Year: 1875

/ lote lHe gray dHu RTuInOie COHleb, nave
shelter for the long rainy days"


Hard Times.


We copy the following timely, as well
as eminently practical and sensible re.
marks on this much-talked-of, though
| disagreeable topic. from an article in the
NelD Jerusalem Messenger, published in
New York City. Although it presents
the subject in a rather different light
from that in which it is treated by the
majority of writers, we think it must be
admitted that the views it expresses are
both reasonable and just, and as such
will commend themselves to the ap-
proval of all right-thinking people. We
give them a republication, in the hope
and belief that their general circulation
will do good at the present moment,
when the depressing and persistent cry
of 6 Hard Times" is SO generally heard
throughout the land:


"0ne of the Messengers correspondents
speaks of an occasion upon which the SUBJ
ject OF the present hard times was discussed,
and the conclusion was arrived at, that we
ought to live more simply, even though we
should have sufficient wealth to spare
sumptuously and indulge in ostentation.'


$50 far as indulgence in ostentation is
concered, there is room for but one opinion,
and tina. opinion is, that all such indulgence
is wrong, for rich or poor. 1t shows weak
mind, and is in direct opposition to that
humility which the Lord requires of his dis
ciples. But when it comes to the question
whether our habits may rightfully be simple
or elaborate, that is another matter.


"What we all should wish to do, is our
individual duty. Is it our duty to live more
simply? OF course this question must be
decided by each individual in accordance
with his individual circumstances. If any
one is living beyond his income, at time
when there is no special reason for doing so,
such as loss of usual income, or increased
expense by sickness, then it is plainly his
duty to live more simply. This is so plain
that every one can see it to be SO but the in
dividual himself. .r i@


"If any one consumes, for himself or
family, articles of luxury for which he has
not the means to pay, he does wrong; but
we do not find that he does wrong because
simplicity is, in itself, better than elegance,
but because he violates thatrul of common
honesty which forbids the appropriating to
ourselves the goods of others.


"Thatit is the duty of any one to live sim.
ply while he has the means to live in ele-
gance, do not see. Let US for a few mo-
ments imagine ourselves rich-a purely
imaginative condition for the writer. We
have been living, say, with two or three men
servants, and with, perhaps, as many female
servants. Now, suppose that we, finding
the times hard, become converts to this doc
trine Of simplicity. We think that we can
Just as well get along without our servants,
and live in more simple, healthful manner.
So we sell our horses, discharge Pete, the
coachman, and John, the gardener, and
Bridget, the chambermaid, and the rest.
What is the effect? Nothing very startling
for we are unit in society, and it makes little
difference what we do, any way. Pete, and
John, and Bridget simply find situations
with some one else, and we are as well off as
before. But suppose that all our neighbors
have become converts to this doctrine of
simplicity, at the same time, and that no one
is ready to employ Pete and the rest, because
they are all turning off help instead of hiring
more, is it not plain that our remedy for hard
times had made the times harder that ever
Pete, and Bridget, and the rest, having lost
their wages, have no means with which to
supply the daily wants of themselves and
their families: They can buy no clothing,
and therefore the whole army of artisans
who have found employment and support in
making the clothing are, in their turn, left
with no means of earning livelihood. The
factories will have to stop if no one buys
their productions. The carpenters and ma
sons must be out Of work if no one can afford
to build. The railroads must stop running
their trains if there is nothing to transport,
and if none can afford to travel. The cor.
porations in which our money is invested
can pay no dividends il their business has
been stopped by the hard times, and then
our own income is cut off by our own
economy. If we continue to apply the same
remedy, that is, continue TO economic more
and more closely, and all our neighbors do
! the same, it will but aggravate the evil and
there is no limit to the process, except in
that condition of barbarism in which each
individual lives only upon what he can
grasp, with his own hands, from the supplies
of nature. -


"Supposing ourselves rich, we see that we
are entrusted with money which it is our
duty to use judiciously, for the benefit Of
others as well as ourselves. If we decide
that we will live simply, spending for our
selves and families only what is necessary,
that we may have the more to give in charity
and then look around to see where we can
give, we shall find the opportunities for Civ.
ing in such a way as to do more good than
harm, surprisingly few. We can give a Lit
tie here and there to help poor neighbol
over a hard place; but we find that If we
continue to give, and give largely, we are
doing more harm than good. We find thai
we are destroying, in those to whom we give
that habit of self.dependence which sindis
pensable to prosperity. In whatever direc
ton we look for an outlet for large gratuities
We face the certainty that such gifts would
do more harm than good. But we have an
outlet for our surplus wealth, ready to oui
hand, in paying for articles of refinement OIL
comfort beyond the mere necessaries oil
life; and money to spend performs its
| legitimate use, in that it sets the
wheels of industry moving throughout the
| land. r.r'-.


"Let us, then, give up our ideas of sim
plicity. Let us buy from the farmer that pail
of horses he has been raising, if our tastel
leads ms that way, and pay the carriagt
builder for carriage, and Pete for taking
care Of them. Let us have John back il
the garden, and Bridget in the chamber
Let us pay the printer for books and papers
the painter for pictures, the keeper of thu
silk-worm, and all the army of workmen whc
handle the silk after it leaves his hands, fol
| silk apd satinS ~