The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-11-27
The Farmers Sunday.

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J.P. Roe, from whose srticle in the y.
Y. Erangslis the following extract Is tax
en-, evidently speaks from personal exPe-
rience of the advantages and disadvant-
ages Of the farmers life in regard. 70 the
proper observance of the sabbath
The farmer is right in the.midst OF his
possessions. The sources Of his inoO ne,
his means Of living, are open TO his gaze
and all around him. Hence it is difficult
for him TO sever his thoughts from them.
1t Is difficult for him to look with eqGa-
nimity upon the effect Of a late frost on
his early crops, or 8 shower upon his ex-
posed clover, leif out despite his best cal
culations and efforts. If market gard
ener, be is sorely tempted to watch for
the armies Of predatory insects that sud
denly swOop down upon his possessions
the striped bug, the black flea, the co y
ored beetle, and other multitudinOas foes
whose destruction wasteth at noon
day" and no day exempt. If beekeep-
e., the bees would seem 10 argue ''the
better the day, the better the deed" in
swarming. OF all this we are personally
familiar, and speak feelingly" in writ
ing.
Now We affirm that if the chuTch-going
farmer runs the gauntlet Of all these liza
bilities, and gets to church in time for
even the benediction, it should be pro-
nounced upon him; and if earlier, il
would seem as if a blessing should be
called upon hiu-as is dOGbtiessIy done
10y the apPreciatiye country pastor. And
If an apostles preaching was not proof
again It the fatal effects of drowsiness in
city congregation, due consideration
should be had for the country preacher
in harvest time.
But despite all We have written, there
is much in the Sabbath s coming to cheer
and hearten, uplift and strengthen the
weary worker Of the week. Going to
church is good for him, though the dis
tance be long he Of all men needs to be
taken from the scene Of toll and care.
that the spiritual can come into, leaven,
uplift and trans6gure the physical and
material, lest he become a mere clod-
Bunysn's "Men with the muck rake"
Constant toll, the pressure Of material
interests, have weighed heavy on body
and spirit, and while the weary limbs are
resting, his higher nature calls for exer-
else, a certain mental and spiritual hun
ger; even if such appetite be lacking,
the more the need it be created, quicken
and fed.
And now drawing on our own expert
ence) We would urge that the extra phys
ical rest so imperatiyely demanded, es-
pecially in season of exhaustive labor,
that the whole be not taken from the
Sabbath morn, but that the tired man
seek his bed at an early hour on Saturday
night. Furthermore, that little extra
forethought, preparation and precaution
be true Of Saturday. In some things, at
least in our experience, prevention is
better than cure" We viii allow it is
hard to get into spiritual frame if the
spirit and temper be rufiledIby some an
noying incident, such as the discovery of
the cows in the corn over night Thus
securing needed and well earned rest,
wakening in good season from sleep
tired natures sweet restorer refreshed
by a morning bath, the Apostolic injune-
ton "our bodies washed in pure water" ("
is excellent both for sanitary and spirit
ual reasons. if we would 20 with clear
head and clean conscience to the house
Of God.
We pity the man who snOres through
the morning hours Of Sabbath, takes no
morning bath, slouehes around in his
work day clothes with scarce a higher
thought than The dumb brutes) on his
premises. There is bruializing prcarss
going on here, which unless arrested will
unfit the individual for usefulness and
happiness in both worlds. To the farm
er standing in the front ranks Of those
who earn their bread by the sweat Of
their brow, the Sabbath is full Of privi-
lege and blessing, to the full enjoyment
Of which he should gi,e himself as both
his duty and his right It comes to him
as his best earthly friend. It finds him
sitting down at the lowest seat Of the
good things which God has provided in
nature for his natural wants, it takes him
By the hand and says Friend, come up
higher" to the knowledge and enjoy.
ment Of the best gifts God has in store
for his earthly children.