The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1875-01-28
PrOnlptness.

neglects to meet his appointments has
failure written on his brow. Observa-
ton bears testimony to the truth of this
statement. The great men and great
women who have succeeded in carrying
off a prize in the race for influence who
have succeeded in embalming their men,
cries in the hearts of subsequent gener-
ations, had this one Indispensable qualifi-
cation, viz: punctuality. There may
have been a few exceptions, Tut these
only 60 to establish the general rule.
You will find men in every locality who
have had bright prospects in business
and upon whom fortune seemed to smile
who are to-day penniless just from their
failure in this particular. They failed
to see the connection between prompt
ness and success. 1t is impossible to
calculate the amount of mischief result
ing from this defect in character. It
may at first glance seem wonderful how
much our success depends upon this
qualification. And yet when we look
into the matter the wonder is how it
could be otherwise. When we consider
the time that is wasted-the chances of
business that are lost-the disappoint-
ments caused to others, it is not at all
strange that so much loss results from
this habit; we say habit, for we are firmly
convinced that in the majority of in
stances it is an excrescence upon our
nature-something we allow to grow
upon us from ignorance as to its disas-
trous consequences upon our life and
prospects.
There are persons who are invariably
behind time Except perhaps at their
meals). They miss trains, omnibuses-
that is, provided their conveyances are
not half an hour behind time They fail
promptly to meet their business engage
ments. Their liabilities at the bank fall
ing due upon certain day are forgotten.
They take the three days grace and an
hour besides. This spirit, in short, per-
vades all their actions. They miss their
chances of success, and the result is they
go down to their graves in poverty, if
not disgrace. These are the results of
hardness in worldly matters, and how
much more disastrous when this spirit
pervades the church, when Christians
disregard this great principle of success
in their labors for Christ. How many
schemes of religious enterprise fail
through the want of punctuality. How
many churches languish and die, so far
as usefulness is concerned, on account
of the lack of promptness on the part of
the members. Notwithstanding the
many reproofs and warnings from the
pulpit and through the press, men and
women will persist in coming late to
church. How frequently the preliminary
exercises are interspersed with a solo
produced by some one walking up the
aisle with pair of new boots, attracting
the attention of the congregation from
the most solemn and sacred exercises
in which man can engage, viz. {:
addressing throne of grace. No
Christian can make his life success
and blessing who ignores punctu-
atty and pr0mptness. Zeal lacking this
qualification is like faith without works.
1t is dead. We of course make all due
allowance for contingencies and unavoid-
able delays. There are times in the ex.
perience of each of US when promptness
is impossible, but in nine cases out OF
ten the fault lies with ourselves. 1t is
the result of habit and Indifference. AZ
ter time it becomes chronic. As gen.
eral thing those who are behind time are
always so. Religion is eminently an en-
thusiasm, and where this spirit exists
will be NO tagging behind. In the great
battles that have decided the fate of ma
tons the heroes have been those who
have moved forward resolutely and
promptly at the first sound Of battle.
Nature also furnishes US ample illustra-
tons Of this great law of the Creator.
Plants have their appointed times to bud
and blossom and fill the air with their
sweet fragrance. What an enthusiasm
they all display in the early spring time.
They all seem to be rivals seeking to Of
fer their sweet incense upon the altar of
conservation. All is grand moving for
ward. Our own character as Christians
not alone suffers by this disposition, but
the example has the most injurious ef-
feet upon the outside world. The un-
godly are good detectives in this matter.
If protesting Christian fails in punctu-
al and prompt attendance in the means
of grace how quickly it will be picked
up as shield for their own neglect of
these things.-Chicago Alliance.