The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1896-04-03


stout lungs and mighty muscle. I
reations that have not on them any
faint of iniquity; recreations in which
we may engage for the strengthening
Of the body, for the clearing of the in
tellect, for the illumination of the soul
There is still another form of recre-
alton which / commend to you, and
that is the pleasure of doing good. 1
have seen young men, weak and cross
and sour and repelling in their DISPOSE
ton, who by one heavenly touch have
wakened 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, II
should like that recreation above all
others, but have not the means"
My dear brother. let us take an ac-
count of stock. You have a 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 1850 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 two cents.
The blind man hears the pennies rattle
in his hat, and he says, THANK you,
sir; God bless your You pass down the
street, trying to look indifferent; but
you feel from the very depth of your
soul profound satisfaction that you
made that man happy. You go still fur
Their on, and find poor boy with q
wheelbarrow, trying to get it up on the
curbstone. He fails in the attempt You
say. stand back, my lad; let me
try" You push it up on the curbstone
for him and pass on. He wonders who
that well dressed man was that helped
him. You did a kindness to the boy,
but you did a great joy to your own
soul. You will not get over it all the
week.
On the street tomorrow morning you
will see a sick man passing. along.
''Ah," you say, what can 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 2, 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 a.
reaction upon your own soul. Going
little further on, you will come to the
store of friend who is embarrassed in
business matters. You will go in and
say: what a, fine store you have.
think business will brighten up, and
you will have more custom after
awhile / think there is coming a
great prosperity to all the country.
Good morning" You pass out. You
have helped that young man, and you
have helped yourself
Col. Gardiner, who sat with his elbow
on table, spread with all extravagant
viands, looking off at a dog on the
rug, saying, How 1 would like to
change places with him; l be the dog
and he be Col. Gardiner" or, those
two Moravian missionaries who wanted
to 90 into the lazaretto for the sake Of
attending the sick, and they were told,
'If you go in there you will never
come out. We never allow anyone to
come out, for he would bring the con-
tagion." Then they made their wills
and went in, first to help the sick and
then to die. Which was the hap
pier-Col. Gardiner, or the Mora
Wan missionaries dying for others?
Was it all sacrifice when the
missionaries wanted to bring the Cos
pei to the negroes at the Barbados,
and being denied the privilege, sold
themselves into slavery, standing side
by side and lying side by side, down in
the very ditch of suffering, in order that
they might bring those men up to life
and God and Heaven? Oh, there is a
thrill in the joy of doing good! 1t is
the most magnificent recreation to
which a man ever put his hand, or his
head, or his heart
But, before closing. / want to inn
press upon you that mere secular en-
tertainments are not fit foundation
for your soul to build on. was read
ing of q woman who had gone all the
rounds of sinful amusement, and she
came to die. She said: Il will die to-
night at six o'clock" "Oh," they said,
~ guess not; you don't seem to be
sick" II shall die at six o'clock and
my soul will be lost. 1 know it will
be lost / have sinned away my day
of grace" The noon came. They de-
sired her to seek religious counsel.
oh" she said, lit is of no use. My
day is gone. l have been all the
rounds of worldly pleasure, and it is
too late. 1 shall die tonight at six
o'clock" The day wore away, and it
came to four o'clock, and to five o'clock,
and she cried out at five o'clock, DE
stroying spirits, We shall not have me
yet; it is not six, it is not sixr' The
moments went by and the shadows be-
gan to gather, and the clock struck
six; and while it was striking her soul
went What hour God will call for US
l do not know-whether six o'clock to-
night or three o'clock this afternoon,
or at one o'clock, or at this moment
Sitting where you are, falling forward,
or dropping down, where will you
I 90 to?