The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-07-10
Industry and Faith.

There is nothing subtle or mysterious
about the religion of industry. It IS to be
read by every man who has common
sense. To a company Of young people
once. that weIl-known philosopher. Mau-
rice De Guerin. said: IF that clock knew
that il was TO be destroyed the next
instant it would keep on striking the
hours unto IS time arrived. Be like that
clock Wh 1ver may be going to happen
10 you, strike always your hourg' It is
always the prayer of the healthy-minded
that their industry may continue up 10
the last moment. and de Guerins little
fable is paralleled by Stevenson's prayer:
The morning drum call on ny eager ear
Thrills unfoFgotten yet the morning dew
Lies yet undricd along my field Of noon.
But now pause while in what / do
And count the bell and trembie lest hear
tNy work untrimmedl the sunset gun TOO soon"
No man ever got anywhere in this life
through the doctrine Of laissez faire.
Even as children. most OF US were taught
of the dangers Of the "I-don't-care" att
tude. and now. as children Of a larger
growth, we still need TO be careful Of
the blight TO the spirit that comes from
indifference and indecision. The lesson Of
the clock is the lesson OF persistence.
The tfmepiece had its appointed work to
do, and It went at it wholesouIed. It
should be so with us. II does not really
matter in what sphere Of life we are
plaoed-to some, The pen: to others, the
sword; TO others the plow-it is life
In every walk; and by devotion TO in
dustry, which is the business of life.
we shall attain TO faith
Is it not wonderful 10 think how in this
little. narrow life Of ours our very light
est and most thoughtless actions may in
fuence the lives of others for good or
for III? When we neglect our work, do
not do the best that is in us, it is a bad
thing for the world, but 1t is an infinitely
worse thing for ourselves-lt is a mans
own soul on which the blight falls heavi-
est Laziness. sloth. Indifference. indecf-
sion-these are diseases Of the soul
that can be cured only by those who are
afflicted.
''Our remedies Oft N ourselves do lie.
Which We ascribe 10 heaF'n The fated sky
Gives rs fun scope; only doth backward pun
Our slow designs, when we ourselves are dull"
Industry and faith! Those are the tools
with which the human soul can do its
noblest work. can work out its own sal
walton. President Garfield said once:
Wherever a ship plows the sea or
plow burroughs the field; wherever a
mine yields its treasures: wherever a
ship or a railroad carries freight to mar
ket; wherever The smoke of the furnace
arises. or the elang OF the loom resounds.
even in the lonely garnet where the seam
stress plies her busy needle-there is
industry"
That is material industry. II wins such
rewards as the world has TO offer. and II
IS good, not only in its rewards. but in
its healthful influence on the spirit. But
there is. too, an industry of the soul that
must not be neglected The soul, like the
body, lives by what it feeds upon. and
though it be capable of expansion into
the infinite, we may yet stunt its growth
and dwarf its possibilities by dwelling
too much with our material hopes and
fears.
Let US understand. once for all, that
neither in mind nor body nor soul is it
permitted US TO stand stiH. Backward
or forward. down to the depths or up to
the heights. We are moving inevitably.
and there is. thank God. a divine impulse
within all of US. that urges us forward
into the light
There is so much to be done-so little
time in which to do II, that all of US NAV
well fear hearing tour work untrimmed)
the sunset gun too Soon There is no
progress possible unless in our hearts we
fashion work that is good; resolve with
all our heart and soul to accomplish 1t.
and then-forward 10 the fray! Let us
not be dismayed that We may not have
time 10 finish our task-let us bravelv
see how much We can do before the re-
verberation OF the sunset gun. For while
the passing minutes remain. they are
ours, to use as we viii. and it is for us so
to use them in industry and faith that
when the hour strikes and time is no
more. We may face the infinite mystery