New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1878-09-21
ROUTINE.

Ine savage tears MS I0O0 Win nlB nn-
gers, gnaws his bone, and guzzles his
liquids. wheneveS appetite calls; when
fully gorged, be snores himself to sleep.g
To him, the restraints of family life and
regular meals, would be intolerable and
ridiculous. He roams the forests day or
night, as inclination leads. and the notion
Of returning to his hut st certain time,
in Difference to the comfort or convenience
Of his squaw, never enters his mind. II
he needs her services either to cook his
meals, or for any other purpose he always
knows where to find her, for she is Q slave
chained to the hut, which can in o
proper sense be called home. For
home, is woman's realm, and can be we'll
governed only by and through routine.
Routine, the regular ordinary way of life,
80 irksome to savage natures, is one of the
first steps toward civilization; the gath
ering together at meal times, the satisfied
feeling that at bed time all are at home,
housed safely beneath the same roof
What, as an educator is superior to the
family breakfast, where bright smiling
faces appear punctually, at the appointed
hour, exchanging kind salutations, and
prepared to join in the cheerful chat, after
the preliminary cares Of the table; or the
dinner table, where each comes furnished
with the accumulated experiences of the
day, what has been seen, heard, read,
thought or felt, ready with his contribu-
ton toward the general entertainment; or
lastly, the social evening hours, either
around the glowing hearth of winter, or
under the balmy sky Of summer, where
the congregated members of happy fam
| lily look around and find no member mis-
sing? Routine it is a blessed restraint
taught by nature herself, in the recurring
seasons and in the beautiful procession of
the consultations that might rise in the
prolific east, and pursue their bright way
over our heads, till they sink from our
sight IN the rest-giving west. Routine, it
is one Of Gods most holy ordinances, as
seen not only in outward nature, but in
the workings of the human heart, which
when drawn towards Him, in spite of the
thousand differences Of individual char
aeter, always operate in the same way,
first becoming dissatisfied with self, with
sin and with worldiness, then deliberately
choosing the right for its own sake, be-
coming time in thought, just in act, kind
in feeling, leading holy life, filed with
the love of God.
It must, however, be admitted that rou.
tine, like other good things, may be car
ried too far, may degenerate into lifelesi
following of rules, from which the sp iEit
has completely departed, leaving not even
the memory Of the good for which they
were established, making life fiat and col.
orless, without recreation or amusement
This, is as bad an extreme as constant dis
sipation. The human mind needs diver
sion, and, as in nature there are storms
and cataracts as well as sunshine ant
smooth rivers, wayward comets and fea'
inspiring eclipses, so in life change ans
excitement are sometimes needed Bu
as these apparent deviations from the ruli
in nature are themselves subject to rul,
of their own, so should human deviation
from regular course of life he oceasionR
and regular, not erratie and frequent. Il
fact the beaten way of enlightenment
should make provision for this natura
love of change and excitement by havin.
numerous side pabhs leading to easily &C
eessible scenes Of pleasure and beauty
but recondueting to the high-road of ha
bitual employments, as the beauifu
winding walks in an elegant garden, lea
always back to the open lawn.