St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-02-04


gather autographs of great men and
actresses. Then he will long to ride
wheel, and shoot ducks, and catch fish.
All these are good things, and will
help the boy to get use of himself But
this is play He must begin early to
get hold of his real work, and do that
with the same zeal and enthusiasm
that he does his play. He must have
regular work to do, and hold himself
to the doing of it. He must seek to be
useful to others, as others have been
useful to him.
On the grave stones of two hundred
years ago, it was common to carve
these words concerning good men:
"Having served his generation accord
ing to the will of God, he fell on Sleep"
1t was the eulogy on a noble life.
Pres. Woolsey of Yale college, gave
one of his great baccalaureate sermons
to the graduating class on that subject.
Serving our generation" Christ
came not to be ministered unto, but to
minister, and to give his life a ransom
for many. The young man will not
dare to 90 into eternity, and stand be-
fore the God who gave him being and
talents and opportunity, not having
lived in it, not having given to his
generation anything in return for all
that the past ages have given him.
A great many sons fritter away life
at the side shows and never walk up
and enter the great central tent. They
become trif1ers, and are not linked to
the worlds true work.
Take hold where you are. Take
hold now. Take hold strong. You
are needed. The golden harvest is
wasting, and wasting for the ring of
your sickle. The service you render
will make music in the home, and send
a thrill of joy through every heart
there. They have been anxious for
your work season to wax, and your
play season to wane.
With honest work, let proper amuse-
ments mingle. There must be a hap
py commingling of work and play.
You hear that boy laughing2
You think he is all fun;
But the angels laugh, too,
At the good he has done.
He works the harder for his play,
and the quality of his work is finer.
Particles of Joy fash and sparkle in it,
In the model home, every side of the
cllild's complex nature must be Guilt
waited. The physical side, and there
are gymnasiums for that, and lawn
tennis, and cricket, and long, brisk
walks, and other manly exercises.
There is the mental side, which must
have its proper share. How many
doors swing wide to promote this
There is the social side-that of cheer
full and pleasant recreation. There is
IL, o;1a which of nnpUoHa
and crown ALL Religion is a spirit
that gives character to the being. 1t
is life that uses all gifts for Gods
glory.
There must be proper recreation.
You may as we'll send son to bed
without his supper, as without having
tried to bring some pure and whole
some Joy into his working day. Some
where and somehow make place for
innocent pleasure. Bring in the story,
the music, the friend to tea. Spread
ont the entertaining books, or maya
zines, or papers. Lay out the games.
By thoughtfulness yon can do it.
Many parents want their sons to be
men before they are boys. If they are
not allowed to be boys in their time,
and get through, they will be boys
when they ought to be men. This
does not mean "sOwing wild oats"
There is no time to do this, ever. 1t is
the way to turn life into II desert. In
the amusements, | set three limita-
tons, which must not be crossed:
l. Never let@the recreation tread on
the border land of vice.
2. Do not permit it to trench on
hours needed for sleep.
3. Do not allow it to consist of
mere excitement.
Pleasant pastimes are as necessary
as work, but in excess they are slow
poison.
Boys are restless. If you repress
this too much at home, they will go
where they can be free.
Open your whole house to them
build bright fires; turn up the gas.
Don't go mourning heavily around for
your dearest dead, even. Think of
good for the living while you have
them. Danish the blues. Bring in an
extra dinner now and then. A boy is
always hungry. Tune up the fiddle.
Strike the light guitar. Think of
things to do together, and never fail to
thank God for all your joys, and to
carry blessings to those that have few.
Encourage your sons in various ways;
show them that there are things grand
or and better to live for than mere
pleasure. Keep the glorious Christ
ever before them as their chief among
ten thousand. Teach them to be gen.
erOus in their offerings to God. Many
boys are economical only when the
box is being passed. "If
you want the sons to go in good ways,
walk before them in those ways your
selves"
Let the boys be mindful of all home
duties; respect their father; be deli
cately careful and tender of their mo-
ther; helpful toward the younger chill
dren and their sisters. Let them con-
form to the rules of the household, be
kind to the servants, constant in self
Improvement, and recognize their re-
spOnsibilities all round the circle.
Be Just and fear not.
Let all the ends thou aimest at
Be thy country's Gods, and truths.
II Advance.