Year: 1859

hNNO "a hunuith hub DIdCIlCdl UDWtI
of another man whose stock of vitality is
the same, the reason being that the organs
of action, through which vitality manifests
itself, and by which it works. are better
trained in one case than in the other. Use
is the condition of development, of all the
powers of the body and the soul. Facility
of action comes by habit A many from
any outside profession, obliged to write a
daily brace of leaders for the newspaper.
would break down in six months, while the
accustomed editor would not find himself
fatigued beyond his won't The greatest
mind in the nation would find itself per-
picked and exhausted in the attempt to
make horseshoe, while some humble ap.
prentice Of the smithy would make one of
superior excellence with comparative ease.
The greater the facility that may be ac-
qured in the use of organs and faculties,
the smaller the draft will be upon the vi
tality that feeds them. The reason why
some men accomplish so much more than
othe IS not, generally, that they have
more vitality than others, but that the fa-
ciltv of labor which use and habit have Civ
en- them enables them to do more without
vital exhaustion.


Now life means but little unless it means
that we are in state Of education-a con-
dition in which our powers and faculties
are to be educed. If we are not in train
ing for something, this life is one of the
most serious of all practical jokes. Labor
in all its variety, corporeal and mental, is
the instituted means for the methodical de-
velopment of all our powers, under the di-
rection aud control of will. Through the
channels of labor this vitality is to be di-
rected. Into practical results of good to
ourselves and others it is all to flow, and
those results will prescribe the method
which we need. 1t is to secure this great
end Of development that the prizes Of life
are placed before us as things to be worked
for. When we get these prizes. they seem
small and, intrinsically, they are of but
little value, They are, in fact, little better
than diplomas that testify of long labor,
worthily performed. Still before us rises
worthier good, to stimulate us to harder
labor and higher achievement. Still the
will urges on the organs of the body and
the faculties of the mind till that habit
which is second nature gives them the law
OF action, and employment itself becomes
its own exceeding great reward


STILL the most industrious of us feel, at
times, that we are laboring by compulsion
Often both the spirit aud the flesh are un-
willing and weak. We are goaded to la
Dor by need We are urged to labor be-
cause we are ashamed to be idle Many a
man, bowed down by his daily toll, looks
forward to the grave for rest and far be
it from me to tell him that he is looking
and hoping for that which he will never
experience. ] do not believe there will be
any hurry in eternity, or any such necess-
ty of labor as we have here. If | have o
competent comprehension of the spiritual
estate, it will tax US but little for food and
clothing and if the labor to which we
devote ourselves here shall train us to fa-
cility in the use Of our powers, the work
that will be given to us to do there will
be sOmeththing to be grateful for We
shall have all the rest we want A sleep
of century will make no inroads upon
our time, if we need any such sleep. But
have an idea that when the clogs are off,
and the old feeling Of youth comes back,
VIC Stdil DC BIdl W nave W uOt
and that the use Of powers which labor has
trained under the direction of will for wor-
thy ends will be everlasting play, as keenly
enjoyed as the play of the restless boy,


1t is only as we look upon labor in this
light that we understand its real value and
significance. If the prizes we win are all
the reward that labor brings, it pays but
poorly. But labor like all the passages
through which God would lead our life, is
full of incidental rewards The man who
carves the channel of laborious life taps
the springs of tributary joys through every
mile. Health is au incident of powers
well trained and induStriously employed
Self-respect wells up in the heart of him
whose energies, under the control of his
will, are directed to worthy ends. Popu-
lar regard crowns him who is a worthy
worker. The sleep Of the laboring man is
sweet, and none but he knows the luxury
of fatigue. Temptation flies from the ear
nest and contented laborer and preyS up
on the brain and the heart Of the idler--
Labor brings men into sympathy with the
worthy men Of the world So, there is
enough of JOY to be found in labor if we
will only mark its source, to encourage and
content us, even if the great end Of labor
be somewhat hidden from us, as it doubt
less is from multitudes of men.


This vitality of which l have been talk
ing will find vent somewhere. If, under
the direction of the will, it is not taxed
for the support of methodcal labor, it will
demonstrate its nature in irregular ways
Wherever we find profession or calling,
excellence in which demands great vital
power, and exercise in which taxes that
vital power but little, or only for brief pc
riods Of time, there we shall find vitality
seeking demonstration through the pas
sions. No person can be great singer, a
great actor, a great orator, or great wri-
ter, without great vitality. In the case
Of the singer, the actor the orator. this vi
tality, absolutely necessary for great sue
cess, is only subject to draft on occasions
In the lives of all these people there are
long intervals of repose, in which the un-
used energies seek expenditure. As nat
ural consequence, they are subject to g eat
temptations, aud their apses from virtue
are notorious ! would traduce no class
of person in the world. There are among
these classes as pure and noble men and