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religion；　and　a　thousand　volumes　of　literature；　pure　and　simple。





WHEN　TO　READ。



First；　read　at　regular　hours。　　This　is　for　those　who　follow　literary

pursuits。　　　No　professional　person　should　respect　himself　in　his　work

who　has　no　special　time　for　reading　and　study；　and　who　does　not

conscientiously　adhere　to　it。　　The　pulpit；　the　law…office；　the　doctor's

office；　the　teacher；　and　the　editor's　desk；　each　clamors　for　the　man；　the

woman；　who　can　think。　　To　appreciate　God　and　to　sympathize　with

the　human　heart；　to　know　law　and　the　intricate　special　case；　to　understand

disease　and　relief　for　the　suffering　patient；　to　have　something　to　teach

and　to　know　how　to　teach　it　even　to　the　dullest　pupil；　to　know　human

character　and　to　be　able　to　enlighten　the　public　mind　and　the　public

conscience；　all　this　requires　in　the　one　who　serves　a　deep　and　growing

knowledge　and　experience　which　may　be　realized　only　in　the　grasp　of

truth　contained　in　the　up…to…date　and　best　authorized　books。　　The　use

of　books　with　this　class　of　persons　is　not　optional。　　They　must　buy　and

master　them；　or　a　few　years　at　longest　will　relegate　them　with　their　old

books　and　ideas　to　the　dusty　garret　where　they　belong。



Then；　many　must　read　on　economized　time。　　The　farmer；　the　mechanic；

the　merchant；　the　shopkeeper；　each　may　find　a　little　time　for　daily　reading。

Ten　minutes　saved　in　the　morning；　ten　minutes　in　the　afternoon；　and　ten

minutes　in　the　evening；　this　is　half　hour　a　day。　　In　a　week　this　gives　one

three　hours　and　a　half；　in　a　month　fourteen　hours　of　solid　reading；　and

in　a　year　one　will　have　read　seven　days　of　twenty…four　hours　each。　　Think

of　what　may　be　accomplished　in　an　average　lifetime　in　common　reading

by　the　busiest　person；　who　really　wants　to　read。　　　〃Schliemann；〃　the

noted　German　scholar　and　author；　〃as　a　boy；　standing　in　line　at　the

post…office　waiting　his　turn　for　the　mail；　utilized　the　time　by　studying

Greek　from　a　little　pocket　grammar。〃　　〃Mary　Somerfield；　the　astronomer；

while　busy　with　her　children　in　the　nursery；　wrote　her　'Mechanism　of

the　Heavens；'　without　neglecting　her　duties　as　a　mother。〃　　〃Julius　Caesar；

while　a　military　officer　and　politician　found　time　to　write　his　Commentaries

known　throughout　the　world。〃　　William　Cobbett　says：　　〃I　learned　grammar

when　I　was　a　private　soldier　on　a　six…pence　a　day。　　The　edge　of　my　guard…

bed　was　my　seat　to　study　in；　my　knapsack　was　my　bookcase；　and　a　board

lying　on　my　lap　was　my　desk。　　I　had　no　moment　at　that　time　that　I　could

call　my　own；　and　I　had　to　read　and　write　among　the　talking；　singing；

whistling；　and　bawling　of　at　least　half　a　score　of　the　most　thoughtless　of

men。〃　　Among　those　whom　we　all　know　who　have　risen　out　of　obscurity

to　eminence　through　a　wise　economy　of　time　which　they　have　used　in

reading　and　study；　are；　Patrick　Henry；　Benjamin　West；　Eli　Whitney；　James

Watt；　Richard　Baxter；　Roger　Sherman；　Sir　Isaac　Newton；　and　Benjamin

Franklin。







VII。



SOCIAL　RECREATION。



DEFINED。





The　normal　young　person　who　does　not　dissipate　is　bursting　with

life。　　The　natural　child　is　activity　embodied。　　The　healthful　old　person

craves　exercise。　　Life；　activity；　exercise；　each　must　have　some　method

of　spending　itself。　　Some　normal　method；　some　right　method；　some

attractive　method　must　be　chosen。　　By　normal　method　we　mean　that

which　calls　into　use　the　varied　faculties　and　powers　of　the　entire

being；　body；　mind；　and　heart。　　By　right　method　we　mean　that　which

does　not　crush　out　a　part　of　one's　being；　while　another　part　is　being

developed。　　By　attractive　method　in　the　use　of　life；　activity；　exercise；

we　mean　that　which　appeals　to　one's　peculiar　desires；　tastes；　and

circumstances；　so　long　as　these　are　normal　and　right。　　Some　chosen

profession；　trade；　or　work　is　the　rightful　heritage　of　every　person。

Each　man；　woman；　and　child　should　know　when　he　gets　up　of　a

morning；　what　his　work　is　for　that　day。　　Consciously；　or　unconsciously；

he　should　have　some　outline　of　work；　some　end　in　view；　some　goal

toward　which　he　is　stretching　himself。　　Dr。　J。　M。　Buckley　asks：　　〃Have

you　a　purpose　and　a　plan？〃　　And　answers；　〃Life　is　worth　nothing　till

then。〃　　The　child　is　in　the　hands　of　his　parent；　his　teacher；　his　guardian。

These　must　answer　to　Destiny　for　his　beginning　and　growth。　　〃Satan

finds　something　for　idle　hands　to　do。〃　　Hence　the　necessity　of

vigilance　on　the　part　of　those　who　hold　the　young。　　But　〃all　work　and

no　play；　makes　Jack　a　dull　boy。〃　　This　rule　is　good　whether　〃Jack〃　be

a　puny　girl；　a　feeble　grandfather；　a　hustling；　responsible　father；　a　busy

mother；　or　even　a　mischievous　lad。　　Every　person　who　rises　each

morning；　dresses　himself　and　goes　about　his　work　as　if　he　knew　what

he　were　about；　who　has　some　useful　work　to　do；　and　does　it；　sooner

or　later；　needs　rest。　　True；　night　comes　and　one　may　rest。　　And　sweet

is　the　rest　of　sleep；　a　third　of　one's　life　is　passed　in　this　way。　　Sancho

Panza　has　it　right　when　he　says：



〃Now　blessing　light　on　him　that　first　invented　sleep！　　It　covers　a　man

all　over；　thoughts　and　all；　like　a　cloak；　it　is　meat　for　the　hungry；　drink

for　the　thirsty；　heat　for　the　cold；　and　cold　for　the　hot。〃　　But　one　craves

a　recreation；　a　rest　which　work　nor　sleep　can　give。　　Man　has　a　social

nature；　a　longing　to　mingle　with　his　acquaintances　and　friends。　　Let

one　be　shut　in　with　work；　or　sickness；　or　weather；　for　whole　days　at　a

time；　and　see　how　hungry　he　gets　to　see　some　one。　　A　recreation　at　a

social　gathering　literally　makes　a　new　being　out　of　him。　　He　is

recreated。　　It　is　this　form　of　recreation　that　we　consider　here；　social

recreation。





A　NECESSITY。



Social　recreation　is　a　necessity　in　a　well…ordered　life。　　As　with　many

other　common　blessings　we　forget　its　benefits。　　Nor　are　these　benefits

so　evident　until　we　see　the　blighting　result　in　the　life　of　the　one　who；

for　any　reason　whatsoever；　has　become　a　social　recluse。　　We　have

known　a　few　persons　who　have　once　been　in　society；　but　who　have

allowed　themselves　to　remain　away　from　all　sorts　of　gatherings；　for

a　number　of　years。　　In　every　case；　the　result　has　been　openly

noticeable。　　They　have　become　boorish　in　manners；　unsympathetic

in　nature；　and　suspicious　in　spirit。　　Thus　they　have　grown　out　of

harmony　with　the　ideas　and　ways　of　those　about　them；　have　come

to　take　distorted　and　erroneous　views　of　affairs　and　of　men。　　Man　is

a　composite　being。　　Many　factors　enter　into　his　make…up。　　He　lives

not　only　in　the　physical　and　intellectual；　in　the　religious　and　social；

in　a　local　and　limited　sense；　but　his　life　expands　until　it　touches　and

molds　many　other　characters　and　communities　besides　his　own。　　In

all　of　these　spheres　of　his　influence　and　work　on　needs　to　be　sobered

down；　corrected；　stimulated。　　In　no　other　way　is　this　better　accomplished

than　through　one's　very　contact　with　his　fellows　in　the　religious

gathering；　among　his　workmen；　in　the　political　meeting；　at　the　assembly；

in　the　social　gathering　whenever　and　wherever　persons　may　see　one

another　and　talk　over　common　interests。



A　SPECIFIC　SENSE。



In　a　specific　sense；　by　social　recreation；　we　mean　those　pastimes　and

pleasures　which　all　persons；　except　the　social　recluse；　enjoy　as　they

meet　to　spend　an　afternoon　or　an　evening　together。　　Now；　how　may

we　get　the　largest　amount　of　pleasure；　of　rest；　of　recreation　from　such

gatherings？　　How　may　we　best　benefit　ourselves；　inspire　one　another；

and　in　it　all；　honor　God？　　It　is　no　small　task　to　accomplish　these　three

ends　in　all　things；　in　one's　life。　　We　have　agreed　that　some　social

practices　are　positively　bad。　　And　we　have　tried　to　show　why　the

〃tobacco　club；〃　the　〃social　glass；〃　the　〃card…party；〃　the　〃dancing…party；〃

and　the　play…house　reveries　should　be　avoided。　　We　have　left　these

forms　of　so…called　〃questionable　amusements〃　out　of　our　practice　and

let　our　of　our　lives。　　To　what　may　we　turn？　　Where　may　we　go？　　We

turn　to　the　social　gathering。





BUT　IT　MUST　BE　PLANNED。



No　social　gathering　can　successfully　run　itself。　　See　what　forethought

and　expenditure　are　given　to　make　successful　the　〃smoking…club；〃　the

〃wine…social；〃　the　〃card　and　dancing　parties；〃　and　the　〃theater。〃　　Not

one　of　these　institutions　thrive　without　thought　and　cost　in　their

management。　　Put　the　same　thought　and　expense　into　the　gathering

for　social　recreation；　and　you　will　find　all　of　the　merits　of　the

questionable　institution　and　none　of　its　demerits。　　No　company　has

larger　capabilities　than　the　mixed　company　at　the　social　gathering。

Nor　may　any　purpose　be　more　perfectly　served　than　the　purpose　of

true　social　recreation。　　Here　we　find　those　skilled　in　music；　versed

in　literature；　adept　at　conversation；　we　find　the　practical　joker；　the

proficient　at　games；　and　last；　but　not　least；　those　〃born　to　serve〃

tables。　　This　variety　of　genius；　of　wit；　of　skill；　of　willingness　to

serve；　is　laid　at　the　altar　of　pleasure　for　the　worthy　purpose　of　making

new　ag