making it strong"
Excessive labor would have that effect
c but hard labor only tends to give additiona
!, strength. The way to get strong arm is t.
d work hard with it; what is the way to get
Il strong mind?"
" Il suppose one must work hard with hi
D mind"
: ''Certainly, strong minds are made in III
d same way that strong arms are"
c 81 should think, then, that every bod
Il would have strong minds"
"Why SOP"
n "Because when man has strong mint
he is thought great deal of
Il "And so you think, if strength of min
# depends upon the will, all men would hav
8 h?"
eyes, sir"
4 'But you forget that necessary conditio
of having it, is hard work. That men q
not like. They do not like hard work of an
Of kind, and least of all, hard work with II
y, mind. 1t is much easier to get man
lie work hard over forge than over book
at 1t is much easier to induce him to swing Il
er iron sledge hammer than the intellectu
e. sledge hammer"
to "Our teacher told us that our minds gre
ne strong by acquiring knowledge.
Up "That is true, but the knowledge must
er acquired by your own labor. Suppose yo'
c. teacher could pour all the knowledge he po
g, sesses into your mind at once, just as all 4
ng water in one cup can be poured into anoth
ge cup; you would have more knowledge tn
&C. you have now, but your strength of mi