Norwich bulletin., 1916-09-02
Sunday Morning Talk
THE FOLLY OF OUR DIscoNTENT.

partment store is an interesting ex-
 perience-even with empty pockets.
 It would surely seem that every con
 ceivable want of mankind had been
 here provided for. It would appear,
 further, that many hundreds of wants have been invented by alert trades
 men eager to esta blish connection
 with your pocketbook and mine. Of
 the very uses of fully half of this
 merchandise our great grandfathers
 counter over, for Japanese dinner
 gongs! Automobile luncheon hampers on the fifth f1oor!) Yet our forbears
 lived tolerablY contended and useful
 lives.
 to discover, not how much of all this
 attractive and wonderful stuff you
 must have, but how much of it you
 can get along very nicely without. You
 will, perhaps. reach the conclusion
 that fully 75 per cent. of it has no
 vital connection with your health or
 happiness. If this be treason, the
 Sellem Brothers Company must make
 the most of it.
 As a matter of fact, we could live
 with far fewer material possessions
 than civilization has forced on us.
 Human discortent springs largely
 from human imagination. We get to
 thinking that we endure many priva-
 tions, which are really not privations
 at all The things we lack are simply
 things that the artificial standards of the age have made popular. We could do without them famously-if
 we only thought so.
 Man wants but little here below"
 declares the old hymn, ''nor wants
 that little long" The poet tells the
 acres of floor space and the grooming counters of Seilen Brothers that go to dispute him. Our real wants, on the material side. are few. Food. shel ter, clothing-these practically com plete the list, and all three might be infinitely simpler than now. if we only thought so.
 The distance, materially speaking, between the millionaire and the day laborer seems, sat first glance, a well view of the matter. however, the gap
 appears not quite so broad. Both re~ quire and, under normal, modern con- ditions, both receive, life's elemental gifts. The rich man has a more conn., plex menu and more expensive dishes on his board, but it is not certain that he eats better food. Ruffied grouse and terrapin may sound more elegant and taste better than Irish stew, bat | they are, perckance, no richer in the constituents that make brain and brawn. For Montmorency in his crest ed limousine, the air is no fresher. the fields no greener. the vault of heaven no bJuer than for Jones on l the end seat of trolley car.
 There is a difference, of course, be- tween the comfort and convenience of those who have much and those who | have little. But that should not blur l the fact of the essential equality of 1 privileges that we all enjoy.
 The real riches of life are so close at hand that sometimes we cannot see them. Cried the philosopher: 1 Give me health and a. day, and I will make the ponp of enperors rt- 1 diculousl" Let the essence of that perfectly valid reasoning sink in. The | sound body, the clear brain, the abil- l ity to work, to sleep. to enjoy whole 1 some pleaSure--these are suprenaely 1 great gifts. Who possesses them is better than a millionaire. It is folly, ! and worse than that, 1t is sin to epend life signing for an accumulation of brio brac, when the great prizes are already in our hands.
 Sitting our real wantss on what a 1 few things do we find them to cen
 ter! Having food and rainent, let
 us be herewith content The apos- 1 tolfc injunction is timely. Tn an age ! when the dollar sign is writ large, I when money so often hardens the hearts of those who have it and awakeus the jealous envy of those who have it not, it Is we'll to reflect how limited is it's potency after all. He is richest who can best appreciate | and most gratefully use those gracious and universal gifts Of God on which | ,h F, ~G