The Kingwood chronicle. [volume] (Kingwood, Va. [W. Va.]) 1861-1861, 1861-05-25
SUNDAY READING.
Waste Moments.


portions are neglected, larger will be or if any
one thinks he is not disposed to waste any por
ton large enough to Be taken account Of, still
he must remember that waste moments make
up in the aggregate large part Of life, and if
they We're scrupulously saved. and turned to
good account the result would be altogether
beyond expectation
Has any reader ofthis paper ever thought
how much time he allows to Slip by unimprov-<
ed2 Some waste time in lettering, some iu
idleness, some in trif1ing conversation, somn
in doing what might as well not be DONE. am
some in doing what had better be undon9
There are very few who would not have
plead guilty in some one or other of tho
ways, to change Of waste Of time The gr> {
majority of men do not do what their han i
find to do, with their M ght, and very few u
make wise use Of all their time Ii ~
without any doubt be quite safe 70 say, tk d
nine mcu in every ten, could each save 4 n
low estimate ten minutes every day. with6I
interfering in any way with their business, 3
with any profitable and proper recreation. 1E
would be well if all such would consider til
following statement. s8
/ Southey says that the poet Campbell asser
ted that every man who shavcs himself every
day from the time his beard begins to grow to
the age of threescore and tcu. gives to that
operation as much time rs would suffice TO
learn several languages. Southey then pro-
ceeds to verify the calculations and from ex-
pertinent Of the time consumed in the act Of
shaving, he finds that there would be time to
learn, not seven languages. but fourteen, and
this SO thoroughly that he could read, write,
and speak them, sufficiently well for all ordi
nary purposes. He goes still further, and
concludes that, considering the increased IA
cility which the habit Of acquiring, and tho
knowledge Of any one language, would give
for acquiring another, any one Of remarkable
aptitude could learn all the languages in
which there are books to be procured For
all this he allows'but ten minntcsa day.
| This opinion Of the poet Sonthey, coming
as it doe. from man Of letters. who waa
himself acquainted with several languages,
! though possibly an exagcration, is entitled to
respect 1t is not introduced here rs an ar
gument against shaving but to show the val
uc Of time; and it shows, in striking man
ner how much may be done, # any one
| chooses, has resolution enough, to reserve
only few waste moments every day for some
! special object. Every one may consider for
himself in what way he can save time and to
what purpose lie will devote it. Let the
wsste moments BE- but gathered up, and there
will BE- ways enough in which to spend them.
We will add only one or two suggestions
| 1t not desirable that we should be nces-
sanity occupied with business, or engaged in
storing up learning or the thoughts Of others
I One never can become wise BY receiving
thought merely lie must make it his own.
I Time spent in reflection, even though We seem
to be idle, il vel Arnt,, Thought as i en-
tcrS the mind is crude, and unfit for use i
must lie in the mind, and be turned over
there, and it will mellow and mature. An
extempore speaker il tolerable only = hs
sgeaks what he has thought over befofe6nd,
and not as he gives the undigcsted tkcalkhts
Of the moment But there il much time
lost. and worse than lost, in a dreasy, vague
| following Of our thoughts whithenoever they
| lead, and they are often like the eJes o.
fool, = in the ends Of the earth. 1T this
time be saved, and given to rcAecSi0ns and
meditation, and we shall be spared m1Ay vain
imaginatians, and we shall make our thoueAts
available
Any one who has to instruct others ia -
ligion, should give much time to mcditatiou,
for it Is only by deep and long continued med
itation that it is possible to know the heart
Let every slch one accustom himself 70 turn
his thoughts. at certain times Of the day,
when they are unoccupied with business. TO
meditation on divine things, let him take
some text of Scripture for the basis Of his
meditation and BY the end Of year hi
store Of religious knowledge and experience
will be largely increased Let him attempt,
for few minutes each lay to write down
his thoughts on some religious subject, and b
will find that his ideas on that subject viii
grow clear, and bis ability to express himself
with precision will improve
There is one classof persons Who may bo
benefited BY considering the subject Of wasls
moments, There are many who neg]ect tAeir
devotions, on the ples Of want II tims--
They may reflect that if any one, - has bssa
proved, can find time to lsam 70 pray = =
many languages, every one en- sa1el1 1nd
time to pray in his own.-Sxndny 1e1esS
Tynaes. D. D. D.
NOTHING d moro common than fs 1nea
tstn rl,vv IN their nxu ehAmr