Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1895-07-25
THE USING OF TIME.

Ohsracter shown IN Realization of It's
Importance and It's Proper Disposition.
Character begins with a choosing be-
tween higher and lower things, but as
1t grows, and we have made certain of
our choice of the higher, there is new
and more refined test in our choosing
between richer and poorer. One of the
signs of growth in character is the dis
coVery that we now treat as essentials
things that once seemed to be entirely
optional, and things that formerly
never occurred to US as a matter of
conscience now touch us with the sense
OF shame that only downright sins used
to bring.
One of these things which begin by
appearing optional and end by being
Imperative, is our use of time. This
becomes matter of conscience and
character as surely as one realizes
that God has work for a man TO do in
the world; and we can not deu BIT for
moment that many a character has
been as thoroughly laid waste by the
failure to use time Alright as by coarser
and more fragrant sins. There are men
who have been willing to do the will
of God, who have failed to find the
largeness of that will for them be-
cause it has ne YER been discovered by
them that the use of time had much
to do with it. One Of the causes of
this is undoubtedly the fact that we
seldom get a. long, clear stretch
of time in which we NAV
work uninterruptedly, and so we
think that it is not worth while to at
tempt any large undertaking until we
shall be freed from the pressure and
hustle of common affairs. If In the
midst of such there comes small re-
lease we think that it is too small to
make it worth our while to enter upon
any ambitious task, and we postpone
the endeavor until we shall happen
upon some freer and more favored hour
When that comes we are quite likely
to feel that we are not in the mood for
1t, and dare not attempt the hoped-for
work until we shall feel just right
for it.
Men naturally wish their work to be
led up to gracefully, and to go on to
the next by equally graceful grada-
tions, but instead we are presented
with great mixture of raw material
in the shape of all kinds of moods
and days and leisure moments;
and it is out of such that all great hui
man fabrics have been woven. So q
man comes to realize that he is fast
getting to be mere gazer, and to see
with some chagrin that men who have
even less time than himself are accom-
plishing more of the very sort
that he would do. The great
ness of Jesus appeared quite, as
much in the odd moments, and what
came forth out of them. as in the state
ly official acts of His life, and He was
never waiting for favored hour, but
made every hour draw favor. With
many man who has in him the DOW
! er of some high accomplishment the
habitual doubt of the usefulness of
such time as is given him has become
so deeply seated in him that he is pal
sled for the carrying out of his ambi-
tions, and for such the help of God is
as essential as in overcoming any 9TH
er sin. We have to pray for faith in
the present hour. Our conversions
and salvations are endless, and God
become necessary on every side of our
life.
There are men who give us a sense
of thrift in the matter of time which
we envy-men who know when it is
the most friendly thing to do to deny
themselves TO their friends. There is
also richness and point to the leisure
of busy men which the idler's hours
never have, and, in addition, we often
find that those who have the most to
, do often have the most time to spare.
1t Is an old discovery that those who
have tae most to do are those who do
, the most. Emerson often regretted
that he did not have "a stated task"
and those who are in positions where
J they have to map out their own work,
are in positions of greater temptation,
as well as greater liberty, than are
those VINO have their tasks set and
defined for them. If we are
, in positions where we control our own
time, we are in positions where our
character may become larger, but we
need Gods help continually to make us
large enough for them. One is inn
peeled and urged by work that appears
to have issued from some sort of
prayer and fasting;" and we feel, on
the other hand, fabbiness about the
work of those who never feel that
, quite the right hour has come to them.