The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1896-05-28

is a scuffle in the top gallery. What is it?
A policeman HIS come in, and leaning over
has tapped on the shoulder of a young man.
saying, 81 want you, sir" He has not
worked during the day. but somehow
has raked together shilling or two to get
into the top gallery. He is an idler. Tho
man on his right hand is an idler, and the
man on his left hand is an idler.
During the past few years there has been a
great deal Of dizziness in business. Young
men have complained that they have little
to do. II they have nothing else to do they
can read and improve their minds and
hearts. These times are not always to con-
tinue. Business is waking up, and the sd
perior knowledge that in this interregnum
of work you may obtain will be worth $50
900 Of capital. The largo fortunes Of the
next twenty years are having their founda-
lions laid now by the young men who are
giving themselves to self Improvement.
went into a storo in New York and saw five
men, all Christians, sitting round, saying
that they had nothing to do. 1t Is an out
rage for a Christian m an to have nothing to
do. Let him go out and visit the poor or
distribute tracts, or go and read the Bible >
the sick. or take out his New Testament and
be making his eternal fortune. Let him go
into the back office and pray
Shrink back from idleness in yourself and
in others if you would maintain right posi-
ton. Good old Ashbel Green at more than
eighty years of age was found busy writing,
and some young man said to him: "Why Do
you keep busy? 1t is time for you to rest. :"
He answered. II keep busy to keep out Of
mischief" No man is strong enough to be
idle.
Are you fond of pictures? II so, will
show you one of the works Of an old master.
Here it is: 81 went by the field of the slOth-
ful and by the vineyard of the man void Of
LII, Ill
with thOrns. and notifies had covered the face
thereof, and the stone wall was broken down.
Then l saw and considered well. [ looked
upon 1t and received instruction. Yet lit
tie sleep, little slumber. little folding Of
the hands to s.een. So shall thy poverty
come as one that traveeth ard thy want as
an armed man" | don't know OF another
sentence in the Bible more explosive than
that. 1t first kisses softly, like the fuse of a
cannon. and at last bursts like flfty-fOur
FOUNDER. The old proverb was right, "The
devil tempts most men, but idlers tempt the
devil"
a young man came to man Of ninety
years of age and said to him, How have
vou,made out to live 50 long and be 50 well?''
The old man took tho yOungster to an Or
chard, and pointing to some large trees full
of apples, said, "l planted these trees when
was a boy, and do you wonder that now
an permitted to gather the fruit of them?'
We gather in old age what we plant in our
youth. Sow to the wind. and We reap the
whirlWind. Plant in early life tho right
kind Of a Christian character, and you will
cat luscious fruit in old age and gather these
harvest apples in eternity.
Iurgo You to avoid the perpetual pleasure
seeker. | believe in recreation and amuse-
ment. God wocld not have made US with
the capacity to laugh if He had not intended
us sometimes to indulge it. God hath hung
in sky and set in wave and printed on grass
many rOundelay, but he who chooses pleas
ure seeking for his life work does not I'M
derstand for what God made him. Our
amusements are intended to help us in some
earnest mission. The thundercloud hath an
eise ;eIquisitely purpled, but with voice
that jars the earth it declares, 81 90 to water
the green fields" The wild flowers under
the fence are gay, but they say, "We stand
here to make room for the Whentfled and to
refresh the husbandmen in their noOning"
The stream sparhles and foams and frOlics
and says: 81 so to baptize the moss. lave
the spots on the trout. [ Stake the thirst of
the bird. turn the wheel of the mill
rock in my crystal cradle muckshaw and
water lily And so, while the world plays.
it works. Look out for the MAI who always
plays and never works.
You will do we'll to avoid those whose
regular business il is to play ball, skate or
90 a-boating. All these sports are grand in
their places. I never derived go much ad-
vantage from any ministerial association rs
from a ministerial CLUB that went out to Dlav
ball every Saturday afternoon in the out
skirts OF Philadelphia. These rccreatiOns
are grand to give us muscle and spirits for
our regular toll. l believe in muscular
Christianity. A man is often not so near GOd
| with weak stomach as when he has Il
strong digestion. But shun those who
| make it their life occupation to sport. There
are young men whose industry and useful
ness have fallen overheard from the yacht.
There are men whose business fell through
the ice of the skating pond and has never
since been heard of. There is a beauty in
the gliding of boat. in the song of skates,
in the soaring of a we'll struck ball. and l
Fever see one fly but | involuntarily throw
up my hands to catch it. and 50 far from lay
ing an injunction upon bali playing or any
other innocent sport, | claim them all as
belonging of right to those of Us who toll in
the grand industries of Church and State.
But the life business of pleasure seeking
always makes IN the end criminal or a sOt.
George Brummel was smiled upon by all
England, and his life was given to pleasure.
He danced with the peeresseS and swung
round of mirth and wealth and applause
| until, exhausted of purse and worn on OF
body, and bankrupt Of reputation. and
lutHttl vi SOul, uo bSt155u IL DlScull from Il
grocer and declared thai he thought a dogs
life was better than a mans.
Such men will come into your office, O,
crowd around your anvil or seek to de-
coy you off. They will want you to break
out in the midst of 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, Of some Sabbath day that
You ought to dishonor. They will tell you
of exquisite wines that you must taste, OF
| c silly operas that you must hear, of wonder
| full dancers that you must see but before
| you accept their convoy or their companion
ship remember that while at the end of q
useful life you may be able TO look back tC
| llindnesseS done. to honorable work accom-
| plished, 10 poverty helped, to a good name
earned, to Christian influence cxerted, to q
Saviour's cause advanco1-these pleasure
seekers on their deathbed have nothing bet
ter to review than a torn playful, a tickle
for the races, an empty tankard, and the cas-
out rinds of carOuSa!, and, as in the de
lilium OF their awful death they clutch tht
| goblet and press it to their lips. the dregs o
the cup falling upon their tongue will begil
to hiss and, uncoil with the adders of q:
eternal poison.
Again, avoid as you would avoid the dealt
Of your body, mind and soul any one VIII
has in him the gambling spirit. Men VIII
want to gamble will find places just suitot
to their capacity, not only in the under