Year: 1876

to fasten itself like the ivy to the solid
masonry, or like the acanthus leaves to
the Corinthian column. Ennui is a dis
ease that springs up from the marsh of
idleness. II has broken more hearts than
were ever broken by love or religion.
Bancroft says: ambition itself is not so
reckless as ennui; clemency is the attri-
butte of ambition, but enhui has the taste
of cannibal." Jean Paul says: " A
scholar is never miserable" Thus il ap-
pears that out of constant noble employ
ment comes happiness as light from mo-
ton of an ether as music comes from the
vibration of strings.


submit, without argument, fifth re-
Election found in the influence of occupa-
tion upon public morality. Industry is
the mother of Virtue.


From these tn oughts let us pass to con-
fess worth that attaches to the Christian
| religion. 1t is a religion SO wonderful in
its truths, and duties, and hopes, that it
comes to man with all the length and
breadth of pursuit. In hours of toll
and of rest, in the busy streets and on the
lonely ocean, in youth aud old age, it has
proved itself able to fill up all the chambers
of the soul, leaving no empty house in
viting the wandering evil spirits, but
showing us in the soul a temple with the
angels of God passing in and out at all
the windows Combining with all the
great or humble professions, winding IT.
self around the justice of the lawyer, or
the politics of the statesman, or the craft
ofthe artisan, or the studies Of the learned ,
it forbids the soul from sinking. 1t deco
rates all the pillars of the temple of being.
If 10 the ordinary pursuits of man we add
this pursuit, the Christian religion, you
will have found the best path along which
mortal foot can journey-the best as TO
the needs of society, the best as to public
morality, the best as to happiness.


If you will take your stand among these
virtues of a great pursuit, you will be en-
abled 10 interpret earth in a better light
Labor becomes pleasure. The protes-
sions become development of mind and
a consolation to the heart. There is to be
great calling, a divine mission, con
fessed by every individual, and then it is
to be faithfully pursued to the very last OF
life, and then this pursuit must be so com


bined with religion that it will look be
yond the grave. Armed with such a
mental and spiritual calling, the heavy,
dreary hours of earth will each year be
come fewer and fewer. The little things
of this life, its gold and silver, ana raj
ment and equipage, will be overshadowed
by the charms of ones own mission
Temptation to vice will affect very little a
soul so fixed in definite career. The
rudcncss of man, the slander of enemies,
will bring little grief 10 spirit full of Il
blessed self consciousness. Under the in
fluence of such an occupation OF the
heart, there is no longer any time that
drags slowly, but the days and years fly
along lightly as the touch OF angels
feet 1t is the lost soul that longs for
something to help it kill time" Hence
an English scholar said, Il pity the un-
learned gentleman on rainy day"
" Busy to the last' is no doubt motto
which Nature has written down for the
deep study and obedience of man. And
this principle, we'll obcyed, keeps away
the longest the tg0od-bye" to earth.
| The occupied mind and body build up a
vgor which Keeps death away. They
| IL, l,lJI,Dal ,rI hnar
tails away from earth, not as infants, but
as giants. The hermit, the monk, the as
cetic, the idle, shut themselves up and
think of death. At the age of fifty they
begin to weep at the approach of the grim
monster A tomb is always open before
them, and for ten or twenty years earth
stands before them draped in mourning.
This is not Gods plan, it is mans distor-
ton of nature. In the economy OF the
Heavenly Father death is to be come up
on suddenly In the Bible philosophy
you are to be always ready. The last hour
is not the one in which TO send for a
priest. The invisible and visible minis
ters of religion are to come to man In
youth and always attend the soul. In the
last hour one needs them not When God
is so near, the heart Can dispense with the
poor mediation of mortality.


How can we, my friends, gather up the
lessons of this hour? Remember the per.
lis of an empty heart. The evil spirits OF
| the wilderness swarm into it. Remember
the destiny of soul fully absorbed by a
lawful calling. That calling educates, il
is a school l-house whose doors stand al.
ways open, and whose teacher is love her
self 1t will protect from temptation and
sin when all preachers shall fail to con.
vince. 1t will bring happiness when the
giddy pleasure, seekers are sinking in de
spair. 1t will throw the whole world for
ward in virtue, and then will fill old age
with Joy and vigor and make death come
as sweet sleep in the calm eventidc.