Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-18
How to Have a Good Time
Text, L. Thes. v. 1924.
Sermon by
REV. FLOYD w. TOMKINS.

=
Hods love, OF Christ's salvation and OF
the Holy Spirits guidance. 1t gives us
strength to bear our burdens and as
surcs us that IL we endure patiently
we shall at last reach heaven. the
land of pure delight" And it makes
life inspiring because we know that
God has given US work to do for Him.
mere Is no excuse for dependency and
gloom. We are TO rejoice and be glad.
VI course there Is danger here, fo-
some people fail to understand that
ne Is serious. and they fritter their
une away in foolish arnuscmcnts and
neglect tho deep things OF the soul.
we must not be frivolous. But we
should be happy. and l am inclined TO
mink there is more danger Of heavi-
ness and sadness beclouding the life OF
christians to-day than there is OF too
Hhuch sunshine and JOY. So many duties
press upon US and SO many trials come
70 US, that we have TO fight against
oppression. which is one OF Satan's
temptations. and count our blessings"
Sod wants us to have n good time"
only He wants 1t to be really a good
''he and not silly idle time.
There are certain truths TO guido us.
anu IL Is well 10 observe them. The
hrst Is this: God is working His pur-
pose out and we must trust Him per
tectiy. "All things work together for
Eood 10 them that love God" cries ST.
."ui 'homans Will, 2S). and that ought
70 Keep US from fear and doubt. II
VIC really love God and believe in Je-
sus Christ. We Will rest in condolences in
spi'e OF our own weakness and pain
1hcre can be no real good time for
20 unless we trust God perfectly.
GOOD TIMES COME
WHEN WI: THINK OF OTHERS
second truth is that good times
come when VIC think OF others rather
tHhh OF ourselves. The selfish and
-a"sorbcd man can never really en-
Wy himself Christ's happiness, we
NaS 'everently say. both in heaven and
was marked by tho love
w"'ch led aud still leads Him to plan
!or our happiness. No one can read
.he Bible iDtclligently withou, seci,r
20" zoo from Genesis 10 Rcvelation
was always thinking OF His children
would be happy l mus, find that
49, ana divine Joy OF ministcring To
e'hess and seeking TO make them ,,I,d
And third truth is tha, mr. 80,
1.''c rests upon the glad consciousnnss
ot ooas presence with us Tho MOI
"a'e my dear divine Friend in all nv
thoughts and know that He love. W.
"u "'sAes me to be happy and is in
IN al the things do, the
HureF NY Joy Will be- i, will n.ro
s'"uhass pure and good. and +, viii
~''''''"Se KS value i thousandfold.
earring these truths in mind 10,
aet now We may have a good lin.
49, "'St' !ct us remember that 90
US TO play as well as TO work
80 i'e wishes us 10 throw our whole
heari into our play as well az 49,
"oTk. II is splendid 10 lavpb 90 w.
ouF friends and have social times ,,,,,,
!'ose whom we love. God Is 1, ~.
nome where there is singing and h,n~
a.. 40 "ei! as IN the church where
~. "orship him. No man has righ,
10 cenS himself rest ana measures =,
Is as much his duty TO hiInseI. ava -
Hod 10 have his vacation In Tho s,,,,
MGR as 1t Is To work hard dr-Inr m.
"ih'er' Ihe moment when toll IL laid
ASIDE is as pleasing to God as tic
moment when toll is taken up. Nature
teacAes us this. and the Bible ,eac,os
It, and Christs example on earth Is
clares it.
NO ONE SHOULD DENY
HiHsEhF REST AND PLEASURE
love to think, especially in these
summer days OF how Jesus said 10 nj.
disciples; Come ye yourselves apart
INFO "A desert Chat Is, quico pIacc
and rest while" Never think va,
az disioyal to your Master when Won
rest or when you meet for n happy
TIME with your friends. Sometimes
! love 10 go downtown at the noon
non! and enter the lunch rooms ana 20
mo the factories whore workers are
eating and resting. There are soIne
happy places provided by the Business
Women's Christian League" where busy
women come for their lunch and for
few moments of singing and play.
and it Is delight to visit them. God
Is there as we'll rs in the church or
the workrooms. and He Is happy I'm
HIS chi!dren's relaxation even as He
Is happy in their industry at other
times. And churches do we'll when they
have gatherings Of their people for a
social hour. Yes. and our worsnIp
should be glad thing also. Some
people think it is wrong to smile I'm
church. l do not. Henry Ward Beech
or was once demonstrated with by
some of his trustees because he said
things In his sermons that made pco-
pie laugh; and he answered: "Gen,.e-
men. If you knew how much OF mer-
rIment hold back you would not blame
me for the little let out" And there
by he proved what happy thing re-
ligion was to him.
Again, in our work, we should be
happy. good time can be found
even Ia our busiest moments If we
work with cheeriness. and such cheeri-
ness is wise, for we do our work much
better when our hearts are happy. Toll
should not be considered as a curse
but rather as a blessing.
WORK INTENDED NOT AS
BURDEN, BUT PRIVILEGE
When God gave Adam some work to
do 1t was not intended as burden
but as privilege. making his rye
happier and stronger. If a man or
a woman is normal nothing can bring
such unhappiness as idleness. That Is
why we pity an idle man. even though
he may not pity himself, for we know
lac /. not having a good time. in spite
OF the fact that he thinks he is. When
good mother sings as she works IN
the home, when man whistles as he
goes to his toll in the morning, wnen
there are smiles from n sunny heart
among tho workers. then we know how
God intends toll to be not n hardship,
but delight: yes. even when the work
presses and there are many anxieties,
there can be a good time, for we know
we are doing these things for God and