California Farmer and Journal of Useful Sciences, Volume 47, Number 24, 11 April 1878 — A GLORIOUS SERMON. [ARTICLE]

A GLORIOUS SERMON.

[James Vick so well known the world over, and who says so many good things ami writes them in his admirable books and magazines, has now in his April number of the magazine, which reached us just this moment, has sent out a grand and glorious Spring sermon to the world and we hope our business men will read this sermon carefully, ponder it well, and let it do them good.— Ej>. F.] WORK V*. RECREATIOy. The people of this country give more time to work and less to recreation, and work more violently and recreate more unreasonably, than any other people in the world. Whatever is to be done must be done with all the might, and moderation is a word unknown in our vocabulary. We mrt as though the object of all life's lalwrs was ■ almost within our grasp, and that with one mora earnest effort the prize would l>e gained; we'f(< as I though some unreasonable and furious conductor j had just announced "ten minutes for refresh, ments |" and drink as if the sole object was to get well tilled up in the least possible time.

< »ur recreations, designed for rest and a pleasant change, as the word recreation imports, are more wearing than work. A strange rest it is to rise before dawn and hurry to an early train, or ride all night, and then rush from one scene to another, like mail men I If fortunate enough to escape railroad and steamlioat disasters and run. away horses, and the usual results of ignorant and reckleta boating and bathing, we return from our recreations weary and worn. If even an afternoon is spared from business and devoted to pleasure, a horse must be procured, and one of a 2.30 gait is quite slow enough—for who would think of a walk in the woods and fields, if a horse could lie hired, begged or borrowed—so we ride at the highest possible speed that we can urge some jioor animal to make, smoke furiously, and too often drink riotously, an.' in this unhappy haste pass through j the world ■ t railroad speed. In our haste for i riches, and in the insane pursuit of both business ! ami pleasure, how sadly starved are the better parts of our nature ! How blind do we become to every holy pleasure I How many licautiful plants that strtw our pathway, budding with lwauty and blooming with gladness, are passed unheeded by or trodden under foot.

This eager, unceasing toil may result in wealth, —wealth earned at the cxjiense of health—money made at the cost ot head and heart—a heavy bank account and a feeble, suffering body and a starved soul—or, a sudden and fatal arrest, ere the prime of life is fairly reached, and a magnificent funeral. Wealth does not always follow. Business reverses meet the most industrious, energetic and pecseveriug. Hard times will come, aud then instead of casting anchor in some sheltered harbor, or taking in sail and riding out the stornt like the sailor in his ocean home, resting perfectly satisfied with safety without progress, we not only work harder than ever, but add worry to workaud many fall m the struggle. Often at such times tbe accumulations of a life are swept away. The golden harvest to secure which we hail devoted the best days ot hie, has turned to ashes, and left nothing but a wreck—health, wealth, ambition, all gone, — and mind untrained to mental pleasures. (..ranting, however, that life has been successful, wealth has come as the reward of toil, sud old age approaches gently and kindly. The time comes when every one must retire from active business, and then what is left but a miserable, pining, fretful old age I

Tin re is ■ better way. Every one engaged in active business should, as a restful and recupora j tive exereisc of l«>dy auil mind, pursue some work jor study entirely disconnected with the business

nf hit life, such as Horticulture, Botany, Geology, the use of the Microscope, etc. These studies ! truly furnish rational pleasure for every leisure hour, and when trouble or old age comes, a neverending source of delight. "For this," remarked an aid gentleman with whom we spent an hour botanizing along the primrose and cowslip bordered hedges of Kngland, "for means amr leisure to pursue my favorite study 1 have la!>ored long years, arol now am happy, enjoying the fruit of life's toil. " We have been in juirts of the world where not only every business man. but mechan- ! ics and laboring men, almost universally seemed \ to be devoting their leisnre time to tome study, or ■ "hobby," as it may 1* called.