Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1855-05-16

THROW AWAY YOUR CRUTCHES.
"Throw away your crutches! !" said the Doc
tor to his gouty patient.
81 can't, Doctor, shall fall if do," was the
reply. tsia
"Try and see," reiterated the Doctor 81.
81 cannot, dare not" said the patient trem-
bling and looking irresolute. Just then he met
the Doctors eye and it pleaded for the expert
ment more fully than the tongue. He hesitated
but moment longer, and then though the eff
fort made him turn pale away went the crutch-
es full length upon the carpet! There he was
bolt upright against the wall, without his old
friends, the crutches,-a thing he had not done
for years. 4
snow walk" said the Doctor.
Z" can't" arose to the patients lips, but went
no farther for he resolved to try it if he failed in
trying He took one trembling step, but didn't
lfalM Joyful moment! Another step and then
an6lber Was he really walking, or was it a
dream It was because he had thrown away
his crutches and had made trial of his own
strength, that he had succeeded SO far beyond
his hopes
The gouty patient is not the only one to
whom it may be said, throw away your crutch-
es." He who is forever afraid trying his own
strength will never become strong. 1t requires
ourseves,-to speak as we think, freed from the
bondage Of those often asked questions,-
What will be thought by others? What will be
said!
Of all classes in the community, authors are
in the greatest danger of leaning upon crutches
other mems opinions, and other mems suffra-
ges. But man remember that you can go
alone. Throw away your crutches Think and
reason and then speak out. Yes, speak boldly
too, if truth is on your side and il would not
be strange if you should find that instead of
needing crutches, you should be able to lend
| acingS to others.
MEcHANICs.-St. Paul was mechanical ma
ker of tents from goats hair; and in the lectur-
er's opinion he was model mechanic. lie was
not only thorough workman, at his trade but
was n scholar-a perfect master, not only of his
native Hebrew, but Of three foreign tongues
knowledge of which he obtained by close appli.
cation to study during his leisure hours while
serving his apprenticeship. 1t was custom
among the Jews to learn their sons some trade
"a custom not confined to the poor classes, but
was also practiced by the wealthy; and it was
common proverb among them, that if father
did not teach his son mechanical occupation,
he taught him to steal. This custom was
would initiate their example, their wrinkled
cheeks would not blush so for the helplessness,
and not unfrequently criminal conduct of their
offspring. Even if father intended his son for
one Of the professions; it would be an incalcu-
liable benefit to that son to instruct him in some
branch of mechanism. His education would not
only be more complete and healthy, but he
might at some future time in case of failure in
his profession, find his trade very convenient as
means of earning his bread; and he must nec-
essarily be more competent in mechanical labor
from his professional education. An educated
mechanic was model machine, while an uned-
ucated mechanic was merely mechanic work
ing under the superintendent of another's
brain. Let the rich and the proud no longer
look upon mechanism as degrading to him who
adopts branch of it as his calling 1t is no.
BILE caling-as noble as the Incidence and inac-
tyity of wealth is ignoble.
Lecture by Dr. Adams