The patron of husbandry. (Columbus, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1881-07-16

the scholars. We must and should be ac-
tive, and by proper cultivation of our
minds, our hearts and heads, we shall be-
come more elevated, more liberal and in
dependent. The Creator endowed man
with certain inalienable rights: He has
given you, my brother, my sister, a mind
to cultivate. May we add dignity 10 la
Dor. | said that God had dignifed labor
There are many in this broad world of
ours who look down upon labor as degra-
ding-they look upon it as drudgery.
When we look upon its achievements and
difficulties overcome, and the happiness
afforded, and this happiness is law, and
it is universal, it is a law that knows no
exception. Throw off those repulsive
features which many regard as belonging
to labor, and clothe it with the form and
functions of an angel; before her the
forest fades, with its wild beasts and wild
men; under her hand rises smiling villages
along the valleys, on the prairies, and even
the mountains. The cities are her handi-
work. Labor is dismayed by no difficulty,
neither does it shrink from any exertion.
Labor sweeps the forest, drains the mOras
ses; its power appears to be inexhaustible.
labor drives the plow, scatters the seed,
reaps the harvest, grinds the corn, con-
the millions of the human family; labor
goes down into the earth, brings up its
long hidden stores of coal and minerals,
extracting the dross and converting it into
various shapes for ornament; laboor hews
down the oak, shapes the timber, builds
the vessels, guides it over the deep, wrest
ling with the tempest, bringing the pro-
duce of every cline to any and every port,
and enables us to maintain healthy life in
the great social system.
We must be earnest in our work. It is
by toll and incessant labor that we are
| made to acquire the full possession and
| mastery of our faculties; and one of the
great elements to success in any under.
taking is earnestness. 1t is the secret OF
| all the wonderful successes which have
| astonished the world, Then, would say
| let us be earnest in our work and we shall
| succeed. Our physical necessities call foi
| mental activity, exertion, labor. The idle
| man is not in Gods plan; he is on the far
| outside of the scehme made by God Him
| self. Self-respect, independence and real
| manhood are not found with such a man.
| The great benefactors of our race, by their
wonderful inventions, remarkable discov-
cries and great mprovements-those that
| have conferred the most eminent service on
| their fellow-men, and gained the highest
renown in history, by far the greater part
| have been men of humble origin, snfail
| fortune, few advantages, and self-taught.
| A man that has learned to read possesses
| the key which opens the portals to science
| He may penetrate into the inner vestibule
and most sacred cabinets. Some plead
| want of time. The Great Master above
has allotted the time in his wisdom enough
| for the purposes of life. Especially Sc
I in the winter season, the severity of the
weather putting stop, as it were, to out
| door industry, the shortness of the day,
| the long winter evenings-in fact, all our
| surroundings seem to invite us to the cult
| vation of the mind and the acquisition of
useful knowledge. Doyw need encour-
agement to make an effort to cultivate and
| improve the mind? We NAV find it on
every page of our country's history. o
! cultivate anything, be it plant, an ami
NAL, or the mind, is to make it grow,
| Nothing admits culture but that which
has a principle of life capable of being
expanded. Self-culture is possible, and il
! devolves upon us as a solemn duty which
we owe to ourselves and to our fellow
man. A man may have a good mind
sound judgement, bright imagination
wide reach of thought, extended views
but he will never be distinguished without
severe application. All that we ever have
must be the result of labor-hard, untiring
| labor
Fellow Patrons, have dwelt upon one
portion of our work. and one, thiuk, OF
! much importance. There is much else to
do. Let us work, and not become weary
| and in due time the harvest will come.