The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-03-04
PULPIT EDITORIALS.
nszivered by DIR. Frank Crane at Trinity
Church, Chicago, Preceding the Usual
Sermon Sunday, Feb. IS, 1898.
10 GET MORE OR TO WANT LESS.
copyright. 1881

One of the best books of the late holi-
sany season was an edition of Thoreau' 8
walden" by Houghton, Miffiin e. Co.
There is no better work for a young
man in these days, and especially a
young American, to read, If he would
Warn one of the profoundest and most
valuable secrets of life. The two vol
Eme edition in question is a beautiful
1etting for the classic treasure of
Ihoreaus thought. The introduction to
tAese volumes is written by Bradford
1orrey, who admirably gets at the heart
az the author, gives us a good biograp ply
81 him and presents to us a faithful
picture of his character. Mr.. Torrey
nsys that Thoreaus object in living for
aver two years alone in his hut by WAL
Gen pond, on twenty-seven cents a day.
was not to shun the world, as an un-
clean or communicating thing, but to
hve his own life, to think his own
thoughts, and, above all, to solve for
himself the question of how to live and
what to live for. Are you in want of
amusement, nowadays?" he writes to a
Nfriend Then play at the little game of
getting living. There never was any,
ming equal to 1t. Do it temperately.
though, and don't sweat"
Tire gist of Thoreaus philosophy was
the same as that expressed in the home-
" wisdom of Benjamin Franklin:
There are two ways of being happy:
We may either diminish our wants or
augment our means" Thoreau's ef-
forts were exerted in showing how to
do, the former. And it is especially VAL
liable to us because all around us men
are struggling to do the latter, and we
are apt to take 1t as a matter of course
that the increase of goods is the only
road to joy. This strange man built
Vim a hut by pond and lived there
summer and winter studying to see how
little he could need. One cannot read
his picturesque pages without catching
something of his enthusiasm for SIM
plicity. Have you ever practiced walk
ing by the shop windows and revealing
I'm the reflection of how many things
there are you can do without? Have
you ever delighted in foiling within
yourself the shopman's purpose? He
aims to show you how much, you are
using his display to prove to yourself
now little, you need. But there is
nothing new under the sun. Come to
think of 1t, 1t seems to me / have bor-
rowed that thought from Socrates.
And Jesus had the same view when He
aaid: Take heed and beware of covet-
BUSINESS; for a mans life consistent not
N the abundance of things which he
possesseth.''
, We make much of, we well-nigh wor- |
ship, advantages and equipment. We
speak glowingly of our opportunities. |
eur educations and trainings. These |
are all tools. But a man is greater |
&C., -
the things" of literature compared |
with the users! Shakespeare had no
typev ritter, Chaucer had no grammar
sunless a Latin grammar), Job had no
atenographer Dante had no patent let
crr-hle. Pepys had no access to clip
ping bureau, Homer doubtless had not
no much as q pen. Yet these are the
Kings of letters, crowned by the COM
mon consent of mankind. 1t makes lit
tie difference what you have with which
10 do a great work, IL 1t Is in you to do
"a God is not on the side of the strong
est battalions. Opportunity does not
make the man.
Mahomet wrote the Koran on the
xhoulder- blades of sheep. Shamgar had
mo artillery nor horsemen, but delivered
Israel with an OK goad. Sampson slew
the Phillistines with the jawbone of an
ssss David did the giant to death with
n pebble. Moses cleft the sea with
rad. The trouble with us now is that
we are apt to magnify our institutions
m the expense of the ever greater per-
npnality Colleges and training are good
II you can digest them, and If they do
mt eat YOU. But many of our courses
Of study are too strong for the medi-
ucre person who Is taking them; they
are taking him. do not wish to teach
xny one to despise training; so to under
stand me is to feloniously steal my
meaning; but to encourage the man
who Is so placed he cannot secure II.
Our shoreless sea of literature swamps
more geniuses than 1t floats. Shakes
veare's brain fattened on the sparse
nuffalo grass of Bocaccio and Plutarch;
while the stall-fed calves of this day
are not worthy to stand under the shad-
CIV of his barn.
When critical times have called for
1sators to put the burning emotions OF
the people into speech. who were the
men whom Providence set forth in an
.wer to the call? Bare-handed men
IKE Patrick Henry, Peter the Hermit,
Robert Emmett, and Whitfield. And
low many Would-De speh-pihuer'
stepped to the lips In the art of elocu-
ton (Which some one called the art
a teaching dog how to wag his tall
With battalions Of books and the artil-
lsry equipment OF sonorous voice,
drones on to a sleepy world!
80
True culture does not depend upon
advantages. II Is not denoted by the
base air of admiring nothing, the arti-
Hcial accomplishment OF walking
ehrough a wondrous world like block
head without lifting an eyebrow nor
cracking a smile upon an imperturbable
face.
Eye see yon birkie, cad lord.
VIVA struts and stares an a that?
Though hundreds worship at his wo"'