Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1896-05-18

he had not intended US sometimes to in
dt,lpe it. God hath hung in slzv and
set in wave and printed en- grass many
roundelay, but he who chooses pleas
ure seeking for his life work does 1ot
understand fer what God made him.
Our a1nusements are intended to help
MS in some earnest mission. The thun-
dercIoud hath an edge exquisitely pur-
pied. but with voice that Jars the earth
Il declares, 81 go to water the green
fields The wild flowers under the
fence are gay, but they say, eve stand
here to make room for the wheatfeld
and to refresh the husbandmen in their
incoming. The stream sparkles and
foams and frolics and says: Il go to
baptize the moss. I lave the spots en-
the trout. I Stake the thirst of the bird.
turn the wheel of the mill. I rock in
my crystal cradle muclshaw and water
lily" And SO, while the world plays. it
works Look out for the man who al
ways plays and never works.
You will do well to avoid those whose
regular business it is to play ball, skate
or go a-bcating. All these sports arc
grand in their places. I never derived
SO much advantage from any ministerial
association as from ministerial club
that went out to play ball every Satur-
day afternoon in the outskirts CT PEila-
delphia. These recreations are grand to
give us muscle and spirits for cur regu-
lar toll I believe in muscular Chris
tianity. A man is often not so near
God with weak stomach as when he
d. Il
who make it their life occupation to
sport. There are young men whose in
dustry and usefulness have fallen ever
board from the yacht There are non
whose business fell through the ice Ct
the skating pond and has never since
been heard Of There is a beauty in the
gliding Of a beat, in the song of skates,
in the soaring Of well struck ball, and
I never see one fly but [ involuntarily
throw up my hands to catch it, and SO
far from laying an injunction upon hall
playing CT any other innocent sport, l
claim them all IS belonging Of right to
those Of us who toll III the grand indus
tries of church and state.
But the life business of pleasure seek
ing always makes in the end criminal
or a sot. George Brummel was smiled
upon by all England, nd his life was
given to pleasure. He danced with the
peeresses and swung a round Of Iairth
and wealth and applause until, cx-
hausted Of purse, and worn out Of body,
and bankrupt Ct reputation, ard ruined
Of soul, he begged biscuit from a SO
GER and declared that he thought q
dogs life was better than mans.
Such men will come into your Office,
deccy you eff. They will want you TO
break out in the midst CT your busy day
to take q ride with them. They Will
tell you of some people you must see, Of
some excursion that you must take, Ct
some Sabbath day that you ought to
dishonor They will tell you of exqui-
site wines that you must taste, Of costly
operas that you must hear, of wonderful
dancers that you must see, but before
you accept their convoy or their COM
partnership remember that while at the
end of useful life you may be able to
look back to kindnesses DONE to honor
able work accomplished, to poverty
helped, to good name earned, to Chris
tian influence exerted, to q Saviour s
cause advanced-these pleasure seekers
on their deathbed have nothing better
to review than a torn playful, a ticket
for the races, an empty tankard, and the
cast out rinds of a carousal, and. as in
the delirium of their awful death they
clutch the goblet and press it to their
lips the dregs Of the cup falling upon
their tongue will begin to hiss and, IN
coil with the adders of an eternal poi
son.
The Gambling Spirit.
Again, avoid as you would avoid the
death of your body, mind and soul any
one who has in him the gambling spirit.
Men who want to gamble will find
places just suited to their capacity, not
only in the underground oyster cellar or
at the table back of the curtain cover
ed with greasy cards, or in the steam
boat smoking cabin, where the bloated
wretch with rings in his ears deals out
his pack and winks at the unsuspecting
traveller = providing free drinks all
in gilded parlors and amid
gorgeous surroundings.
This sin works ruin, first, by unbealth-
Iul SG1InuldltS. EAC1U0IneuU is plCaSuId-
BILE. Under every sky and in every age
men have sought it. The Chinaman
gets it by smoking his opium, the Per-
sian by chewing hasheesh, the trapper i'll
a buffalo hunt, the sailor in squall,
the inebriate in the bottle and the avari-
cious at the gaming table. We must at
times have excitement. A thousand
voices in our nature demand it. It is
right 1t is healthful. It is inspiring.
1t is desire God given. But anything
that first gratifies this appetite and
hurls it back In terrific reaction is de-
plorable and wicked. Look out for the
agitation that like rough musician
in bringing out the tune plays SO hard
he breaks down the instrument God
never made man strong enough to en-