The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-02-19
JOHNNIE AND THE BRICKS.

lHeH nefff say ROOa enough
Till it can be no better.
NJ. +. sanford, I'm Golden Days.
-
JOHNNIE AND THE BRICKS.
An Illustration Of the Evil Influence Of
Wrong Doing.
Johnnie, a small boy living in the coun-
try. was one day playing with a lot of
bricks as his uncle came along. This
uncle was a great friend of the boy and
ready to help in any frolic that was not
improper.
what arc You doing. Johnnieo" asked
the uncle. after standing awhile to look
at the boy.
Building house: that is what I'm
trying to do. Did You ever build houses
of bricks when you was boy" asked
the little fellow.
Very likely was the answer,
though forget about it. it is SO long
ago. Rut | was thinking if you could
learn lesson from those bricks
A lesson from bricks?" asked the boy
in surprise; how can 1? Bricks can't
talk
Books can not either, but you learn
lessons from them
''Oh. but they have reading: that
talks
But pictures teach lessons without q
line of reading
Uncle. wish that you would teach
me a lesson from the bricks. viii you?
would like to see what they say"
Every we'll" said the uncle. Just
set the bricks up each on its end a little
distance apart. and all in line
"Ilow many shall set upo" asked John
ME after he had placed about twenty on
end.
THAT will do replied the uncle,
looking at the long row. Now. do you
wish these bricks to teach you lesson?''
Eyes, sir replied the boy, eagerly.
What shall do?'
Come here to the end of the row and
push the first brick over against the
next one"
What shall l do them" asked the
boy. hcsitating.
Nothing, until you have seen what
the bricks do
Shall push now?"
YES. right away. Push only the
first one.
The first brick was pushed against
the next. and then the boy stood up
looking on. The first brick pus he'd the
next over. and that in turn the next.
and that the next until the whole row
was down.
There. They are all down! Every
one is over!'' shouted the boy. ''See,
uncle! All have tnmbled.'
''1'hat is so.' said the uncle. Snow
can you learn lesson from those
bricks -
What lesson? l don't see any to
learn. ! only pushed one down and all
the rest fell of themselves"
did they fall of themselves, or did
each push its neighbor, after you start
ed the first oneo'
'oh, | see now, uncle. what you
mean. If we give one brick push it
will push another, and that another.
and SO all will go down."
''Yes, Johnnie, and SO it is with peo-
pie. Give one start downward. and
he will take another down with him,
bricks stop falling?'
''When all We're down"
'Yes; and SO it is with people. Start
one in the downward way and he will
take another along. and he another.
and they will keep falling as long as
there is one to fall. We start people in
the way of evil habits or other sin. and
they start others. and SO, if nothing
prevent, all might go down until the
last had fallen
''tncle, | never thought Of that But
it is so. One boy learns to cheat, or lie.
or steal, and another learns from him.
and another from that one; and SO it
goes on until a whole lot of boys cheat.
or lie, or steal. 1t is awful, but never
thought of it before. The bricks have
taught me lesson"
There is another lesson you NAV
learn from them; go down to the end OF
the row and push back the last one that
fell. Win it make the others stand up?''
No, sir" said Johnnie. after trying
to make the last one in the row stand
on end. Il can't even make one stand
unless take it away from the others.
They keep pushing it down all the
time"
well, there are two more lessons.
To tumble all down you need but start
the first one: but you can not make them
all stand again by pushing one up
straight. You can not even make that
one stand up until you take it away
from those that went down with it.
Thus, you may start large number
of people in the downward way. by civ
ing the first one a push: but you can
not bring them all back by helping up
one. Each one must be helped back by
! special effort Nor can you feel sure OF
making him stand safely until removed
from the evil company of those who
are down. You see it is much
easier to push people down than
to help them up. 1t is much easier 90.
ing down than to get back after
you have fallen. BE careful, NV bow,
that You do not start some one in the
way downward to evil and ruin; he will
be almost sure to take others with him.
To win him back will be much harde,
task than to push him down. Even il
you save him, that will not save the
others whom he took with him. Re
member, too, that if you would over
come evil and be able to conquer temp
tation, you must stay out of the com
pany that brings evil and temptation.
Johnnie looked at the bricks with ;
very serious face. as his uncle entered
the house, and determined to act on thu
lesson the bricks had taught him.
Rev J. A. Davis, in n. Y. Observer.