Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1896-04-11

and because Richard Baxter and E9aet hall
were inralids they think that by the sane
grandeur OF Character. | want to tell the
Christian people Of mr congregation that
God will hold you Responsible for Tour il
vaiidism X 1t is your fault and when. through
right exercise aud prudence. you might be
athletic and we'll. The effect o. the bo1y
upon the soul you acknowledge. Put 4 man
OF mild disposition upon the animal diet OF
which the Indian par.akes. and il a little
while his blood will change its chemica pro-
portions. It will like unto the blood
Of the lion or the tiger or the bear. while his
DISPOSITION will change aud he ONE f@terc
AMI Urelentinc. The boIy rs a oTe-.u
eject upon the soul.
There are good people -Nnsa IDEAS o:
heaven ara all shnl out VITA clouds o. TO-
bacco smoke. There are people who dare to
sbatter the physical vase in which Goi has
put the jewel OF eternity. There a-e men with
great hearts and lnteilec:s in bodies worn
out by their own INSTRUMENTATION ma
chinery, capable OF %propeliing a Majestic
across the Atlantic. vet fastened IN a rickety
North River propeller. Martin Luther was
80 mighty for God. FIRST, because be had Il
noble soul, and. secondly; because he had a
muscular. Development which would have
enabled him to thrash aDy five Of his perse-
cutors II it had been Christian SO to do.
Physical development which merely shows
ANcOAA 40 Jaw III VI II IL 1CpN
walking, or in pugiiistic encounter. excites
only our contempt, but we confess TO great
admiration for the man who has q great SOU
In an athletic body. every nerve. muscle and
Done OF wnIcn Is consecrated to r sht uses.
Oh, It seems TO me- outrageous that men.
through neglect. should allow their physical
health to go down beyond repair-a snip
which ought; with all sail set and every man
at hts post; to be carrying a rich cargo for
eternity; employing all its men in stopping
up leakages: When you may. through the
gymnasium, work of your spleen and your
and mental ailments. do not turn your back
upon such a grand medicament.
Still further, I commend to YOU 4 la-Se
class OF parlor games and recreations. There
is a way Of making our homes Il hundred
fold moro attractive than they are now.
Those parents cannot expect to keep their
children away from outside dissi pation> IN
less they make the domestic circle ~brig3t--
than anything they can find outside Of ii.
Do MT, then. Ii ia your home suriy and up
sympathetic and with a hall condemnatory
look because Of the sportiulnessgs OF
your children, You were voting
once yourself; let your children
be Young. Because your eyes are
dim and your ankles are stiff do not de-
honnce sportfulness in those upon whose
eyea there is the first luster and in whose
foot there is the bounding JOY OF robust
health. / thank God that in our drawing
rooms and in our parlors there are innumer-
able games and sports which have no. upon
them the least faint Of iniauity.
Light up all your homes with innocent
tilarities. Do not sit down with the rneutna-
tisTn, wondering how children can g on 50.
Rather thank God that their hearts are 81
light: and their laughter is SO free. and their
cheeks are SO ruddy. and that their expecta-
tions are 50 radiant. The night will come
| soon enough, and the heartbreak aud the
paug and the deso!ation-:t Will co ne soon
enough for the dear children Bat when the
storm actually clouds the SKY it will be time
enough for you to haul out your reef tackles.
Garry, then, into your homes not only the
innocent sports and games which ore the in
ventions OF our own day. bat the games
I which come down with the spOrtfnlness OF
all the past ages-chess aul charades aud
tableaux and battledoor and calisthenics and
law1 tennis and all those amusements which
the young people Of our homes know so vel
how to contrive. Then there will be the
parior socialities-groups Of people assem-
bled in your homes, with wit ami mim;cry
and jogiality, filling the room with iov from
door to mantel and from the ca~p pet to the
ceiling. Oh. is there any eXhiiaration like Il
score OF genial souls in one room. each one
adding a contribution of his own individual
merriment to the aggregation Of genera
hilarity7
Suppose you want to so abroad in the city:
then you will find the panora ma and the ar,
gallery and the exquisite collections of pic
lures. You will find the museum and the
historical society rooms full of rare curios.-
ties. aud scores of places which can stand
plainly the test OF what is right and wrone
in an1usements. You will find the l~ecturinc
hall. which has been hoLored by the pane:
of ARassi5 in natural history. Doremus II
chemistry, Boynton in geology. Mitchell j,
0Str0nOInc John y Canon in ~ ~ rafnr,
and scores and hundreds of men who have
poured their wit and genius and ingenuity
through that particular channel upon TIL
hearts and consciences and inaginations O
man, setting this country fifty years farthe
in advance than it would have been withou,
thu lecture platform.
/ rejoice in the popuiarization Of outdoor
sports. l hail the croquet ground and thu
fshernan's rod aud the sportsmau's gun. II
our cities life is so unhealthy and unnatura
that "hen tue census taker represents a cit,
as having 400. 900 inhabitants there are onl,
200 900, since 1t takes at least two men tC
amount to one man. 50 depicting AMI un
nerving and eZhausting is this matropolita,
life. We want more fresh air. more sunlight
! more Of the abandon Of field sports. I e.
out for 1t in behalf OF the church OF God a
we'll rs i'll behalf Of secular interests. I Wis
that our ponds and our rivers and our ean;
toiine ground might be all aauake witt. tn
heel and the shout of the swift skater.
wish that when the warm weather come
the graceful oar might dip the strear
and the evening tide be resonant with boa.
mans sory the bright GROW splitting tn
crystalline billow.
We shall have the smooth and grassy lawn
ana we will cali out people OF all Occupation
and professions and ask them to ION in th
ball players sport. You will come back fror
thes" outdoor exercises and recreations wit
strength in your arm aud color in YOU
cheek and a fash in your eye and courage i
your heart. In this great battle that is oper
ing against the kingdom Of darkness W
want Dot only q consecrated soul. but
, strong arm and stout lungs aud mighty ,pu:
Gle. bless roc that there are so ,manv rex
. r%eations that have not on then the taint {
! iniquity, recreation in which We may enyaa
: for The STRENGTHENING of the body. for ii
clea In of the intellect. for the illuminate
: of the soul.
. There is still another form OF recrea:ic
which l commend to you. and that is II
pleasure OF doing good. have seen rour
men, weak and cross and sour and ~repellip
IN their disposition. VINO by one heaven
2 touch have Weakened up aud become blesse
1 ana ouoyaCt. tho ground under their fe
, ana the SKY over their heads h-easin~ for,