Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1891-07-12
A LAY SERMON

Those who watch the course OF |
events, especially in the social affairs
Of life, will find, as did the Duke in
Shakespeare's GAS You Like It."
Tongues in trees, books in the
running brooks;
Sermons IN stones and good in every
thing"
The late baccarat scandal among
royalty and nobility in England, has
furnished a theme TO many moralists,
who have made, sometimes, ridiculous
deductions, but even men of great
force, power and philosophy have
evolved from it good lessons that will
rebound to the general benefit. Pro
fessor Swing, the great pulpit orator,
has lately, with "Amusements As
Pursuit" for his subject, delivered
great sermon with the baccarat scan
dial as his inspiration, In which he has
drawn some valuable comparisons be-
tween the noble, useful life of the
late Prince COnsort Of England,
peculiarly the promoter Of world ex-
positions, and his son, the Prince Of
Wales. In the one case we are shown
the picture of a man whose life was de-
voted to the development of farm and
factory in England; In the other, that
OF a man whose whole object in life
has been the cultivation of pleasure
for pleasures sake.
No nation will continue TO prosper
which gives itself over TO amusements
as a business. 1t was such a state as
this that brought on the French revO-
luton, for the flash OF the diamond
necklace only indicated the tempera-
ment Of a court which, for genera
tions, had fed on the people without
making adequate return for it.
Louis XVI was a victim; so the
Prince OF Wales only represents an
idle aristocracy; but times are
changed, and while 200 years ago the
people would have been thankful il
their kings only confined their wicked
ness to a game of cards and a pocket
full Of gamble chips, today those il
high places are arraigned by a differ
ent law.
When a man denounces the farmer
the merchant and the labOrer h
writes himself down a fool.
1t has been the misfortune Of man
nation to be under the influence o
an anti-labor sentiment such that
merchant and a manufacturer hav
been in perpetual disgrace. To be i
fashion one must be free from a pu
suit. Even a literary life has bee
disgraceful in some periods, becaus
IL was a bondage to a pursuit; an
even in our times there are many VIII
would love tO write and think only a
delightful amateurs, and not as regI
lar toilers at a task. Cut off from a
honorable industry the princes an
generals exhaust life upon games. an
instead Of saying in the name of Ill
erty, Follow where you see my whit
plume" the modern military gentl,
mans saying to the troops is: "WheT
you hear my chips rattle, thithC
come"
Amusement, however, has its place
Man naturally loves to laugh, and tn
tendency Of the time is shorter hour
Of labor, that all may stop long enoug
to see what beautiful place tn
world is, and how easy it is to be hapI
therein. Instead Of limiting pleasur
as pursuit to the wealthy few, tn
disposition Of the world is 10 equalil
the privileges OF pleasure. The ma
who lays the brick Of your house wi
do it all the better because OF II
hours OF rest with his family in Il
pleasant city park. The day when Il
idle gentleman may scOrn the hone
toiler is over, for II has been prove
that where such a state OF affai
becomes national, that nation
doomed.
Each day supplies its own illustr
lions OF this truth. England sprea'
out a page for today. Perhaps OF
country will prepare as sad page 4
the morrow. The prince Of Wal
and his group Of daily companions on
declare the worthlessncss Of the earl
to even those most privileged ms
who decline to seek or follow
narrow path. Our planet utterly
fuses to bless those men and wom
who have no form OF noble pursu
The evils OF standing army and
an idle aristocracy are just becomi'