The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1882-05-25


stitutiOn is growing in favor every year,
and know of nothing more free from
dissipation or more calculated to recu-
perate the physical and mental ener-
gies. While there are good many peO-
who have employed this institution,
there is vast number who are ignorant
of its excellences. There are men with
cramped chests, and weak sides, and de-
Spondent spirits, who, through the gym
nasium, might be reused up to exuber-
ance and eXhilaratiOn of life. There
are many Christian people respondent
from year to year who might, through
such an institution, be benefited in
their spiritual relations. There are
Christian men who write hard things
against their immortal souls when there
is nothing the matter with them but an
incompetent liver; There are Christian
people who seem to think it is good
sign to be poorly; and because Richard
Baxter and Robert Hall were inValids
they think that by the same sickness
they may come to the same grandeur of
character. | want to tell the Christian
people of my congregation that God
will hold you responsible for your inYa-
lidism if it is your fault, when
through right exercises and prudence
you might be athletic and well. The eff
feet of the body upon the soul you ac-
sitiOn upon the animal diet of which
the Indian partakes and in little while
his blood will change in chemical pro-
portions. 1t will become like unto the
blood of the lion, or the tiger, or the
bear, while his disposition will change,
and will become fierce, cruel and unre-
lenting. The body has powerful eff
feet upon the soul.
There are good people whose ideas of
hno oll nnt hNyn oil nf fn-
baccO smoke. There are people who dare
to shatter the physical vase in which
God has put the jewel of eternity. There
are men with great hearts and intel
lects in bodies worn out by their own
neglect machinery, capa-
BILE of prOpelling Great Eastern across
the Atlantic, yet fastened in miserable
North River propeller. Martin Luther
was so mighty for God; first, because
he had noble soul; and, secondly, be-
cause he had a muscular development,
which would have enabled him to thrash
any five of his prosecutors, if it would
have been Christian to do so. Physical
development, which merely shows itself
in fabulous lifting, or in perilOus rope
walking, or in pugilistic encounters, ,ex-
cites only our contempt. But we con-
fess to great admiration for the man
who has great soul in an athletic
body, every nerve, muscle and bone of
which is cOnsecrated to right uses. Oh,
it seems to me outrageous that men
through neglect should allow their phys
ical health to go down beyond repair,
spending the rest of their lives not in
some great enterprise for God and the
world, but in studying what is the best
thing to take for dyspepsia, a ship with
all sails set and every man at his post
to be carrying a rich cargo for eternity,
employing all it's men in stopping up
leakages. When you may through the
gymnasium work off your spleen and
your querulOusness and One-half of your
physical and mental ailments, do not
turn your back upon such grand med
icament.
Still farther,I commend to you large
class of parlOr games and recreatiOnS.
There is a way of making our homes a
hundredfOld more attractive than they
are now. Those parents can not expect
to keep their children away from outside
| designations unless they make the do
mestic circle brighter than any thing
they can find outside of it. Do not, then,
sit at your home suTly and unsympathet-
ic, and with half-cOndemnatOry look,
because of the spOrtfulness of your chill
dren. You were young once yourself,
let your children be young. Because your
eyes are dim and your ankles are stiff,
do not denOunce spOrtfulness in those
upon whose eyes there is the first lustre,
and in whose foot there is the bounding
Joy of robust health. thank God that
in our dfawing-rOOms and in our paTlOTS
there are innumeTable games and sports
which have not upon them the least
taint of iniquity.
Light up all your homes with innO-
cent hilarities. Do not sit down with
the rheumatism, wondering how chill
dren can go on so. Rather thank God
that their hearts are so light and their
laughter is so free, and that their cheeks
are so Tuddy, and their expectations are
so radiant. The night will come soon
enough, and the heart break, and the
pang and the desOlatiOn-it will come
soon enough for the dear children. But
when the storm actually clouds the sky
it will be time enough to haul out
your reef-tackles. Carry, then, unto
your homes not only the innocent sports
and games which are the invention of
our own day, but the games which come
down with the carefulneSS of all the
past ages-chesS and charades, and tab
leaux, and battledOOr and calisthenics,
and all those amusements which the
young people of our homes know so well
how to cOntriVe; then there will be the
parlOr sOcialities-grOups of people as
sembled in your homes, with wit and
m1mlcry anu JOYlallGy nlllnR Gn6 room
with Joy from the door to the mantle,
and from the carpet to the ceiling. Oh,
is there any exhileratiOn like score of
genial souls in one room, each one add
ing the contribution of his own individ-
ua1 merriment to the aggregation of
general hilarity? Suppose you want to
go abroad in the city, then you will find
the panorama and art gallery. You will
find the Metropolitan Museum and the
Historical Society rooms full of rare
curiosities, and scores of places which
can stand plainly the test of the princi-
pies have laid down as to what is right
and wrong in amusements. You will
find the lectuTing hall, which has been
hOnored by the names of Agassiz in nat
ural history, Doremus in chemistry,
Boynton in geology, DR.. Mitchell in as
tronOmy, and scores and hundreds of
men who have poured their wit and ge-
MUS and ingenuity through that partic
ular channel upon the hearts and con-
sciences and imaginatiOns of men, set
ting this country fifty years further in
advance, than it would have been with
out the lecture platform.
L TaiOiaa in the OODu ariZQtlOn of ONT