Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1866-12-01
Taking Care Of Number One.
Z BY SrOWELL DROWN.

When "numbcr ones" mind is taken oaro
of, it will do q great deal towards taking care
of " number ones" body and estate, for knowl-
edge is power. II "number one" is ignorant,
tho probability is, that ho will be poor, and
poor for lifo. But altogether apart from tho
pecuniary advantages which knowledge gen
orally affords, 1t yields pleasures of pure, re-
tining and ennobing character; the pursuit
of it occupies the mind, refreshcs it $ rengtf.
ems it, aud gives it wondrous power to drive
its cares away; aud if intellectual culture has
not directly moraizing tendency, it is thus
fur in favor of sound moras-that it fills up
the leisure hour, which might otherwise be
given to dissipation. But however we'll in
formed man may become, "numbcr one
has a moral as well as an Intellectual nature
and his moral nature especially is to be taken
care of. Taking care of humber one is an
expression which, in its highest Specification,
must include taking care OF number one S soul !;
for this, as | have already remarked and as
every sensible man will admit, this is the best
part of "nuuber one" The time will soon
arrive when all other care Of "numbcr one
will be felt to be as nothing compared with
this. Neither wealth nor knowledge. however
great, will compensate for the lack of this IF
you do not believe in your Immortality, have
no time now to argue the point with you; but
if YOU do, you will acknowledge that your soul
has right to be carc, for, has the first ciaiu,,
and not the least upon your care, for the soul
is in peril in consequence Of sin. 1t is not fit
for the purity and the Joy of a heavenly state
1t must be set right with God and with itself
Therefore it is | say, take care Of "numbcr
ones" (" immortal interests, Of "number ones
prospects for life beyond the present Am
| m liyo 1n
brother, you are to live again; it is your in.
cvitablc destiny. You are to live again, if
there be any truth in the deepest human in.
stinct, in the most vigorous human reasoning,
and in tho book which most of us, dare say,
believe to be from God. You are to live again
in glory or in shame; in happiness or in sor-
row. And appeal to your common sense to
say, whether any man is tnking care of himself
Alright, whatever care he is taking Of his body,
OF his estate, of his intellect, if he is taking no
care about the future life; taking no care that
it shall be a life Of the right sort, and not of
the wrong sort; life with angels and good
men, aud not with the devils and scoundrels; !;
life in the brightness Of Gods presence, and
not in the darkness of eternal despair. How
is man thus to take care of " number one 2"
believe the way to be very simple; you may
dilcr from me; you may be skcptioal; still
! you will allow me to give my opinion; an
opinion which do not hold alone which |
do not hold in common with weak and super
stitious people only; but an opinion, or rather
a deep, strong, most firm conviction held by
ten thousand times ten thousand Of the wiscst
aud the best of men; and that conviction is
that man takes care Of his soul, when he
takes care to believe and rely upon the mercy
of God, unto eternal life, through the merits
of Jesus Christ, who came into the world not
to condemn it, but to save it, Take care of
number one" then, by all means, but take
the right sort Of care; consider what {" num-
Der one is and what kind Of care it calls for
at your hands. Take care of "numbcr one 81
body and estate, by temperance, by chastity.
| by cleanliness, by hcalthrul exercise, by ab.
staining from all excess, by industry by econ
| omy, by wise Investment Of what you might
be able to save. Take care of "number ones"
intellect, by feeding it with wholesome and
not unwholesome food. And though I men.
ton it last it is not because it is least-for in
deed it is far the grcatest-takc care Of "nuu,-
bcr ones" soul, by trusting in the mercy Of
your God through the merit of your Saviour,
and by walking in that path Of truth and pu-
rity and goodness which God approves. Thus,
and thus only can we take care Of number
one" So then, whenever we hear this com
mon expression, and whenever we make use
of it, let US consider we'll its extensive import,
and the great practical truths-secular and
religious-which, when rightly understood,
it must suggest to every thoughtful man.
Cousin SALLIE.-A few days ago, VIC saw
box at the landing, which was marked
"Wm Potts, Medical Purycyor, G. S. A.,
Montgomery, Ala, G. S. A (" We had not
seen it long, before an individual more than
two sheets in the wind, came hiccuping and
staggering among the barrels, bags and boxes
on the lcvce. He was not long in gyrating
upon the box we have mentioned lie saw