The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-02-17

That hall OF the entire male population
which Is
NEITHER IN cHuRcH NOR IN Low COM
PANY,
that half which endeavors to be
fairly respectable, without making
any pretensiors to Christianity, break
fasts late, and feels no condemnation In
taking an easy morning, for Is II not a
rest day? The remaining morning hours
are passed looking through a great paper
filled with much Of all sorts, like the net
that was east into the sea, which gath
cred OF every kind. This poor citizen,
even il he desires TO read the cream,
will find his time fully occupied in skim
ming II.
II the paper would only gather its
account Of noble deeds, its inspiring ideas,
its most eleyating contents into one place,
there would re a great gain. But II Is
not so, and a man who may never have
read the classics Of choicest sort in u
literature Is compelled, II he would make
sure OF the news, to give something like
two hours TO mining alter ~, and casting
alike a large quantity OF dirt before no
can separate the ore. ! freely confess
that j VIII not consent to this for seven
days in the week. If l am not TO be ex-
empt from this d%rudgery for one day III
seven at least what Is life worth? i hail
the DUnudN as n Jay OF TtSl lIOIl thC
paper. But the citizen of whom we are
speaking amuses himself with 1t because
hat is the thing so many do, and 1t IL
nearest his hand. And after dinner he
lounges, smokes and makes plans for the
future. Many men take Sunday for cast
ing up their accounts; they talk business
by The hour, as il six days were not
enough. They bemoan the hard times;
discuss the chances of the Presidential
candidates; revile the weather; and in
short ill in the day with
VARIOUS PETTY MATTERS.
that are very likely harmless in them
selves, but are entirely useless as food for
the hungry mind Of man.
SO goes the Sunday, and so gees the week,
when there is leisure Of the great booy OF
men made in the image of God made in
dignity but little lower han the angels
crowned with glory and honor, herded
together in narrow tenements, amply
housed in wide aud secluded home, or
scattered afsr on the earth. Led by a
thousand passions, sputred by unspoken
ambitions, ~cankered BY secret sins, sad
died with old lies. repenting once a year,
and lapsing as often, like the Grano
Army man who told me that he always
attended church on Decoration Day, or
tie business man who says he invariably
goes at Easter. This soul, capable OF al
NEST anything, yet accomplishing almost
nothing OF Christian culture, OF con-
science search, Of divine hopes, of growth
in moral ideas, of fellowship with the
Eternal.
This man claims to be tired. ! should
think he would be, for he does not rest.
He may ease from the round that he fol-
lows in week day, but that Is only half
resting. He does not turn his face to-
ward anything new or different from the
winning OF bread. Made little lower than
the angels he never looks up 10 see the
angels. He does not pray. He has lost
from his mind the central glories of the
word of Jesus. He does not ask himself
what manhood is; what will differentiate
him from the animal. IL this life? Is it
rest2 Is it an ideal Sunday? Suppose you
abolish dissipation, gross sin and all de-
grading acts. still a man cannot rise sim
ply because he does nothing. The aver
age man is
CAPABLE OF MAGNIFICENT HERoIsM.
The hero is made of common men. He
Is not your man Of culture any oftener
than he is a plain workman. He is not a
prince among men, not always IS even an
office holder a hero. But all the material
for heroism are in this average man.. In
time of war he Is found to make a good
soldier. Half of the men would die for
their country, at a low estimate. What q
pity 1t Is they will not live for 1t! This
man is not a coward. He would refuse to
surrender his arms under ordinary circum.
stances. He Is capable of denying a burg
lar who asks for his money-Mha reason
Is there that he cannot deny himself to
cheap men, cheap thoughts, and cheap
living. You cannot dare this man TO do
anything but he is willing to waste him
self by passing through seventy years,
unawar Of the world OF spirit, unthank.
full, blind, dark In mind, end never hav-
ing reckoned what a great day one Sun
day might be for him.
Three-quarters of the community,
churcnless or worse. Goddess, pure heath
en-, without worship, without even a claim
to immortality. And thence downward:
Little lower than angels, he tore from his
brow the crown of honor, narrowed his
lie to the life of those whose God is their
belly and whose glory Is their shame;
who change the blessed uses OF human
endowment TO the service of the devilish,
aud worshiped and served the creature
rather tnan the Creator.
o. how little we can be, IL we only !
permit ourselvesl Life constantly sinks
TO the satisfaction of two or three p
titles, and the rolling years find the man
more and more OF the earth, earthly.
HOW HoU A RATIONAL SUNDAY BE
FILLED?
At the moment of waking turn your
thought to that great power that never
sleeps. ~Undeniably Goo takes cognizance
OF every mao. Shall / think OF bread
three times daily, and not learn in forty
years TO remember the Hand that holds
the world together Be self-respecting. |
Co slider that nobody will ever tie OF con-
sequence unless ne takes his bearings by
great fixed points. An ignorant lands
man cast afloat ia q sloop would Judge
merely by the eye of his surroundings.
A sailor would take the stars, the sun.
On waking get our bearings toward the
center VI the universe. Learn to address
your Maker. You have come upon a day
wherein is unknown moral slump or up-
lift according as you meet IL. Find then
on rising, a great thought, one the
greatest. Take IL as a basis OF cogitation.
Longfellow babe us daily Zee n great
, icture, read a great poem, or hear a
great piece OF music. The average man
has one of these things open to him, and
the best one. The words that speak
unto you III y are spirit and they are
life. A single glorious icea at the begin
ming of a day transforms it. Then go out.
Honor this day. Make yourself pure out
wardly. Have nothing too good for the
Suncay. Honor God and men with IL.