The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-04-15


checks are so ruddy, and that their expecta-
tions are so radiant. The night will come
soon enough, and the heartbreak and the
pang and the desolation-it will come soon
enslgh for the dear children. But when the
storm actually clouds the SKY 1t will be tine
enough for you to haul out your reef tackles.
Garry, then, into your homes not only the
innocent sports and games which are the in.
ventions Of our own day, but the games
which come down with the sportfulness OF
all the past ages-chess and charades and
tableaux and battledoor and calisthenics and
lawn tennis and all those amusements which
the young people Of our homes know 80 we'll
how to contrive. Then there will be the
parlor sociaiities-groups Of people assem-
bled IN your homes, with wit and mimicry
and jovialtty, filling the room with Joy from
door to mantel and from the CARPET to the
ceiling. Oh, Is there any exhilaration like q
score OF genial souls In one room, each one
adding contribution Of his own individual
merrtment to the aggregation OF general
hilaritys
Suppose you want to go abroad in the city.
then you will find the panorama and the art
gallery and the exquisite collections Of pic
tures, You will find the museum and the
historical society rooms full Of rare curiosi-
ties, aud scores of places which can stand
plainly the test Of what Is right and wrong
In amusements. You will find the lecturing
hall, which has been horored by the names
of Agassiz In natural history, Doremus In
chemistry, Boynton In geology, Mitchell 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 particular channel upon the
hearts and consciences and tmaglnations OF
man, setting this country fifty years farther
i 10, bo1, hno fho, -
the lecture platform.
rejoice In the capitalization Of outdoor
sportsl hail the croquet ground and the
fsherman's rod and the sportsman's gun. In
our cities life is so unhealthy and unnatural
that when the census taker represents city
as having 400 900 inhabitants there are only
400 900, since 1t takes at least two men to
amount to one man, so depicting and un-
nerving and exhausting Is this metropolitan
life We want more fresh air, more sunlight,
more Of the abandon OF field sports. I cry
out for il in behalf of the church Of God as
we'll as In behalf Of secular interests. wish
that our ponds and our rivers and our capi-
toline ground might be all aquake with the
heel and the shout OF the swift skater.
wish that when the warm weather comes
the graceful oar might dip the stream
and the evening tide be resonant with boat
luan sung, tno oAiSnt PAS" opiAl@iHt' luo
crystalline billOw.
We shall have the smooth and grassy lawns
aud We will call out people Of all occupations
and professions and ask them to join in the
ball players sport. You will come back from
these outdoor exercises and recreations with
strength in your arm and color in 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 consecrated soul, but q
strong arm and stout lungs and mighty mus
Gle. bless God that there are go many rec
reations that have not on them the taint Of
iniquity, recreation In which we may engage
for the strengthening Of the body, for the
clearing of the intellect, for the illumination
of the soul.
There is still another form OF recreation
which commend to you, and that Is the
pleasure of doing good. have seen young
men, weak And cross and sour and rspelling
in their disposition, who by one heavenly
touch have wskened up and become blessed
and buoyant. the ground under their feet
and the sky over their heads breaking forth
into music. "oh," says some young man in
the house to-day, VI should like that recrea-
My dear brother, let US take an
account of stock. You have large estate II
you only realize II. Two hands, two feet.
You will have perhaps during the next year
at least S10 for charitable contribution. You
will have $500 cheerful looks II you want to
employ them. You will have 5000 pleasant
words II you want to speak them. Now,
what an amount that is to start with.
You 20 out tomorrow morning, and you
see case OF real destitution by the wsyside.
You give him two 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 In
different. but you feel from the very depth
of your soul a profound satisfaction that you
made that man happy. You 90 on still
farther and find poor boy with wheel
barrow, trying to gst 1t up on the curbstone..
He fails In the attempt. You say, stand
back, my lad; let me try" You push 1t up
on the curbstone for him and pass on. He
wonders who that well dressed man was that
helped him. You did kindness to the boy,
but you did great Joy to your own soul.
You will not get over 1t all the week.
On the street tomorrow morning you will
see q sick man passing along. "Ah." you
cay, "what can I 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. It will thrill
him through, and there will be reaction
upon your own soul! Going on little
farther, you will come 10 the store OF friend
who is embarrassed in business matters. You
will 20 in and say: 'What fine store you
have! think business will brighten up, and
you will have more custom after awhile. !
think there is coming great prosperity to all
the country. Good morning." You pass out.
You have helped that young man, and you
have helped yourself.
Colonel Gardiner, who sat with his elbow
on table. spread with all extravagant
viands. looking of ut dog on the rug, say
ing. "How would like to change places
with him. be the dog and no be Colonel
Gardiner" or those two Moravian mission
aries who wanted to go into the lazaretto for
the sake of attending the sick, and they were
told: "If you 90 In there, you will nsver
come out. We never allow any one to come
out, for he would bring the contaSion," '"
Then they made their wills and went In, first
to help the sick and then to die. Which was
the happier-Colonel Gardiner or the Nora
Wan missionaries dying for others? Was it
oil sacrifice when the missionaries wanted to
bring the gospel to the negroes at the Bar.
bados, and. being denied the privilege. sold
into slavery, standing side by
side and lying side by side down In the very
ditch OF suffering, in order that they might
briug those men up to life and God and
heaven2 Oh, there is a thrill In the joy OF
doing good! 1t Is the most magnificent re-
creation to which man ever puts his hand
or his head or his heart.
But before closing want to impress upon
you that mere secular entertainments are not
q At foundation for your soul to build on. l
was reading of o woman who had gone all
the rounds Of sinful amusement. and she
came to die She said, II will die tonight
at O'clock" "Oh," they said, ~ guess