The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1896-04-10


through that particular channel upon
the hearts and consciences and the
imaginations of men, setting this
country so years farther in advance
than il would have been without the
lecture platform.
rejoice in the popularization of out
door sports. hail the eroquet ground
and the fisherman $ rod and the sports
mans gun. In our cities life is Sc uri=
healthy and iinnatural that when the
census-taker represents a city having
400, 900 inha bitants, there are only 20O.-
600, since it takes at least tive men to
amount to one man, so depict
ing and unnerving and exhaust
ing is this metropolitan life.
We want more fresh air, more
sunlight, more Of the abandon of
f3eld sports. Icry out for it in behalf
OF the Church of God as well as In Bes
half Of secular interests / wish that
our ponds and our rivers and our Capt.
toline grounds might be all aquake
with the heel and the shout of the
swift skater. / wish that when the
warm weather comes the graceful oar
might dip the stream, and the evening"
tide be resonant with boatmen's song;
the bright prov splitting the crystal
line bilIow
We shall have the smooth and grassy
lawn, and we will call out people of all
occupations and professions and ask
them to join in the ball-player's sport.
You will come back from these outdoor
exercises and recreations with strength
in your arm and color in your cheek
/ ri
in your heart. In this great battle
that is opening against the king dom
of darkness; we want not only conse-
Grated soul; but strong arm and stout
lungs and mighty muscle. / bless God
that there are so many recreations
that have not on them any faint of in
iquity; recreations in which we may
engage for the strengthening of the
body, for the clearing of the intellect,
fer the illumination of the soul.
There is still anoth er form of recre-
alton which commend to you, and that
is the pleasure of doing good. l have
seen young men, weak and cross and
sour and repelling in their disposition
who by one heavenly touch have
Weakened up and became 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, Il
should like that recreation above
all others, but l have not the
means" My dear brother, let us take
an account of stock. You have a large
estate, if you only realize it. Two
hands. Two feet. You will have.
perhaps, during the next year at least
$40 for charitable contribution. You
will have $500 cheerful looks, if you
want to employ them. You viii have
5000 pleasant words if you want
to speak them. Now, what an amount
that is to start with.
On the street tomorrow morning,
you will seee a sick man passing along.
''Ah,n 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
$500 cheerful looks that you have gar
nered 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 a
little farther on, you will come to the
store of a friend who is embarrassed in
business matters. You will go in and
say. "What fine store you have!
think business will brighten up, and
you will have more custom after
awhile. l 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 ell
bow on table, spread with all extrav-
agant viands, looking off at dog on
the rug, saying: How | would like to |
change places; be the dog and he be
Col. Gardiner" or, those two Moravian |
missionaries who wanted to go into |
the lazaretto for the sake of attending |
the sick, and they were told: eff you
go in there you will never come |
out. We never allow anyone to come |
out, for he would bring the contagion. -
Then they made their wills and went |
in, first to help the sick and then to die. |
Which was the happier-Col. Gardiner
or the Moravian missionaries dying for |
others? Was it all sacrifice when the |
missionaries wanted to bring the |
Gospel to the negroes at the Barba-
does, and, being denied the privilege, |
sold themselves into slavery, stand
ing 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 |
goodl 1t is the most magnificent recrea-
tion 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. l was read
ing of 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" 'Ohr' they |
said, II guess not; you don't seem to
be sick II shall die at six o'clock and
my soul will be lost. / know it will
be lost. have sinned away my day |
of grace The noon came. They de-
sire her to seek religious council. 'Oh,
she said, sit is no use. My day is done.
1 have been all the rounds of
worldly pleasure, and it is too late. /
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. Destroying
spirits, We shall not have me yet; it is not
6; it is not g." The moments went by, |
and the shadows began to gather, and
the clock struck six; and while it was