The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-02-08
How to be Strong.

BY THE REV. JAMES HASTE, LINDSAY,
ONT.
" He that hath clean hands shall be stronger
and stronger. job xvii. 8.
There are two things all boys want
when they are small One is, they want
to be big. When the time comes to pu,
off their little petticoats and frock, and
get their first little coat and trousers,
how proud they are, for they now think
they are getting big.
The other thing they want is to be
strong. Sometimes they want to be
strong so that they can harness the horse
and drive it themselves Sometimes. they
want to be strong so that they can earn
something and so help mother. Some
times boy wants to be strong because
he wants to beat that boy at school who
is always challenging him to wrestle,
and always manages to throw him down.
When I was little fellow going to school
there was boy about my own age, but
stronger, who was always challenging me
to wfestle and who always got me down
I had often heard it said that fat pork
would make one strong, and that no one
could be strong who did not eat it. So
for some days ate fat pork for supper
and fat pork for breakfast, expecting that
by noon l would have the benefit of it in
the way of making me strong enough to
throw that other boy down. By-and-by
got such a dislike to fat pork that for
years I could not bear it and scarcely
can yet That was my plan to get strong.
But the text recommends another way
yet, it is by getting clean hands But,
now can clean hands make you strong
you ask.
Harry" said his brother John, what
has made you take this wonderful clean
fit all of sudden? This is the seventh
time 1 have seen you go to the pump and
wash your hands to-day.
d" Because 1 want to be strong" said
Harry.
Well, but washing your hands won't
make you strong"
" Yes, it WILL the Bible says SO.
at don't believe it does" said John
al am sure it does though, retorted
Harry, positively, papa read it at pray
ers this morning: He that hath clean
hands shall be stronger and stronger, 4"
and Harry waved his arm in the air as
if to see whether six or seven washings
had really made him any stronger.
We'll, you don't suppose that means
really clean hands" said John. You
are silly little boy, you have had all
this trouble for nothing"
No, haven't. I'll ask papa tonight
if the Bible doesn't mean what it says"
So after tea Harry said, Papa, doesn' t
the Bible say that if you have clean
hands you'll be strong?'
Certainly, my boy" said Mr.. Will
liams, smiling " am glad to see that
you remember so well what we read this
morning, how Job said, The righteous
shall hold on his way, and he that hath
clean hands shall be stronger and strong
er.
There, said Harry, II knew I was
right; and washing your hands will make
you strong, won't it?'
" 1t Is very good tor little boys to wash
their hands, said Mr. Williams, and it
helps to make them strong and healthy
if they keep clean. But there are some
stains we can't wash off with soap and
water, and these are the stains that this
verse means. The other day saw little
boy lift his hands to strike his sister and
doing this made his hands far dirtier
than if he had been making mudpies for
whole day"
Harry blushed, for he felt his father
meant him. and then his papa went on
When l was a little boy | was taught
thatit was my duty to keep my hands
from picking and stealing picking, you
know, means taking little things that don't
belong to you-like Jumps Of sugar out
of mammals cupboard, OF picking fruit