Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-05-23
A GREAT THIEF.

When we were learning to write at
school one of the most common of the
copies set for us was: thine is pre-
cious and we ought to improve it."
Very few boys, whether they have
that for copy or not, get any proper
idea of the value of the moments as
they pass, and ninety-nine boys out of
a hundred set more store by dozen
marbles or one kite than they do by a
solid hour to be improved in getting
knowledge. Well, there is a time to
play as well as to work, and in child
| hood time is often as well improved by
healthful play as by hard study. Old
people think young folks fools because
they waste so much in that which brings
no return, except in health and fun, but
all work and no play makes Jack dull
boy, and we do not want the boys to be
dull. But the boy is father of the man,
and in nine cases out of ten as the boy
is in this matter of employing his time,
SO will the man be. The same NAV be
said of girls, and we are now speaking
Of the human family. Therefore the
child should be taught the value of
time so soon as he is able to learn any
thing. Habits acquired in the morning
cling until the evening of life, and the
''twig" proverb is as true now as when
it was first made.
Spare moments are like bits of gold,
and he who improves them will learn
that they are worth more than money.
1t is well to have something 10 do that
can be done at odds and ends of time so
that the fragments may be gathered
and nothing lost. This may be carried
| tn QyoncS and u,o,,1A have bao,. A.
rural pastor had followed his hired
mans retort. The minister told his
man to keep the hatchel in the barn
and some flax ready SO that he could
have something to do whenever driven
In by the rain, or while waiting for din
ner. "And would it not be WE'LL" said
the man, for you to have hatchel in
the pulpit and do little work while
they are singing" This would be out
of place, but still the rule is good one,
to have some work on hand, OF a useful
character, that no moment may be
spent in idleness.
Each one will divide his time among
his duties, according to his own judg-
ment, with regard TO health and pleas
ure. Eight hours for work, eight hours
for refreshment and eight hours for
sleep, divides the day into thirds, and
makes fit programme. Moralists and
psychologists have disputed over this
division, and no rule can be made to
cover all eases. Some kinds of work
may be pursue successfully more than
eight hours day, and the attempt 10
regulate days work by statute law
proves failure always, because mans
time is his own, and he must be free to
use it as his own Judgment or wants
may dictate. Some mems work is
never done. They give every waking
moment to it, and when time has come
to go to bed, there is still something moi
finished. Such workers want ten DAYS
in a week and thirty hours in each day.
A young man comes to me and wants
me to put him in the way of getting
something to do. What have you
been doing?"
Not much of anything; job here
and there just as could get chance.
l would like n steady place"
So we talk it over and give him the
best advice in my power, and promise
to keep an eye out and let him know if
1 can see or hear anything to his ad-
vantage. This being done, it is time
for him to 60 and leave me to do what
my hand finds to do. Instead of tha at
he talks on. asks questions. looks at the
wall, shifts in his seat and waits as
though he were expecting something to
drop from the ceiling into his lap. In
this way he consumes half an hour OF
my time, makes me sick and tired of
him and less disposed to do anything
for him. Then learn why it is that he
is out of work. He does not like to
work. He is idle, lazy and will prob.
ably never earn his living There is nc
need of saying to him: "Go West, young
man." He would starve on the richest
prairie in Illinois. He is a prodigal
wasting his own time, and thief wher
he takes mine. And that is what
mean by the greatest thief in the world
he is one who, doing nothing himself
steals the time of one who wants 10 work
and has his hands full.
Thus it is often said If YOU want any
thing done, ask - busy man to do it.
He is busy, full of work, because he is
able and willing to work. Rivers to the
ocean run. The workers are tine few.
1t is time improved that makes money,
character, usefulness, yes, and gets
Heaven, The Kingdom of Heaven suf.
fereth violence, and the violent take il
by force.
THE world owes me living is the
plea of idleness. The world owes vol
no such thing. What did you ever dc
for the world? How came it into YOU,
debt? All that you are and have Goo
gave you, and to Him you are in debt
infinitely beyond what you will ever BE-
able to pay. And this gift of time, thi.
loan OF time, this grand opportunity fol
work. is the evidence of Gods willing
ness that you shall have a chance to dc
something for Him to whom You owe
lie. health and everything besides.
lime rises and spreads out and clothe:
itself with splendor and wealth and
biessedness unspeakable. AS n vast
tract, an ocean, n prairie, continent,
1t seems portion of eternity, and be.
yond all price valuable to him who
stands on its edge or floats ON its bosom.
But cut up into sections, portions, little
bits of time, called hours or minutes,
each one of them is like an ingot OF
gold, and to waste them Is sin and shame
worse than his who casts golden eagles
by the handful into the sea- For, here
is the solution of the problem of power.
~: Time improved wins enough for
everybody, and with here and there an
exception where circumstances control
the fate of individuals, he is comforta-
bic who makes right use of his time,
and he who wastes it is poor
And this takes hold on eternity.
Time ends with the letter that begins
eternity. And so eternity is time in
definitely extended. The one wasted
makes the other an infinite waste and
want The one improved makes honor.
glory, immortal life. This is the doc
trine of the gospels and the epistles.
and the teaching of the Apostles and
the experience Of the people in all ages
l that oholl ha olao raan IL q ,,,t bar1