The Washington herald., 1907-05-05
A LAY SERMON.
BY A LAYMAN.
Early 20 bed. and early to rise,
Makas 4 man LraIfLr rraalfhN nnl

g .
ooth sides Of the question Of sleep.
The text must not be taken literally. for
It would be very absurd to say that
every person who goes to bed early and
rises early VIII become healthy, wealthy.
and wise
II cannot. however. be doubted that 4
proper quantity of sleep Is very necessary
TO health. and the Iaggard who sleeps
100 much misses many opportunities OF
business which might add to his wealth,
and proper quantity of sleep is also nee
essary for a rest to the mind. This Is
no doubt IN brief, what the author OF
the text meant Sleep is the repose or
rest which is afforded by a suspension OF
the voluntary exercise of the bodily
functions. and the natural suspension,
complete or partial, of consciousness.
Sleep IS also applied to death as them
also which sleep I'm Jesus will God bring
with Him, and when 1 am forgotten.
as shall be, and sleep in dun cold mar
BILE"
a modern writer. in discussing the value
Of early rising, has said: "Misers get
up early in the morning. and burglars, I
am Informed. get up the night before.
John 6. SAKE, whom / quoted in the
sermon referred TO- wrote.
like the lad who when his father thought
10 10 eiip his morning nap By hackueyed phrase
vi Fsgfsnt worm by early s0ngstcr caught
Cried served bin nght-its not az an surprising
INC "oini was punished sir. Tor early rising." "
Christopher North wrote a treatise on
early rising, in which he said: None but
I En9Na "a 7 ef.-
matter-rises early. If he can help n
The truth is. there is a tendency in
these days 10 weaken larger morals and
. to strengthen the minor ones. Thus II
Is considered more whitening 10 accuse a
man OF bad taste than Of bad ethics.
Hence 10 accuse a man Of lying in bed
is regarded as equal in enormity to eat
ing opium or cocaine.
instead Of being regarded as a matter
or personal convenience it has come to
be looked upon By some as # It were
a part Of essential morals to get up early
in the morning.
or those who study the great art OF
lying in bed, there is one caution to be
added, even for those who can do their
WORK IN bed, like journalists. still more
ior those whose work cannot be done IN
oed, as, for example. the professional har-
pooher or whales, il must be obvious that
the Indulgence must b. very occasional.
The caution is this. IF you lie in bed
be sure YOU do il without any reason or
Justification at all. This does not mean
the seriously sick. But If healthy man
. lies in bed. let him do 81 without a rag
OF excuse, then he may get up a healthy
man. II he does IL for some secondary
hyslenle reason, he may get up a hypo-
chondriac"
In sleep and no animal has yet been dis
covered which does not sleep.
Yet, ] do not think any philosopher has
found either the efficient or final cause Of
sleep. or by what power the mind and
body are thus chained down in irresisti-
ble stupefsction
II is recorded Of Alexander the Great
that In the pride of conquest and intoxi-
cation of hattery. he declared that he
only perceived himself to Doe a man by
the necessity of sleep. Whether he CON
sidered sleep as Necessary TO his mind or
body. ID was. indeed a sufficient evidence
.of human inirmity; the body which re-
quired such frequency of renovation gave
but faint promise Of immortality, and the
mind, which. from time 10 time. sunk into
insensibihty had made no very near ap-
prOaches 10 the felicity Of the supreme
and sell sufficient nature.
There is no height of honor or happi-
ness from which man docs not eagerly
descend 10 a state OF unconscious repose
where I'm a short time. splendor fades
before the eye and even praise itself
deadens in the ear.
II q man could have all his desires
grauhed. even he who desires most. he
night I'm which he might contemplate with
complete satisfaction. or from which. If
he had the honor Of perpetual vigilance.
he would not long for rest.
The sleep Of infants has been the sub
ject of many beautiful savings by poets
and other writer's. but the sleep Of an
old man as described by Daniel Webster
In his celebrated speech i'm the White
case is. 10 my mind most beautiful The
world greatest poets have made sleep
the theme of some Of their finest verses
Shakespeare mentions il as natures soft
nurse that sleeps the senses in forgetful-
ness, ard shuts up sorrow eyes, and
Young calls IL. tired natures sweet re-
storer" There are many instances in
which too prolonged sleep has become a
disease. but some persons from habit
may bring themselves 10 sleep when they
will and wake when they viii Quin.
the celebrated comedian. Napoleon. the
philosopher Reid and others. are said 20
have commanded this faculty. on the
other hand, some persons have lived in
d state of constant wakefuiness and
scarce slept al all.
The celebrated Gen. Elliot did not sleep
more than four hours of the twenty-fOur.
Frederick the Great, it was said, never
slept more than five hours during the
same period.
It is generally conceded that in state
Of health the amount of sleep required
10 restore the nervous energy averages
about from six 20 eight hours.
Jeremy TAYLOR thought that three hours
sleep was sufficient Baxter thought four,
and John Wesley fixed the standard at
SIX hours. The larger number of men
who have distinguished themselves in
science, literature, and the arts. We are
told were early risers. Homer, Virgil
and Horace are all represented as early
risers, and the same was the case with
Franklin. Paley, and Priestly.
Whether we sleep little or much, we
can all Join with SanchO Panza in say
ing. Blessed be him who invented sleep,
and regard It as one OF the great bless
ings Of the Almighty. that "he giveth
his beloved sleep.
Gov. Hughes Strength.
s7rom the Providence journal