The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-16

Every man should eat and drink.
and enjoy tbe good Of ali his lab0ur, ,
1t is the gift Of God De these words
from EccIesiastes sound a little Epicu-
rean Is II the language of q man
addicted TO the l4lNuries Of the table
Has he who sounds the depths Of
gloom grown suddenly sportive? Has
the cynic turned optlmist?
Certainly these words are Hike "a
splash Of sunlight on road often
lonely and often dreary. The heavy
clouds part for a moment, and then
CLOSE again. But we have seen the
aun we know It il there. shining, shin
fng behind that ruassed melancholy;
and, SIS he himself says: Truly the
light ls sweet. and Il pleasant thing 1t
LIS for the eyes to behold the sun"
II Is, especially in land where 1t
ts largely obseured and in "a nature
which Is cast in deep shadows, as this
mans nature was.
8 Here. If only fer a moment, he be
holds the sun
every man should eat and drink"
It lis the suggestion of sane, strong
interest in life. which is the gift Of
God. Neither asceticisrn nor indpl-
gence 10 the order If Scripture. hut
wholesome ana grateful use Of the
means by which we live. Man does not
Hive by bread alone, but without bread
he does not live Mt all. In the Book
there Is TO refining away OF everyday
needs THE eyes Of all wait upon
thee: and thou givest them their meat
in due season" The frequent refer
ence to eating and drinking is both
impressive and instructive. II ia RS
ISOLATED with exceptional spiritual e%-
perience.
'Tney saw the God of Israel. and
there was under his feet. as IL were
paved work of a sapphire stone, and
SIS IL were the body If heaven in clear
ness they saw God, and did
cat and drink" Then a vision Of the
Highest is compatible with so com
mon thing as "A meal
"Elijah came to Ahab. and said
Get thee up, eat and drink, for there
liz u sound Of abundance Of rain The
ending Of a national calamity was to
be celebrated in the symbol Of glad
and healthy life.
So when David impressed upon the
great congregation the mercy and
goodness Of God, they did eat and
drink before the Lord on that day
with great gladness."
So when the Word was read in the
hearing of the people in the days Of
Nehemiah, recalling them from their
woridllness, and unsealing the foun-
tain Of their tears, Go your way cat
portions unto them Tor whoIn nolhlhk
is prepared Tor TINS day Ii hoIy nhto
the Lord neither ne ye sorry. Tor the
Joy OF the LORD IN your strength
or himself the master saad nc
Son or man came eAtlhS ana dFlhh~
ing The Man Oh sorrows was en-
ceedlngiy sociable EVen mis- atohIhB
sacrifice to emofafed IN the
bread ana the cup. AS OH AZ S7 eat
this bread and drink TINS cup Ye 40
show the LORD death VA ne come,
IL Is not surprising mat tHe Apostle
Panl shnnld- LIT the Whole matter INTO
heavenly places. whether therefore
Sc cat or drink, or whatever 5e GO
dc 81 TO the glory or Goa. ...,...
Every man should cat ana orinK.
Our workers should have enough 10
eat, ana their wives ana thlidren
should have enough To eat' 5000
housing and home comforts should
be assured 10 them. both as q chris
III = dutF and as "A matter or SOCIAL
ar J national advantage 10 everyone
concerned. u ~ the Will OF GOD Ana
then "2ll 1t ne easier than IL IL now
u utter these words N the depthS