The Westerly echo, & Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1854-1858, 1855-08-09
Che lOesterlp GfI)o,
Pawo oaGuck Advertiser.
westerly, August 0, 1858.
Religion and Business.

ana business as altogefher two separate
interests. Religion is for the next world,
business for this, seems the prevalent
idea, in these days. Men have looked
at religion as something distinct and Pc
culiar, havingits own sphere and its own
powers, and not as the very foundstion
and father of all goodness, truth, and
honesty. The man Of God has been
separated from the man of science, the
man of literature, the man Of beslsss,
and very particularly the man ofpnsScs,
The general exercises Of the intellect,
the common charities of the heart, even,
the familiar proceedings of life, have
been too frequently regarded as prOvln-
ces into which religion has no right to
penetrate, should not be admitted as
quest, much more as Il sovereign -
Hence literature, art, social life, world
ly engagements, have been looked upon
and treated as things apart from godli-
ness, and not as things which godliness
is to direct, and through which it is to
act, to be seen and felt. So generally
prevalent has this idea become that We
have a class of men set apart, not SIM
ply as teachers, but to MAKE our religion
for US Aud that the religion may be
" pure and undefled,o they are not al
lowed, even il inclined so to do, to have
any thing at all to do with secular af.
fairs while We furnish them their lIv-
ing, pretty cxtravagantly too, sometimes,
and sometimes not quite so much so,
they furnish US dogmas which we swal-
low as quietly and composedly, without
examination or question, as does the
patient the prescription of the physician
Of course we would not be understood
as speaking against the province of the
Christian minister. But it is question
in our mind, whether their provincsbas
been made little too exclusive w beth
cr it would not be better for the people
if they would do little more thinking
and better for all concerned if those who
dispensc the " Word of Life - would
allow themselves a little physical excr-
else occasionally. Are we not told to
be diligent in business, fervent in
spirit, serving the Lord :" Our opin-
ion is that diligence in business IS serv-
ing the Lord-(in the right spirit, and
with the right motives, understood, of
course And who does not know that
the mind is never in ST ong, lively, and
healthy state for action except when he
body is in the same condition, which
condition can only be arrived at by a
good degree of exercise ; If there is
any person that does not know this fact,
let him try it. When he wishes to en-
gage his mind in some deep and intri-
cate subject, let him walk, saw wood,
hoe in the field, NOW, or any other man
ual labor which does not require the at
tention Of the mind, and he will soon
learn that the action Of the body, instead
Of retarding the action of the mind, has
stimulated it, and enabled it to arrive at
Il much more rational and philosophical
conclusion, and in much less space OF
time, than would have been the case
had the body been cooped up ip some
close room, almost suff1catedsCith a
stagnant atmosphere, and suffering with
ennui, dyspepsy, and numerous ills US
ually looked upon as necessary conse-
quences of a sedentry life. This, we
take it, would be a consistent arrange
ment Of mental apd physical labor. Our
teachers would then be able to think
more vigorously and practically, and
PROFOUND to US more enegetlcally and
with more confidence their theological
tepets, while we-the learners should
be able to think little for ourselves, tc
examine with an understanding mind
their propositions, and be prepared to
receive them or reject them in the light
Of the truth.
The great Apostle to the Gentiles
was not ashamed to work with bis bands
1t seems to have been his custom, wheo
not engaged in preaching, to be either
travelling from one place to an thcr on
business for the church, or engaged in
some manual labor. IL he became de-
bilitated, instead of"hs" people send