Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-02-10
"rHE MAN 49, ELS woRK.. !,

Inc Necessity lGf toll mas ever DecA
mans greatest Blessing. In human
society, as now inlp,rfectly constitut-
ed. it often works hardships, but its
opposite would produce absolute ruin.
The term work is however, not
to be applied 10 the toll OF any one
class Of men. Any eXpediture Of en-
ergy for purposes other than reeration
is work. 1t matters not what he does,
the man who amounts TO anything has
TO work Even the tramp often tolls
harder to get living without work
than ii lie were earning Il better living
IN the ordinary paths of labor
Voluntary idleness on the part of
sound NAH is utterly inaccessible, no
matter what may be his position in
society. Idleness is useless and, in
the long run, pleasureless. 1t is liar
a cheat, thief, and Il murderer OF
body. mind and soul. The man who
can work and won't is an outrage
upon decent society. a disgrace 20 hui
mainly. an enemy Of the State, and his
own worst foe.
Ii, then, man ought TO work, and
must work, it is important to know
what it viii pay best to do. Plan your
work. 4 mans life work is much like
the building of house. one OF the
worlds troubles is that it is full OF
"shack" builders-mcn who have
worked hard with 10 worthy and uni
flying purpose, or with no comprehen-
sive and definite pan--nlen who in Il
lifetime Of hard toll have accomplished
nothing Of value for any portion OF
their fellow men, not excepting their
wives ana children, and for themselves
not as lnuch rs an Industrious squir-
rel. who can at least boast a winters
foresight. Late in life they have
neither present comfort. hopeful pros
pect. nor cheering retrospect. They
have been always toiling and building,
but haze succeeded in accommodating
only poor, miserable shack, with,
perhaps. the ruins of few dozen old
shacks, the result of the toll of former
years.
Others. more careful of plan, build
better but, shorts GIFTED in purpose,
build upon the shifting sand OF cir
cumstance, and thus. for all their toll,
produce nothing secure and per-
n .nent. 1t is a pernicious doctrine
that circumstance makes mans for
tune. Circumstances have much to
do with the fortune of a successful
man, not because they made his sue
cess. but because. With unifying pur-
pose, wise planning, and plenty Of
well applied energy, he compelled his
success out of his circumstances.
Still others spend Il whole lifetime
of toll celebrating one room house,
Just for themselves-to die in. 1t is
a shame for man with ability and
willingness to do something worth
while in the world TO spend it all
upon his unworthy self.
And now, as to your plan. 1t is
foolish to pla' a house which will
collapse the moment you stop work
ing on it. When you lay a plan for
the object of your toll take in the en-
tire range of hfe-to-day, tomorrow,
the rainy day. old age, and the life
beyond the grave for there is such
life. What is the use of toiling all
day for what win not keep overnight?
What is the use of working for a life
time to get nothing which you can
use in al eternity~0f living vet to
come? "What shall it profit man If
he can glin the whc'e world and lose
his own soul?'
Then. take broad view of life.
with its needs and opportunities and
plan your worl. right from the start.
Plan such a life work as God, whose
you are. whether you acknowledge it
or net, can be pleased with and can
use IL his own great plan for you
and for the rest of mankind.
First, let it be worthy of a man;
let it include as its foundation, inspir-
alton, and hope the person and exam
pie Of that most wonderful of all man
ifestations of man. Jesus Christ, the
son of God. You can touch God
through him, if you will, and God
can thus reach and keep you. Re
ligion is the effort to adjust your life
to the fact and the will of God. A
life work without this is bound to go
astray. The most important thing in
the universe for a man is to find and
do what God wants Of him. This was
the key to the life of Jesus MY
food" he said, lis to do the will of
him that sent me and TO finish his
work" So it must be with you
Second. let your plan be essential
" unselfish, for unselfishness is of
itself the base and root Of all mis-
cry. You never saw an sendally
selfish person who was truly happy,
and you will be no exception to the
rule. Don't try it.
Third, let your plan cover life
time: not only a possible period of so
many years on this side of the grave.
but an eternal lifetime. To plan for
less is to throw away a large part of
the results of your toll.
Fourth. in planning for your par
ticular life task seek for that for
which you. by nature and circum-
stance. appear to be best fitted. That
is probably Gods plan for you; it is
at least as near it as you are likely at
the time TO G me.
Now. give God your life. Just tell
him you belong to him and he shall
have his own 50 far as you can deliver
it. Then with a prayer. in the name
of Jesus for the pardon Of your mis-
takes and for light upon the path
ahead as you need 1t. settle down TO