Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1878-07-20
Five Minutes.

Res,arls male at Hc CismsRcsmsat If hc
O.cLer Institute By Esr. Or. S. LeHrRs f'i@o.
Yonnq Ge.stlemea:-l am invited In speak
10 Won i've minutes and vuly five. Little can
be said much may be done, Ia five minutes -
In i've minutes YOU may ire a city, scuitle d
shin. or ruin soul. The error oi 4 moment
makes the sorrow Of liio Get that thought
we'll into your hearts aud my work IS tons in
q minute, Instead Of Eve.
Many q young man IN moment oi weak
ness. or Of strong temptation, has wrought
ruin that 4 lifetime, through thousand years,
can never rebuild. Ope crime, one sin, ono
error. yes. one neglect u duty, aud the deed %
DONE perhaps forever
E In a moment Of hunger. Esau sold hiS birth
right for mess Of pottagei millions oi eo.N
sell theirs .or less. \ breach OF trust, an al
of dishonesty, prolano word and ,Ae soul is
,rrlel with 4 stain that i've oceans cannot
wash away.
Tcmutel 10 sin, remember that IL Eve min
u,cs ven ;fay destroy your good name, oil your
soul with und,ine rcnorse, aud bung, with
sorrow, your fathers gray hairs 70 The grave
But ii you can DO so much evil. 50 You may
do n mi.Lty sum Il good in five minutes
You may lcclcto tirc for usefulness and
louur. Everything haugs on that choice, and
il may be IN i've minutes as well as III n"o
years. -,
Take caro- Of The pence and tho pounds Sill
take care II themselves take care oi tho
minutes and the Lours aie saio. made ~
tie book in this way in tho breakfast room
were pen. ink. and paper, and il, when 'ha
hour for breakfast came, al was not ready, |
wrote few words or limos. as time allJ@cd.
The book was flushed. and il had been pub.
lishol scarcely week byfofg beard II had
saved soul it hassaYed macy since. ltdid
not cnst me ono minute that would have
been used for anything else. u was rho bvo
minutes before brcaklas, tliat maio the book
that saved the souls.
Little drops of water,
Iiuio grains Of sand,
Make thc mighty ocean
And the solid land.
Jphn pralf1rl said; lcouut that hour
Iost on which have done no good by my pen
or tongue
Seneca taught that time is Tho only trca-
sure Of which it is virtue 10 be covctous."
If ! had improved in useful study all tho
five minutes Of which have been robbed 10y
bor,s. or bo waiting for other men to
como toiimc 90 committees and the like,
would now be -- would know more than
DO.
Never waste fyo minutes Of your own time
never rob others 10y compelling them to "ait
for you.
Five minutes In tho morning, AMI as many
in the evening, will make you the master OF
new language in two or three years. liefrro
you are Of middle ago you may speak all tho
modern tongues, IL you VIII but improve Tho
spare minutes Of the years ilyinghy.
Time oucc passed can never lie recalled
Gold lost may DO found. Fortune wasted may
be regaiDcd. Health, gone, returns with mo-
dicine mud care. ltut time lst, is lost 'orcrss
Minutes are moro than jewels: they are a" tho
stuff that life Is made Of" thoy arc diamond
stepping-storcs 10 wisdom, usefulness AID
wealth tho ladder 20 heaven.
But mast stop before the tap OF tho dfum
warns rno that have cyorrun my I've min-
utes Young gentlemen, never underva!uo
five minutes even if you are invited tospelk
and are limited 70 five minutes, take them, do
the best you can with them, use them, and
"Count thai day lost whosc low doccnding sun
Views from thy hand no worthy action done
II will not take five minutes 20 do good
decd, and one day VII mako life of honor
aud usefulness, with glory beyond.