Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1896-04-04

glegation of general hilarity?
Suppose you want to go abroad in the
city; then you will find the panorama
and the art gallery and the exquisite col
lections of pictures. You will find the
museum and the historical society rooms
full of rare curiosities, and scores of
places which can stand plainly the test
of what is right and wrong in amuse-
ments. You will find the lecturing hall,
which has been honored by the names
Of Agassiz in natural history, Doremus
in chemistry, Boynton in geology, Mitch
ell in astronomy, John B. Cough in
moral reform, and scores and hundreds
of men who have poured their wit and
genius and ingenuity through that par
ticular channel upon the hearts and con-
sciences and imaginations Of mon, set
ting this country 80 years farther i'll adj
vance than it would have been without
the lecture platform.
Outdoor Sports.
I rejoice in the popularization OF out
door sports. I hail the croquet ground
and the isherman's rod and the sports
mans gun. In our cities life is SO un-
healthy and unnatural that when the
census taker represents city as having
400, 900 inhabitants there are only
200, 900, since it takes at least two men
to amount to one man, so depicting and
unnerving and exhausting is this met
ropolitan life We want more fresh air,
more sunlight, more of the abandon Of
field sports. cry out for 1t in behalf
of the church of God as well as in be-
half of secular interests. wish that
our ponds and our rivers and cur capt.
toline grounds might be all aquake with
the heel and thu shout of the swift
skater. I wish that when the warm
weather comes tho graceful oar might
dip the stream and the evening tide be
resonant with boatmans song, the
bright Prov splitting the crystalline bill
low.
We shall have the smooth and grassy
lawn, and we will call out people Of all
occupations and professions and ask
them to join in tho ball players sport.
You will como back from these outdoor
exercises and recreations with strength
in your arm and color III your cheek and
flash in your eye and courage in your
heart. In this great battle that is OPEN
ing against the kingdom Of darkness
we want not only a consecrated soul,
but strong arm and stout lungs and
mighty muscle. bless God that there
are so many recreations that have not
Oh them any faint of iniquity, recrea'
lions in which we may engage for the
strengthening Of the body, for the clear
ing of the intellect, for the illumination
OF the soul.
There is still another form Of recrea-
ton which [ commend to you, and that
is the pleasure of doing good. L have
seen young men, weak and cross and
sour and repclling III their disposition,
who by one heavenly touch have waken-
ed.rp and become blessed and buoyant,
the ground under their feet and the sky
over their heads breaking forth into
music. ooh, says some young man in
the house today, II should like that rec
reation above all others, but have not
the means My dear brother, let US
take al account of stock. You have
large estate if you only realize it, Two
hands, two feet. You will have per-
haps during the next year at least $40
for charitable contribution You will
have $500 cheerful looks if you want
to employ them. You will have 5000
pleasant words if you want to speak
them. Now, what an amount that is to
start with
You go out tomorrow morning, and
you see case of real restitution by the
wayside. You give him 2 cents. The
blind man hears the pennies rattle in
his hat, and he says, 'Thank you, sir;
God bless you'll" You pass down the
street, trying to look indifferent, but
you feel from the very depth of your
soul a profound satisfaction that you
mado that man happy. You 90 Oh still
farther and find a poor boy with
wheelbarrow, trying to get it up Oh the
curbstone He fails in the attempt. You
say, "Stand back, my lad; let me try. "
You push it up Oh the curbstone for
him and pass on. He wonders who that
we'll dressed man was that helped him.
You did kindness to the boy, but you
did u great joy to your own soul. You
will not get over it all the week.
On the street tomorrow morning you
will see sick man passing along.
"Ah, " you say, "what can l do to make
this man happy? He certainly does not
want money; he is not poor, but he is
sick" Give him one of those $500
cheerful looks that you have garnered
up for the whole year. Look joy and
hopefulness into his soul. 1t will thrill
him through, and there will be reac-
ton upon your own soul. Going on a lit
tie farther, you will come to the store
of a friend who is embarrassed in bssi-
hess matters. You will go i'll and say:
"What q fine store you have l think
business will brighten up, and you will
have more custom after awhile. ! think
there is coming great prosperity to all
;he country Good morning. " You pass
out. You have helped that young man,
aud you have helped yourself.
A Thought to Carry.
Colonel Gardiner, who sat with his
elbow on a table, spread with all extrav-
agant viands, looking off at a dog on
the rug, saying, "How 1 would like to
change places with him, I be the dog
and he be Colonel Gardiner, Or those
two Moravian missionaries who wanted
to 90 into the lazaretto for the sake OF
attending the sick, and they were told;
eff you go in there, you will never
come out. We never allow any one to
come out, for be would bring the conta-
gion." Then they made their wills and
went in, first to help the sick and then
to die. Which was the happier-Colo-
mel Gardiner or the Moravian mission
aries dying for others? Was it all sacri-
fee when the missionaries wanted to
bring the gospel to the negroes at the