Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-03-17
geliyions department.
THAT THIEF 0TO MORROW. >

THAT THIEF ITO MORROW.
Pocrastination is not only a thief
of time. it is thief that robs MS of
many of our noblest impulses and
sweetest satisfactions. An opportu-
nifty is offered us of doing a generous
deed, or relieving case of suffering.
The heart is melted, and then is the
time to let it flow out in practical
kindness; the appeal is made, and
then is the time to give. s.Bis dat
qut cito dat" But sly imp whis-
pers, Don't be in hurry; to-mor-
row will be time enough - the warm
impulse cools off, and the thing is
never done at all, or else done so tar
Oily that it loses half its grace. Two
things are inflicted. First, we wrong
the person or the good cause that we
felt such generous impulse to help.
Secondly, we wrong ourselves out of
a delightful satisfaction, and do vi
olence to our better nature. A hui
man heart is like metal: it can only
be moulded while it IS melted; to
thrust either of them in a cold bath,
makes them unmalleable. To kill
noble impulse by delay, is a sin. 1t
is a terrible thing to habituate our
selves to process of hardening the
heart, and nothing hardens it more
effectually than to let noble i'm
pulse cool down without being put in
to practice. "Say not to thy friend,
Go, and come again, and tomorrow
| will give, when thou last it by
thee If we have it by us, why put
the friend off? Tomorrow" is COM
monty the straight road to never. If
the heart does not act while it is
warm, it is not likely to act after it
has been kept in the fngid atmos-
phere of delay, My experience has
been that we almost always do our
best deeds on the spur of the moment.
In deciding questions that belong al
most entirely to the region of the I'M
Outstanding and demand long study,
deliberation is wise. But in all ques-
tions of ethics, the first judgment,
the instructive answer that leaps up
instantly, is usually the right ole.
Conscience answers quickly: pray
don't try to twist her first ready re-
Spouse, or torture her into the oppo-
site opinion. Generous emotions
speak quickly also, and strong; car
ry them out while you are in the mood.
If you have wounded the feelings of
another, make the prompt, hearty
apology while you feel tender and
contrite; as sure as you put it off I'M
til tomorrow, some sly devil will
make you believe that apologies are
humiliating, or that you were not SO
far in the wrong after all. If you
have the opportunity given you to
speak timely word for the good of
another's soul, speak it; the oppor-
tunlty may not come again, or if it
does, you may not be in the right
frame to utter 1T. [ am ready to
confess that the best words or deeds
that God has ever moved me to say
or do, have been from obeying first
impulses. Nearly all the worst blum
ders have come from tampering with
good intentions, or freezing them tc
death by delay. 1t is in this way
that we Christians s'grieve the spir
it." He is the mover often of these
blessed impulses. To kill them by
procrastination hardens the heart. Il
Ill duOIueI WOIlu Cdu ever CdlCl
tomorrow, / shall want to scourgt
him with whip of scorpions. AnC
so will many lost sinner who has
let tomorrow" rob him of heaven
So will you my still unconverteG
friend, if you die in your sins. To
day that heavenly Friend says to you
"Give me thy heart" and in return
his will be a gift of eternal life. Sal.
walton is not all getting, and getting
for nothing-as some fashy exhorters
often assert in revival meetings. II
is the giving of your hearts and your
time and your purposes and your al
to Jesus. You have blessed seasons
when your heart was melted by his
love and softened into penitence
and the Spirit stirred you to the Clio
rious impulse to give yourself right
up to Jesus. Then was the time tc
do it. 1t was the accepted time fol
you to accept the Saviour. But tha
arch-tempter, Procrastination, per
suaded you to say, $50 now, anC
come again Tomorrow" when thot
I hadst everything by thee. The fac
ulties were there right by you, the OPP
portunity. was there, and the melted
heart and the divine Spirit was b,
!. you also, pressing you up toward
the great decision. Bat alas! della
killed everything. God said to yo
to-day; y but your foolish, guilt
e heart replied to him, tomorrow.
= | often think of the illustration of tn
e beantnful dove which flew into til
n chimney. A few prompt, stron
/. flaps of the wing would have carrie
it out into the air and sunshine
S, But it futtered down into the darl