Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-05-26

plant in our youth. Sow to the wind
and we reap the whirlwind. Plant in
early life the right kind of Christian
character, and you will eat luscious
fruit in old age, and gather these har-
vest apples in eternity.
! l urge you to avoid the perpetual
pleasure-seeker. l believe in recreation
and amusement. God would not have
made us with the capacity to laugh If
he had not intended us sometimes to
indulge it. God hath hung in sky, and
set in wave, and printed on grass many
roundelay; but he who chooses
| pleasure-seeking for his life work does
not understand for what God made him.
Our amusements are intended to help
us in some earnest mission. The thun-
der-cloud hath an edge eXquisitely
purpled, but with voice that jars the
earth it declares, Il go to water the
green fields" The wild-howers under
the fence are gay, but they say, "We
field, and to refresh the husbandman
in their nooning." The stream sparkles
and foams and frolics and says, II go
to baptize the moss. l lave the spots
| on the trout. / Stake the thirst of the
bird. / turn the wheel of the mill. I
rock in my crystal cradle muckshaw
and water-lily." And so. while the
world plays, it works. Look out for the
man who always plays and never
works.
You will do well to avoid those
whose regular business it is. to
play ball, skate or go a-boating.
All these sports are grand in
their places. l never derived so much
advantage from any ministerial asso-
citation as from ministerial club that
went out to play ball every Saturday
afternoon in the outskirts of Philadel-
phia. These recreations are grand to
give us muscle and spirits for our regu-
lar toll. | believe in muscular Chris
tfanity. A man is often not so near
God with weak stomach as when he
has strong digestion. But shun those
who make it a lifes occupation to sport.
There are young men whose industry
and usefulness have fallen overheard
from the yacht. There are men whose
business fell through the ice of the
skating pond, and has never since been
heard of. There is beauty in the
gliding of boat, in the song of skates,
in the soaring Of well-struck hall,
and | never see one fly but involun-
tarily throw up my hands to catch 1t;
and, so far from laying an injunction
upon ball-playing, or any other inno-
cent sport, claim them all as belong
ing of right to those of us who toll in
the grand industries of church and
state.
But the life business of pleasure
seeking always makes in the end,
criminal or sot. George Brummel was
smiled upon by all England, and his
life was given to pleasure. He danced
with the peeresses, and swung a round
of mirth and wealth and applause, I'M
til, exhausted of purse, and worn out
Of body, and bankrupt of reputation
and ruined Of soul, he begged biscuit
from grocer and declared that he
thought dogs life was better than
mans.
This sin works ruin first, by un-
healthful stimulants. Excitement is
pleasurable. Under every sky and in
every age men have sought it. The
Chinaman gets it by smoking his
opium; the Persian by chewing hashish;
the trapper in buffalo-hunt; the sailor
in a squall; the inebriate in the bottle,
and the avaricious at the gaming Ia
ble We must at times have excite
ment. A. thousand voices in our nature
demand it, 1t is right. 1t is health
full. 1t is inspiring. 1t is desire Cod
given. But anything that first gratifies
this appetite and hurls it back in ter
rifle reaction is deplorable and wicked.
Look out for the agitation, that, like
a rough musician, in bringing out the
tune, plays so hard he breaks down the
instrument. God never made man
strong enough to endure the wear and
tear of gambling excitement. No won
der if, after having failed in the game,
men have begun to sweep off imagin-
airy gold from the side of the table. The
man was sharp enough when he start
ed at the game, but maniac at the
close. At every gaming table sit on one
side Ecstasy, Enthusiasm, Romance
the frenzy Of JOY: on the other side,
Fierceness, Rage and Tumult. The pro-
fessional gambler schools himself into
apparent quietness. The keepers of
gaming rooms are generally fat, rollick-
ing and obese; but thorough and pro-
fessional gamblers, in nine cases out of
ten, are pale, thin, wheezy, tremuious
and exhausted.
Rather than enter the companion
ship of such, accept the invitation 20
better feast. The promise of God are the
fruits. The harps of heaven are the
music. Clusters from the vineyards Of
God have been pressed into tankards.
The sons and daughters of the Lord
Almighty are the guests. While, stand
ing at the banquet, to fill the cups and
divide the clusters, and command the
harps, and welcome the guests, Is
daughter of God on whose brow are the
blossoms of paradise, and in whose
cheek is the flush of celestial summer.
Her name ia Religion.