Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-09-20
HARVEST HOME.

Rev. DIR. Dana, of Plymouth Church, Dis
courses Upon Tho Wheat Harvest OF
Minnesota.
The services at the Plymouth church last
evening were of unusual interest and drew
ont a crowded audience. It was the annual
harvest home service Of the church. The
church was deliberately and beautifully
decorated with flowers, fruits of the field,
etc., etc., very appropriate to the occasion.
After the usual opening services the Rev.
DIR. Dana took for his text the last clause OF
the 14th verse of the 147th Psalm: "And
flleth thee with the finest of wheat"
Da. Dana commenced by saying that 1t
was the teaching of the scriptures to &C.
knowledge the goodness of the Almighty IN
the harvest returns of the year. The old
Jewish festival, called the feast of the
wheat harvest, should have peculiar sig
nificance to us living in the great wheat
State of the continent Passing from TINS
point he rapidly sketched the rewards which
attend toll, saying:
Man is Gods deputy, when working, and Is
>
ing in honest toll. God is mans exemplar In
this particular, for the Deity himself worked;
our first picture of him in holy writ Is as de-
signing and carrying out his plan OF creation,
and pronouncipg the great works OF his own
hands as very good" Labor, IN itself con-
sidered, cannot be conceived to be curse; 1t
is practically blessing. Industry is the ac-
the ard-visaged genius of toll, aud baptises US
in the name of perpetual labor. The latter,
said most industrious student, is the only
money God will accept and Carlyle, VINO
ridiculed Virgil for beginning his great poem
with the words, 81 sing arms and a hero, al
firms that the rue epic of the world Is tools
and man. 10 be Idle is not only to be nom
producer, but a conspirator against the pro-
gress of humanity, and for that reason the or
binary tramp is really criminal. He
who prefers begging or steal
ing to honest and honorable
toll, should be dealt with by the law, for whole
some coercion, by which he is made to WORK,
will not only protect society from his predatory
life but will be the ikeliest means of saving
him Constant oecupa ton, gives exercise to
powers that cannot be safely unengaged, and
builds up the best powers of body and mind.
We have great reason to be thankful that IN
this country labor is honorable, and that the
faithful workman is, after all, natures work
man. When we go out in Imagination into
the harvested results, not emily that the bus
bandman has been rewarded, but that those
rewards have been proportional to his intelll-
geuce. 1t is not random work that's remuner-
alive, but that which is wisely
planned and skillfully conducted.
4 recent report on Insane. sylums, makes the
statement that the largest proportion OF female
inmates is from farmers wives and daughters.
Look at the provision this young State has
been obliged to make for this class. Is 1t not
time that all interested in the happiness and
thrift of those who make our State what 1t Is
industrially, should seek to remove, or at least
lessen the causes which render farm life SD
wearying and joyless? Physicians will tell you
as rule those on the farms neither eat nor live
right. The house is often void Of the attrac-
tions which books, good papers, &C., afford,
through which the life of its members could
be improved and inspirited. 1t is the
monotony and unceasing drudgeIy
of the farmers home that acts
so disastrously. Tired women, thin, care-worn,
lonely, and without buoyancy of disposition.
are to be found on not few of the farms of
Minnesota. 1t is a work of humanity to sug
gest and secure for such more recreation and
diversity of occupation.
Put it on the lowest grounds and it will be
found that church-goipg is, sanitarily. IT not
spiritually, beneficial. With the amount OF
cheap and wholesome literature there Is now in
the reach of ALL it is false economy and vlo-
lation of the laws of mental hygiene to live on
without good family paper. and such books
as would rest and instruct and amuse both
young and old. 1t will not do to sneer at this
necessity for variety in the home.life OF the
farmer. 1t would do much, when wisely and
generously planned for, to avert alteration OF
mind, i'll health and the premature decline OF
bodily vitality. Now our religion was intend
ed to bring courage and hopefulness to those
weary and heavy laden, and to-day its minis
tries are nowhere more needed than in the
humble homes scattered over our prairies and
along our frontier. What we all want is honor
able work, wholesome food. fresh air, light and
well ventilated houses, good books. some fun,
large hearted friends, the joy which sincere
piety supplies.