SERIOUS THOUGHTS.

Waikato Argus, Volume V, Issue 342, 17 September 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

SERIOUS THOUGHTS.

"Do the duty that lies nearest thee; thy second duty will already have become clearer."

An old world motto but none the less true '' Doe the nexte thinge " expresses the same thought. Is our " life's purpose all perplexed '' are we in doubt as to our future course, let us set our minds simply and faithfully do our next duty,_ however common and uninteresting it may seem, and it is wonderful how our life will open out before us. Duty to the younit appears as a stern mistress but as we advance in years we learn to look upon her as our best friend. Even if she assumes the humble garb oE " the daily round, the common task '' let her take us by the hand and we shall prove with Coleridge " that purest joy is duty." "The smallest duties will be large enough to occupy our euergies if sufficiently largo principles are involved in the doing of them." There is the magic wand which turns all into gold ? It is not what we do so much as what we are and what amount of character wo put into our work, that is of importance. The work itself is mere husk or outer shell. " Tho fire shall prove each man's work of what sort it is" say St. Paul. "Thoroughness must be a principle of our action " says Franklin, " whether ruling a kingdom or sweeping out a room. "A soul occupied with great ideas best performs small duties." " Who hath despised the day of small things." Is .«ot tho wing of a tiny fly who lives but a few hours and tho potal of a common field flower thiit blossoms but for one day as perfectly wrought as the giant forest tree that lasts hundreds of years and the mighty elephant? As soon as we to look down upon a task it ceases to bo well done or to bo educative. " Whatsoever you do, do it heartily as unto the Lord "is after all the secret of good work. If performed in this spirit each duty will serve as another step in the ladder and by it wo shall gain purer heights and clearer yiows. That_ we should only see ono step at at a time is so ordained by our All-wise and All-loving Father. . . . What would life be without its " cups of water," its small kindnosses, its tiny duties faithfully performed ? If we aim at perfection in everything we shall ennoble the commonest duties and he who has once known the happiness of a consecrated life will not willingly forgo it. "The trivial round, the common task Will furnish all we ought to ask Boom to deny ourselves, a road To bring us daily nearer God." (F) SYMPATHY AND HELP. The world is sympathetic—a statement none can doubt — When A.'s in trouble, don't we think B. ought to help him out \ Of course we have no time ourselves to care for any one, But yet we hope that other folks will see that it is done. Wc wish the grief and penury of earth to be relieved ; We'd have the battles grandly fought, the victories achieved; We do not care to take the lead and stand the brush and brunt, For at lifting we're a failure ; but we're splendid at a grunt. And there are others, so we find, as on our way w« i°n> Who want to do their lifting at the sjiali, end of the log ; They do a lot of blowing, and they strive to make it known That were there no one else to help, they'd lift it all alone, If talking were effective) there are scores and scores of men Who would move a mountain oil' its base, and move it back again ; But as a class, to state it plain, in language true audbluut, They are not worth a coin, for all they do is —grunt. —Chuistaix Would.