The daily morning journal and courier., 1903-09-21

tlonS are necessary III OrQer lOf IL to produce its best effects? Can those fa- vorable conditions be produced, If we are skilled in that line of effort? The same questions may be asked about
 worship and attendance upon church services, about private devotion, about the reading of biographies and fiction and history. about recreations and so-
 cial diversions. about a hundred differ
 ent things which arise in home life, in
 private life. in business and in every | field where character is fashioned and
 exercised by young of old. The point of skill is to know how these things affect character, and to be able to turn them to the best account in producing in ourselves and others the 1 type of character desired; in other l words. to become skilled parents, skill i ed citizens. skilled -workmen in the | whole fields or character building. i Economy and thrift are virtues which ! come easily within any proper definition of right and Christian character: and yet one is amazed 70 see the lack of skill with which matters in this line are handled by multitudes of people who
 really. aspire to good character and high l ideals of life.
 Look for example at what we. are ! pleased to call domestic economy. Scarcely can one apply the word econ- 1 omy to this side of life without smile | at the maIapproDriateness of it. Be- cause of lack of skill and real general | intelligence in this phase of life, it is I easy to work the most reckless waste \ and the most foolfardy extravaganza
 through fads and fashions and follies
 which people have not the wisdom to resist.
 l The bearing which this has on charac-
 ter makes it the duty of the church to
 guide and assist its members in &C., | curing that skill which shall enable l them to judge truly and act wisely in matters of this kind, that in this partic-
 ular also one may give diligence to pres- 1 ent himself approved unto God, work ! man that needeth not to be ashed.
 | 3. But what about health and long l life? What business have we with that? Is not that the exclusive prerog- no means. By reason of our follies I and our ignorance and our accidents we
 must have the doctors; God bless them. But the Fates; we have no use or place 1 for. Wholeness and sanity of life is a | Christian duty inseparable from char l acter. and the lengthening of his days 1 is the privilege of every person under 1 the normal conditions of life.
 | There are two principle difficulties in | the way of the great multitude. which | prevent them from improving their
 health and lengthening their days. One is ignorance of a mass of simple and nearby information about the common practices and conduct Of life; and the other is the lack of moral courage to
 put into use the knowledge which they do have.
 We are working together for skill in
 the conduct of life, especially as it af- fleets character. Both these obstacles ignorance and lack Of moral courage
 come souarely in our path--that path
 which leads to health and long life,
 which are primary considerations in
 complete and well rounded Christian
 manhood and womanhood. It is a sac-
 rilege for one thing, whatever other
 category of evil it may come under, for
 any person to spoil his health and short
 en his days by the ignorant and unskill-
 ed way in which he feeds and clothes
 and cares for the body which God has given for the joy and health of the soul.
 We may be able to impart some wis
 dom and skill in all these matters from time to time, but the main thing now is
 for every one to arouse in himself and
 herself an interest in these three lines of skilled workmanship, and to begin inquiring after information. Search l your papers and magazines; search the libraries: find out what the best books are and read them. But them so that you can study them. Hunt up all your
 friends who have wisdom on special points, and question them. Make these the subjects of your long and short
 conversations. instead of some of the
 subjects which have been worn thread
 bare. Visit one another. and cultivate
 new acquaintances for the sake of work. ing up the new subjects of interest. Lay out your seasons lecture-going with
 this in view. The economies in money
 and time and physical strength, which
 your new skill inaugurates, will more
 than make up for what it costs you year
 by year.
 But more important still than this, gel
 the moral help, and fellowship of some
 of the rest of us who are doing the
 same thing, and the moral support o
 the Divine Hand and go at work. Dc
 the things which you find to be wise il , the best way you can; and by doing
 then! learn to do them better. It is
 only so that you can even become ( skilled workman in the molding o character. in economy and thrift or il 1 improving health and well-being. | Is not this a profitable line of special ization for us, and can we give a goot account of ourselves if we do not under l take tt? Every man. woman and chilt is invited to join with us in the cultiva } fion of this skilled workmanship. "Giv, diligence to present yourselves approv } ed unto God. a workman that needetl , not to be ashamed"
 !, THE GREAT cREAToRE.