The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1859-04-06
For the Grand Haven News.
PRACTICAL THOUGHTS.

Mr.. EDITOR: In our younger days we
we're the mill boy-that is, it was a duty
incumbent on US whenever the sack of
flour became exhausted TO seat ourselves
in company with two or more well filed
bags Of rye four fields produced no wheat)
or corn, on the back of "Old Sorrel."
and with slow and measured pace wend
our way along over rugged hills and across
narrow intervals, where the trouted rills
went babbling along till, arrived at the
old mill with its ponderous wheel that ye
oft have stood and gazed upon with boy
ish delight, as it turned swiftly by the
force Of the water that went splashing
against its side, and then ran away foam
ing and cddying amid the rocks that in
tercepted its course, we alighted, and the
good old miller with whitened coat and
hat appeared and with a good natured
smile eased "0ld Sorrel' and ourselves
at once Of our charge. The grist ground,
at the solicitation of the miller, we have
often stood and with wide extended fin
gers adjusted the mouth of the bag to re-
ceiye the -four or meal from the ample
scoop; for, says the miller, at is hard
for an empty bag to stand upright"
AS we have passed along through life
we have found among mankind innumer-
able instances to illustrate the truth of the
sentiment thus uttered. We have a
thousand times seen men who possessed,
il may be, all the essentials Of gentlemen
externally, affable, social, and seemingly
generous, perhaps to a fault, in order
20 acquire meanwhile some advantage of
neighbor in a bargain, or for the pur-
pose Of obtaining some desired accom-
modation; but SO soon as his object is
gained he turns the cold shoulder, cuts
the acquaintance and recognizes his VIC
tim no more. There is no heart, no prin-
ciple there; It's all an empty show to
delude and deceive; and such deceivers
soon find at is hard for an empty bag
to stand upright"
When we see man 60 10 church on
the Sabbath, with all the seeming sancti-
ty of martyr, and join his lip service
with the heart service Of tho true wor-
shippers, and, rs soon as the shades Of
evening have closed over the services of
the day, sit down calmly by his ample
fire side and bring into requisition all his
ingenuity and cunning TO devise plans
whereby he may cheat his more honest
neighbor, during the ensuing week, and
fill his Golfers with i'll gotten gain, we ex-
claim, o deluded man! your professed
sanctity-but in reality your empty, hol-
low-heartedness and hypocrisy, so plainly
visible in all your acts-will ere long
teach you, when deservedly despised by
all good men, that at is hard for an
empty bag 10 stand upright"
When we see young man just start
ing in business disregarding the principles
Of strict honesty and integrity, fastening
to be rich at the expense of every sense
Of rectitude and honorable dealing, all !!
vain deluSion we exclaim. Such an one
will soon learn in the loss of friends, loss
of reputation, and by an empty purse,
that he has indeed mistaken the only true
road TO wealth and honor, and like the
empty bag, Il is hard for htn 10 stand
upright.
When We see minister Of the gospel
enter the pulpit on the Sabbath and dis
course eloquently from the text al am
determined TO know nothing among you
save Christ and him cruciied," and then
during the week publicly discuss politics
with groggery politicians, reading novels
instead of his bible, attending the thea
ter, or, as has become alarmingly preva-
lent with some, Of late, bestowing his af-
fections upon forbidden objects, we think
that the minister has mistaken his calling;
better abandon at once position so un-
suited 10 his taste, or he viii soon find
at is hard for an empty bag to stand
upright"
When we see lawyer take fee OF
client for the purpose of assisting HIM to
cheat his honest neighbOr, and thereby
inducing him 10 take the first step toward
becoming villain, swindler, and at last
perhaps an inmate Of the States prison
:: .r;to az ali the f,rafensionS nf Such m,