The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-09-10
THE VOICE OF THE PULPIT
A SHORT AND POINTED DISCOURSE
on THE USES OF WASTE.
Nv the Rev. A. T.. Dickinson, ID. D..
Pastor of the First Baptist
Church, Richmond, Va.

changed TO smooth paper; the paper.
covered with the wonderful hieroglyphics
Of A famous manuscript. was reproduced in
thousands OF cherished books. and then cast
on the IRE TO be burned. 1T is all over
said the children. watching the last spark
die away. But nothing is ever over" Of
dull cold ashes, which surely seem the end
NJ all beautiful, all useful things, comes
rotash. and of potash-but il is useless to
try counting the links Of an endless chain.
We are all in a way familiar with this
marvellous economy of nature, by which
everything is converted into something, no
matter how complete seems the destruc-
lion. Yet nature has another character
istic quite as startling; her tremendous
Willingness to neglect as we'll as
10 utilize, 10 lavish as we'll as
10 save, TO throw broadcast as well
as TO hoard. One scarcely knows which is
the more remarkable; her economy, or her
waste How many beautiful things there
are" exclaimed some one with sigh, "of
which there are no SPECTATORS Gold still
hidden in the mine; gems still unsought in
the unfathomed ocean caves; wilderness of
untrodden bloom as well as untrodden sand;
rnagnificence of sunrise and Of sunset. with
out the seeing eye that alone seems to make
them valuable UlllllOnS VI CS5S III tue ISL,
millions Of seeds in the flower. that at least
dozen Of the jttest may survive, come to
nerfection and hand down the ages the
legacy Of the past
How careful Of the type she seems!
How careless of the single life!'
How careful-how careless! How saving
how wastefull How thrifty-how lavish! A
single grain OF corn once fell by accident
into a potato hill; from IL rose stalk tnat
produced seventeen ears Of corn, on which,
4 fhora hQ
65ls grains, and the majority of. these
would produce six thousand more. Yet, on
the other hand. nature will sometimes sow
the SIX thousand grains in strange places,
where. perhaps. not one Will develop TO the
perfection of any use, or even or any
beauty. So m sch from so little! So little
from so muchl Which Of her moods is the
sincere one?
SEEKING A DEFINITION.
But what is waste? Primarily our idea
of it is something worthless. impotent. But
this is a derived significance with no
foundation whatever in reality. Nothing is
ever wasted as to power. 1t may not bring
forth good fruit, but 1t will bring forth
fruit 1t will produce something else. In
the mental world no mood is so insignia
cant. no word so trifiing, no act so small,
no thought so ephemeral but it will produce
results Wise was that hero Of Tennyson'
who
Broke the sentence in his heart
Abruptly, as man upon his tongue
May break il when his passion masters
him."
The fitting thought, the lingering idea
we think they are safe If shut up In the
mind. But they are not; you cannot be
we are doing harm Negatives are of no
value except in photography. More whole
some is it to believe in Satan than to deny
God" says Weir Mitchell. In the modern
interest in psychic science it is surmised
by as acute thinkers as Lafcadio Hearn
that thought may WELD , occult innue siTe
empty. swept and garnished;" something is
always entering or leaving it, Sow an act
and you reap habit; sow naolt ana you you
reap a destiny" What is more, SOW your
habit or your character and somebody else
desfinvi ..Remember that the within of to-
day is the impulse of tomorrow, the wish
of next week, the effort OF next month,
habit of your old age and the instinct OF
your descendants.
Nothing. therefore, ever can be wasted
in the sense of being absolutely thrown
away Even the imperfections of the phys
ical mental and moral world would nave
their use in giving us the pleasure of restor-
ing TO perfection. and. therefore almost the
pleasure OF creating perfectlon. Inc
.1oends his sbell With neaTl There are
even little waste places in many charac-
ter unadorned with actual flowers or gems
that so long as it is harmless, is often at
tractive. Who of us but sympathzes with
the character in Ruth McEnery Stuart
story: His ma wuZ q powerful GOOD
woman; but I've known heaps o. wuss ones
that wuz pleasanter to live With" Shaks-
peare hath IL that best men are nodded out
OF faults and even cites examples where
Your virtues, gentle master.
Are sanctifed and holy traitors TO YOU
Faults are often not independent qualities
but exaggerated virtues Restore abnormal
ohstinacy TO normal perseverance. annoying
curiosity to imaginative investigation indo-
lent gossip to actual interest. Intellectual in
dOlence TO productive repose. eXhaustins
restlessness 10 healthful activity. and you
have the overwaste turned to account with
the thTiftiness OF nature herself. A wise
man will profit even by bad example:
"'Who in politeness. Lokman. was thy
The impolite.' the learned sage replied"
VIEWS OF GREAT THINKERS.
Three great thinkers have alike seen the
uses of what TO the casual vision seems
wasted opportunity or material; La Roche
foucauid. the cynic admits that faults may
enter into the composition of virtues, as the
most effectual remedies are often based on
pOisOns: Renan exclaims i'm sudden reverent
insight: Thanks o heaven. for our weak
ness, Thanks for the confidence Thou hast
in our powers of suffering while Ruskin
at once the most intolerant and the most
gentle of men, has. perhaps. summed UP
things are literally better lOvelier and
more beloved for the imperfections which
have been divinely appointed. that the law
of human life may be effort and the law
of human Judgment, mercy
So We find IL positive advantage that the
world should be. not storehouse of valu-
able things, with doors and windows from
which to cast away waste: but a labora-
tory. where each thing. as it is worn out in
its first service, develops into elements fol
another service, and almost invariably q
higher service. 1t is sometimes urged as a
reproach that some people only give away
things they don't happen TO want them
selves" Truly, IL is a lovely thing. when
10 make another happy, we saeffice some
thing we should greatly like 10 keep our
selves: but the world needs the lesson OF
always needing to give 10 some one else
that which 10 US is waste. but 10 them may
be wealth.
In the spiritual world there is the same
divine use for things worn out. the same
divine comfort for the inevitable wear and
tear OF valuable strength and power. Said
that odd writer. White. OF Selborne. there
never could be any such thing fine old
man; for IL he had had heart or mind
worth having, he would have been worn
out long ago" Every effort. physical or
mental, helps TO destroy; every emotion
generous or noble though IL be, tends to
weaken Something had to restore the bal
ance, and the sane man IS he who knows
how to constantly readjust himself.
COMPENSATION.
But there is enormous compensation for