Year: 1867




BY REV. HENRY WARD BEECHER.


The necessity Of activity, the indispensa-
bic necessity of occupation, engagedness in
it, continuous activity, work in all its multi
piled forms-this Is tn; law of the human
condition. 1t has been supposed by some
that when it was declared to fallen man that
with the sweat Of his bTJw should he eat Of
MS daily bread, labor vas introduced as a
punishment, and that man was cursed with
the necessity of working as the ground was
cursed withweeds BUTT will bear no such
construction. 1t ismgahic. II anteceded
any change in man 5 moral condition. 1t
is evidently principle inherent in man $
primal state, that he shall be a being
healthy by activity. Aud to sig that & man
has had this super imposed is substantially
affirming that he was made over again. For
this is fundamental law eryading the
whole economy of man-that lie shall be ae-
tive, that he shall work. 1t the law Of
health; and health is the fountain of the
lower forms of happiness and it is the con-
dition, also, to a very large extent, Of the
higher forms of happiness Although it is
uot Immediately their cause, il is their con
eomitant and their condition. And there
can be no such thing as vigor, robustness, or
buoyancy of spirits, which is the token of it,
without suitable exercise.


There is no one law oflabor, or work, or
activity, which measures all men alike.
What is active, and what is the measure of
activity, is relative to each mans organiza
ton, to his nervous system, to his bone and
blood and muscle. The law is general that
activity is the condition Of health; and moth
ing will more surely impair health than not
to use ones self Any part of man S
physical system-and, for that matter, any
part of his moral or intellectual organization
which is long disused, becomes weakened
if it does not become diseased. We know,
in point Of fact, that if a man be separated
from his fellows, if he be confined closely iu
cell where he can not use hand or foot,
the effect is in the first instance terrible
pain, and consequent upon that positive en-
feeblement. Then come degeneration, dis
ease, and premature death. A man can be
killed as surely by preventing activity, as by
the administration of the steel or lead. Ac-
tivity is as indispensable to health as motion
to the purity of water, or to the cleansing
of the air. Mental exercise and bodily ex-
ercise are essential conditions Of universal
health among men. And as it is indispen-
sable TO health, so it is indispensable Ia
happiness. For we are creators, within a
certain range. In one sense we are gods in
creation. For although we originate moth
ing, although that By which We work and
upon which we work is prepared for us by
the greater creative force, yet in our lower
sphere, and in orr small measure, VIC make
new combinations, and create even as God
in the greater sphere creates. And our
happiness is organic, and depends upon con
ditions of actiyity-not a mere aimless NOV
ing, but cohering, organized, intelligent
activity, not such activity as leads the in
tolerable 1y in these days of summer to buzz
with amazing. appearance of doing, and yet
doing nothing, nor that kind of incessant
pottering activity which springs from nc
motive, and accomplishes nothing; but that
activity which is an application of Lawful
means to proper ends. Beginning at the
lower ranges Of happiness, man win be hap
| nv in the pronortion in which he achieves
or hopes to achieve. The seeking to ac
compIish, the comprising the ends sought
and victory at every step-these furnish tn,
whole measure of what may be called secu
lar happiness.


The same is true of the affections 1t i
their activity in accomplishing results, guar
ding them, and guiding them, that eonsti
tutes their happiness. Their motion i
I their rest. And it is equally true Of the in