Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-16
Sunday Morning Talk
The Philosophy Of a Good Time.

How often. especially at this season II
the year. when people are returning from
their holidays, we hear the conventional
question. Have you had a good timer II
those who answered yes" were asked to
ell exactly what kind of a good time they
enjoyed. the varying reports would be i'm
mensely instructive. for there is a wide diff
ference in the ideas people cherish of a
good time. To one 1t means "a book and q
shady nook: to another the chance to lie
On his back and look up at the stars and
the sky. to a third it means fishline and
good brook: to another. conversation on
high themes with few choice friends. and
to many others plenty to eat and drink,
race-track excitements. automobiles and
yachts. fine clothes in abundance, dances
and dinners galore
= Really there is a good deal of aimless and
wasted effort in connection with this BUSH
ness of having a good time. The conven-
tional idea of good time needs to be en-
larged and enriched. Suppose the manager
of big concern should some Monday call
his workmen and workwomen together and
say, Il have decided to give you all holi-
day with pay continued. Now go off and
have a good time 1t would be interesting
to watch where they went and what they
did. Not everyone is equal to the feat Of
obtaining good time. when the chance is
suddenly sprung upon him.
We all need to get rid of the idea that it
Is necessary to blow in a lot of money in
order to have good time. Some of the hap
piest outings are the most inexpensive. 1t
betrays low tastes and little inventiveneSs
when one is reduced for his good times to
the pleasures that money can give. A romp
with the children doesn't cost anything, but
to some gray-headed men of business it
often brings more delight than an elaborate
dinner at the club. A walk in the woods
with real friend may yield more happi-
ness than a costly automobile trip with
Tom. Dick and Harry.
One pretty sure test to apply to a good
time is this: Does it leave any bad
effectS?" Sometimes a night Of revelry
leaves behind 1t something more than a
brown taste in ones mouth the next morn
ing. Besides demoralized digestion and
an aching head, it leaves a sense of shame,
a disgust with ones self not necessarily
because of the grievous sin-a kind Provf-
dence sometimes saves even a roysterer
been sacrificed and prudence thrown to the
winds.
Then, too. genuine good time ought not
to involve harm to some one else.
Wicked old Herod got his good time by
summoning his stepdaughter to dance in
unseemly fashion before him and his
guests. She in turn and her odious mother
derived temporary pleasure from being
preScHteu Will TIE Hedu OF the falthIul
prophet. John the Baptist. But good time
obtained at the expense of some ones else
honor or virtue or health or life comes
altogether too high. In the midst of our
pleasures We do well to ask occasionally,
rs some one being caused suffering in or
der to give us momentary joy?"
The best safeguard Is to remember con-
tinually that the main end of life is not
good time, but work, growth. service. We
may daily now and then in alluring by
paths, but our feet must not stray too often
from the main highway. We have a clear
title to good measure of joy as we go
through the world, the old hymn says:
Religion was never designed to make
our pleasures less"
The great evangelist, D. L. Moody, was
once entertaining a jolly party of college
students in his Mortified home. The even
ing passed merrily with jokes and games.
and at its close Mr.. Moody. in the simplest
way imaginable, said. Now let's have a
word of prayer before we say goodnight
and falling his knees his first sentence
was .Oh, Lord, We thank Thee for this
good time we have been having" After all.
the truly religious man alone has mastered
the philosophy of good time.
THE PARSON. +