The union Democrat., 1871-06-10
SUNDAY READING

The other end. Vale I
De-
PRENTICE MILFORD.

SUNDAY READING.
What thou Doest, do with all thy Might
Occupation Of some sort for every person is
as necessary for tie lifc and happiness Of
the mind as is food for the life and nourish-
ment of the body.
1t is the mission, destiny and happiness of
all Nature animate and inanimate to work,
even the silent rocks cresting the hills are not
idle: slowly with the centuries are they
yielding up elements and passing into finer
forms of mattcr; portion of the rugged
granite is incorporated in the slender stalk of
wheat. Plant and tree are busy in the pro-
duction of leaf, blossom and fruit.
Man comes, highest in the scale of being ;
with more power for doing. more capacity
for enjoying. He has more faculties demand
ing exercise these demands are imperious :
If they be not gratifed, there results mental
misery.
The mind is q garden. God therein plants
the seeds; there is for each one some special
gift or gifts. There are flowers individual
and peculiar. There are also the attributes
of order, neatness, patience. We must Guilt
vate or suffer.
1t is the plants undug, untrimmed, grow
ing so rank, that cause so much unhappi-
ness. Rich minds are the most restless, Of
ten the most unhappy. The plants are
growing wild ard choking each other. The
fertile soil has invited weeds; the thistle
pricks where roses and lilies should diffuse
fragrance.
Mind demands to do that it may see and
rejoice in its labors and that it may cause
others to rejoice. A man is the happier even
after having carved a toy to please a child
than in wandering listlessly about the Streets
Skill, and patience have been exercised the
powers of mind have been concentrated upon
something. The forces of the hungry men
tai stomach have been exercised. Otherwise,
they prey upon that stomach itself. A small
work is better than no work. On ever so
small labor may be exercised the same
patience, perseverance, order and skill, as on
great one.
And whatever than doest, that do with all
thy might.
But not with all the might of muscle. Do
with the might of mind. Muscle acting
without mind is the furious blind tilt of a
bull against stone wall. Muscle controlled
by mind is the entrance of the sharp sword
point through the only chink in the other
wise impenetrable armor.
The might of mind acting with muscle
breaks the hard rock with few light taps of
the sledge. 1t studies where the stone shall
most vibrate, so that it shall assist to break
itself. Muscle acting without mind pounds
away, until it is exhausted and still the stone
remains unbroken. The skill employed in
breaking easily the stone brings to the work
man its little quota of satisfaction.
Muscle acting with mind and economizing
force swings the axe so that its own momen-
tum assists to carry it through the air and
bury it in the trunk Mind also trained to
the work knows where to aim the keen edge
no blow is wasted the big chips fall the
trunk is neatly severed; for what the expert
woodman does, he does with all the might of
mind acting on muscle. So this act also
brings its bit of happiness.
A vein of slovenliness in ones composition
is vein of unhappiness. Besides leading
ever into error, it irritates nature by its OWE
neglect. The nearer any act approximates
perfection the better pleased is human ma
ture. The slovenly nature does nothing with
all its might. 1t is apt to exercise only mus
Gle ; it concentrates upon its task the least
possible amount of mind it rushes hurriedly
through all its acts and longs for the period
of completion. This is unhappiness. By
such habit, the mind is led out of the present
into anticipation of the future; 1t demands
ever some employment, some enjoymentsome
place other than that of the present.
Mans happiness consists largely in doing,
in planning, in executing. Whatever exer-
else requires skill confers up to the point of
fatigue, certain degree Of pleasure. The
woodchopper is interested in and enjoys his
work. That interest and enjoyment come
through the exercise of mental combined
with physical power. Bandage his eyes and
oblige him to strike at random and in an hour
he would be exhausted. Muscle only, with
out mind would then be employed. Muscle
uncontrolled by mind soon tires. You may
not dance with pleasure without music.
Why? Because mind is regulating the
movement of the limbs to music.
The most trivial act, if worth doing at all
is worth doing with all the nigh of mind. 1t
is better that q shoe be tied in neat than in
slovenly manner. For the neat tie exercises
its little amount of order, care, patience and
skill the more these are exercised, the more
ara they developed; every little helps; it
matters not in what way that little comes.
Patience, order, care, forethought. are in
struments the more they are exercised the