The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-11-22
A'LAY SERMON BY RICHARD.
NEAR THE RAILROAD, TEXAS, Nov. II 1870.

To the Editor of The Comet:
There is such thing as as general
average. The difficulty in making
the average of any particular period
in respect to good times and hard times,
lies in the fact that we do not bring
in all the factors. Some people say
that we are having hard times, and
they think so. They judge by some
one circumstance and lose sight of all
other circumstances. A man with
tooth-ache enjoys neither wealth nor
fame, nor love, nor money. His entire
mental and emotional apparatus is
engaged with the troublesome tooth.
There may be flowers and music all
around, but he is insensible to all ex-
cept his suffering.
A man without money is much in
the same fix. The pain is not so sharp
as tooth-ache, but is more diffusive
and more general. He may have good
health, good appetite, and all that,
but his mind dwells with sadness on
his impecuniosity, and he thinks little
of health. The same may be said of
a man in love. He cannot afford to
express himself about air, earth, and
water, or about any other original ele-
ment in nature or grace.
/ have illustrated my subject by
these three characters, because no one
ever pities a man with tooth-ache, or
one without money, or one in love.
The idea is to get away from the tooth
ache man, to have as little as possible
to do with the man without money !;
and the habit is to feel contempt for a
grown man in love. No man is wise
enough to be dignified in love matters,
and really no man has, up to this time,
failed to be ridiculous to all observers.
The love man, however, esteems him
self happy, and considers that he is
having a good time, while the other
two illustrations regard their condi-
tions as the essence of hard times.
The explanation is, that no general
average is made. IF the man with the
tooth-ache would consider the good
things at his command, they would,
in a measure, neutralize the tooth
ache, for he might reflect that the
tooth-ache could not last, and he
would come to the enjoyment Of the
blessings around.
The man without money could con-
slider first of all that he has no cares
in the way of taking risks of being
robbed or of securing his wealth, and
furthermore, that granting the pos
session of money very desirable, he
has health and strength, and that con-
dition of things is not permanent
necessity.
The man in love, who supposes him
self entirely happy. but who is su-
premely ridiculous to all others, would
lose some of his bliss if he would
consider the changes that uniformly
wait for all present happiness.
The difficulty is there is no general
average drawn by most minds in con-
sidering any situation or condition.
Men are higher equal in happiness,
than is imagined. Take the common
laborer and Col. E. Richardson, a
wealthy man, and, when an average
is drawn, granting that the two are
morally the same, the laborer has as
much genuine happiness as has Col.
Richardson. do not select an average
rich man. l select an exceptional
man, far above an average. His ten
thousand cares are mellowed by a
modest demeanor and sweetened by
good deeds quietly performed. Who,
however, that knows Col. r. has not
observed the deeply thoughtful ex-
preston of his face! If he INDUCED
any desires Or appetites; or amuses
himself in any current method, no
one knows it. Constant employment
is his pabulum, and the power and
consideration which wealth invariably
bring are all that he can realize beyond
food and raiment.
The laborer, by the thought and
labor employed by Col. Richardson,
can secure, if not the wealth, at least
the necessary comforts of life.
There is too much complaining and
too little work-an average will make
every industrious man satisfied. The
man with his little home in Mississip-
pi, imagines that some rich land a
thousand miles away will make him
rich, and breaks up and wastes his
substance to reach the distant land.
When he gets there he finds the rich
land, but countless drawbacks which
make him prefer his old settlement.
Every man, Greenbacker and Re
publican and Democrat, white man
and negro should, now, since the
election has passed quietly, strike an
average and go diligently to work.
RICHARD.