The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1892-05-05

around US who started life with the
most sangulne expectation. Their en-
teerprlse excited theremark of all com
peers. But some sudden and over
Whelmihg misfortune met them and
henceforth they have been inactive.
There are but few sadder sights than q
man OF talent and tact and undoubted
capacity giving up life as failure, like
line OF magnificent steamers rotting
against wharves, from which thew
ought to have been carrying the ex-
portations of nation. Every great
financial panic produces large crop
OF such men. In the great establish
ments where they were partners in
business they are now Weighers or
draymen or clerks on small salary.
Revere is also cause OF Incidence.
There are multitudes OF men who ex-
pect to achieve great success in life, who
are entirely unwilling to put forth any
physical, moral or intellectual efforts.
they have a great many eloquent
theories Of life. They are all the while
expecting something to turn up. They
pass their life in dreaming. They have
read in light literature how men sud
denly and unexpectedly came to large
estates, or found a pot of buried gold
at the foot of the rainbow OF Good
Luck, or had some great offer made
them. They have passed their lives
in reverie Notwithstanding he is
punched with poverty and any other
man would be downcast at the for
lorn prospect, he is always cheerful
and sanguine and jovial, for he does
not know but that he may be within
a day or two Of astounding success.
Again, bad habits are g. fruitful
source OF Incidence.
SINFUL 1NDULGENCEs.
shut mans shop and dull his tools
and steal his profits. Disturbances
is generally the end of industry.
There are those who have the rare
faculty of devoting occasionally day
or q week to loose indulgences, and, at
the expiration of that time, 20 back
with bleared eyes and tremulous hands
and bloated cheeks to the faithful and
successful performance of their duties.
Indeed their employers and neigh
bors expect this amusement
or occasional season of frolic
and wassail. Some of the best
workmen and most skillful artisans
have this mode OF conducting them
selves, but, as the time rolls on, the
season of dissipation becomes more
protracted and the season of steadi-
ness and sobriety more limited, until
the employers become disguised and
the man Is given up to a continual
and ruinous idleness. When that
point has arrived herushes to destruc-
ton with astonishing velocity.
Now, what are the results of indo-
lence? A marked consequence of this
vice is physical disease. The healthi-
ness OF the whole natural world de-
ponds upon activity. The winds, toss
ed and driven in endless circuits, scat
terine the mists from the mountains
and scooping out death damps from
the caves and blasting the miasma of
swamps and hurting back the fetid at
mosphere of great cities, are healthy,
just because of their swiftness and I'M
controllableness of sweep. But after
while, the.wind falls and the hot
sun pours through it, and when the
leaves are still and the grain fields
bend not once all day long, then
PEsTILENCE sAITES ITS VICTIMS
and digs trenches for the dead.
Furthermore, notice that Incidence
ENDANGERs THE SOUL.
Satan makes his chief conquests over
men who either have nothing to do,
or, if they have, refuse to do it. There
is legend that St. Thomas, years
after Christ resurrection, began again
to doubt, and he went to the apostles
and told them about his doubts.
Each apostle looked at him with sur
prise and then said he must be excused
for he had no time to listen any long
er. Then St. Thomas went to the de-
vOut women of his time and expressed
his doubts. They said they were sorry
but they had no timeto listen. Then,
st. Thomas concluded, that it was
because they were so busy that the
Apostles and the devout women had
no doubts. Idleness not only leads
a man into associations which harm
his morals, but often thrusts upon
him the worst kind of scepticism.
Loafers are almost always intidels, or
fast getting to be. Consummate idlers
never read the Bible, and, if they ap-
pear in church, can be distinguished
in an audience of a thousand by their
listlessness, for they are too lazy to
hear.
l never knew a man given up to
thorough idleness that was converted.
Simon and Andrew were converted
while fishing, and LYDIA while selling
purple, and the shepherds of Bethle-
hem watching their flocks heard the
voices of angles, and Gideon was
threshing on the threshing-foor, but
no one was ever converted with his
hands in his pockets. Let me tell the
idler that there is no hope for him
either in this world or in the world
which is to come. If the Son of God,
who owned the whole universe, worked
in the carpenter shop OF Joseph, sure
ly we who own so little, yet want so
much, ought to be busy. The grain is
ready. 1t is tall, it is full, tits golden.
It waves in the sunlight. 1t rustles in
the wind. It would fill the barns. It
would crowd the garners. After
awhile it will lodge, or the mildew and
the rust will smite it. Oh, where are
the reapers to bind the sheaves! The
enemies of God are marshaled. You