The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1869-03-31
For THE CENTRAL PRESBYTERIAN.
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have said good deal about your work
allow me to make some suggestions as tt
your recreations.
1t will be we'll for you to settle it once fol
all with your conscience, that recreation af
ter work is lawful And this not upon tht
plea that it is necessary for your health anc
continued vigor in work, but upon the grounc
that you, and all men, women, and children
are as really made for pleasure in its time
and season, and with its proper limitations
as for work. On this subject the Scripture
rule and reason is, "Eat thou honey, because
1t IS good.
Do not aim to make your recreations use
full. | think parents make mistake when
sometimes they would persuade their boys
that it would be just as entertaining to pull
up weeds in the garden as to fly their kites,
or their girls to take exercise distributing
tracts instead of playing croquet. Let work
be called work, and insist upon all doing
their full share of it, whether they like it OF
not; and let play be play, and every one to
choose for himself, with the sole limitation
not to indulge in what is unlawful. So |
advise you to select the recreations that will
give you most delight. But-Ah! these
baSts, they hedge us every where in life; and
it is well they do, for without hedges on the
right and the left, we should all be very
struggling flock of sheep. But you must
regard in your recreations, as in everything
else, the proprieties demanded by your posi-
ton. Do not think there is any special hard
ship in this. We are all under the same
Observation-Disclosures, lawyers, doctors, mer-
chants, men of station, and men of age are
obliged to consult public opinion more or
less in matters otherwise indifferent.
After such an introduction, you will not
expect me to recommend anything specif.
cally. give you advice which is certainly
more pleasant, and really believe more use
full, when l say-do as you please; consult
your own fancy. Ifmy general suggestions
can be of value, would say:
l. Let your recreations be physical and
not intellectual. Do not read Dickens for
refreshment, nor play chess, nor let the edi-
tors of newspapers persuade you that to write
short articles will be pleasant recreation.
Think of your arms, your legs, your stom-
ach; build up your muscle, get color in your
cheeks, and elasticity in your step.
2. If possible, arrange your recreations
upon social scheme. A man ought to
laugh when he is enjoying himself, and he
never laughs when alone. 1t may not be
easy always to find suitable companions, but
you have one sure resource. Those two lit
tie boys of yours will be ready for you much
sooner than you now suppose. Help them
now for little while with their marbles and
their kites, and within time that will seem
to you surprisingly short, they will be ready
to accompany you everywhere. Of course
you will walk and ride with your wife,
Yes, but this is for her benefit, not for yours.
Women. in this country at least, are of very
little account for exercise. Yours is a country
parsonage, and therefore you are in the best
position for healthful and stimulating recre-
alton. If you were city pastor, l would
despair of giving you any suggestions
City pastors, and city people generally, seem
to enjoy themselves, and l dare say they do;
but how it is, is a mystery to me. Isuppose
fresh air is something like fresh butter;
people not accustomed to it, do not feel the
want of it. You have your garden. | am
told that some people find gardening very
attractive. / never was one of those people.
You may be-and if so, your resource is at
hand, and never ending one. This latter
feature is to me the Objectionable one. |
wish 1 could recommend to you small farm.
This is real pleasure, | should think, to every
man. But you must deny yourself this re-
creation. 1t requires far more time and
thought than you can spare. 1t is very
common delusion with many men that they
could easily manage little farm, little
school, or little wife, Avery common de-
lusion, and very great one. Some things
are like triangles-the small ones have as
many angles as the large.
Your horse will be treasure, and you will
necessarily have much riding to do. Riding
for mere exercise or pleasure, is for the most
part worse than nothing. 1t makes a man
feel like an invalid. The chief drawback to
the pleasure of riding, to country pastor,
is that he can rarely afford to keep horse
exclusively for the saddle; he must drive
him in his buggy, or work him in his wagon.
and the horse that is good for both is never
first rate for either.
Would your congregation tolerate the
double-barrelled gun? If they will, you
want nothing but steady pointer, and you
are provided for during the fall But do
not recommend this. l know the prejudices
of many good people, and 1 would respect
them. May years ago l used to net par
tridges on Monday morning, with my pastor,
and had fine sport at it, without anybody,
as far as l know, thinking the worse either
of him or of me. But this was in good old
times. People are more particular now; [
do not know that they are more pious. But
whether l had the gun or not, would have