Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-01-24
For the journal.
SHORT SERMONS BY A LAYMAN.

How many able-bodied men do you sup
pose there are just at this moment sitting
down in the cities, villages and country
" stores" whiting and specializing about
what the Yankees are going to do next, and
telling each other what Sherman stole from
moderate calculation is thus consumed every
month, and how much whiskey? It is alb
solutely fearful to contemplate.
Did the discussion of politics ever do us
any particular good that you are aware of
Can poor folks make any money by it, OF
religious people improve their piety by it
When spunky little fellow has fought
himself flat on his back with big fellow
sitting on his abdomen, and both arms
pinned to the ground, is it good for his
health to spit at the big fellow and tell him
about the sheep his father stole That's
our political fix exactly. Hadn't we better
big fellow has knocked the little fellow
down and injured him severely, but does
not sit on him Hadn't he better get up
and go to the Doctor ?
How many of your acquaintances who
were farmers before and during the war,
are driving their business with their own
brains and hands now? What proportion
of them are seeking other business, renting
out their farms, putting up little g stores,
and trying to do anything else except that
for which they are best fitted and most
needed The answer which you are bound
to make is food for serious thought to us
all. The productive resources of our coun-
try constitute our only hope Of recupera-
ton The only chance lett to us is to dig
independence out Of the ground, and those
who own the land have the largest share OF
the responsibility. 1t is true that all are
cramped for money, and cannot conduct
matters On the former large SCALE; but are
not our ideas on the subject too grand,
and are they not leading our farmers and
planters into the error Of declining to I'M
dertake the business entirely because they
cannot conduct it just as they would wish
We cannot all be mere consumers. AS to
labor, bad as that Is, money will control it,
bm promises arM not Therefore it is idle,
where the purse is short, to expect to EN-
ploy many hands II you can only pay
five hands, or only two, go to work with
them, and don't sit down because you can't
employ twenty.
The prospect is, certainly, not very bril-
liant now, but every man who owns a few
acres OF land can make enough bread and
meat on them to support his family, if he
will work. and that is as much if not more
than he can DO in any other way. As to
ovcrseers, agents and the other incidents to
the former life of the land owner, they are
gone for many years to come. He must
bid a temporary farewell at least, to all his
greatness, and be satisfied with the humber
position to which God has reduced linn,
although that is much more comfortable
than the situation of most of his neighbOrs.
Now what will many farmers say to all this ?
They VII say it is very easy to write such
things for the newspapers, but the writer
does Mt understand the subject, and doesn't
know the trials and difficulties in the way,
&C., &c. Good friends, is anything sta.
ted here but the truth ? You deceive your,
selves. The simple story is this you lived
in ease and comfort before the war with
slaves to do your bidding-you contracted
the habits which naturally sprung ont OF
your circumstances and, the circumstan.
ces being entirely changed, the habits re,
main as they were, and you find it almost
impossible to change and adapt them tc
the changed circumstances That's all
But the change has to be made, and tho
sooner the better. Some have realized i
and are, (all honor to them) hard at work
i'll a small way. Go and do likewise.