The Newtown bee., 1893-12-01
The Secular Pulpit.
THE SERMON.

The text, beloved, IS taken from the book of Boreas in the first verse of the first chapter, "Let not your winter be a winter of discontent." The tinge of frost in the air these cool mornings, and the handful of snowfiakes from the first of the Winter King are reminders to us that | the melancholy days are here, when snow drifts and zero weather will soon be upon us. It is then question Of importance with us as to how we shall spend the stormy days and the long winter even- ings. You may waste your time in
 LAZY SNORING,
 like the woodchuck in his hole. You may spend the valuable hours in frivol- ity, dealing out and throwing down a lot of greasy cards. Or you may make the coming season season of study and recreation and thought, which will make you wiser and better, by the time that the breezes of spring unlock the streams from their icy letters. Let the Busy BEE set you to thinking along these lines that your winter may be winter of great content.
 great many of us have not been able to see the wonderful fairy city at Chi cago this summer. But there is no req son why we may not visit the Columbian exposition this winter in our homes. Invest little money in the back num- bers of the Scientific American with it's excellent representations of things to be seen there. Buy cheap guide book and copy of some work that will give an idea of the different exhibits. Then take one evening of every week and spend an hour or two in the home circle, visiting, through the medium of your books, the various buildings. I verify believe that if you will take some such course you will know more about the Exposition by spring, than half the peo- pie who went there for that pur- pose, and it will not cost you one tenth as much.
 ANOTHER WINTER AMUSEMENT
 is tC make study of the various articles in common use in the home. Find out how salt is made; how and where the spices are grown; what led to the dis covery and use of tea and coffee at the table. You will be surprised to find out how many things you are ignorant about in common life. But these are sugges- tions for private life. Let me make a few for the community to follow. In the winter time our communities ought to cultivate the social features of life more than they do. No community is too small to have reading or histori- cal club. Now the Secular Pulpit would like to encourage the writing of local history. Many of our towns have events in their history that have never been written or printed. Why not start a his torical club and write up the history of your town from it's beginning. Anyone who has read William
 will know how valuable work he has done for that place. Go and do likewise for your village. THE BEE will be glad to print choice bits of local history in it's columns. And when different writers have written up the different epochs of history have them printed in pamplet form. They will be of value and inter- est to the future.
 Another event of social value is lec- ture course under the auspices of your church or grange or other local organ ization. The stereoptican is abroad in the land. Let the public see how the Fair really looked; let them visit other countries and hear speakers on topics which are outside the usual line of thought. Feed the people once in 8 while on oyster broth and crackers. Let them get together and find out what good companions they really are. In these ways the winter need not be a win- ter of discontent.