Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 November 1874 — Misspent Energies. [ARTICLE]

Misspent Energies.

Men do not attach a steam-engine to remove a straw, nor attempt to run a cotton factory with a foot treadle. No boy would be so foolish as to use a liable for a kite-string, nor would his father expect to tether a restive horse with a cotton twine. But we are all wasting our energies from day to day in divers ways, differing from extremes like the above only in degree. In ways which, if concentrated upon a few things, instead of being distributed over all our activities, would make sufficient cause to send us to a mad-house. In doing a thing there are several points to be considered; as the resistance to be overcome; the strength we have, and whether, if we are able to do it, the necessary exertion is not better reserved for something else. A man may be able alone to get a barrel of flour up-stairs, or a heavy coal stove, or pull on a pair of boots a size too small, and keep a bottle of liniment by Ipm a week after as a consequence. A woman with an armful of bundles, or a heavy baby, may succeed in overtaking a horse-car ten rods ahead, and pay for her triumph by the “ heartbeat,” vertigo, or something worse, for days after. She may take up, whip and put down a half-dozen carpets, in addition to the spring scrubbing and the general housework, as some ambitious workers do; but it is probable that such misspent force will Tesult in the introduction of a stepmother into the family before long. We know a family that for two generations had drawn all the water for household use by a well-sweep nine and onehalf rods distant, when there was no good reason at all to prevent a well from being dug at the house and the water drawn by a pump. We have known a skillful wall-layer, whose labor was in constant demand, work by the week at cutting up old stumps for his winter’s fuel when he could have bought twice the amount of good cut fire-wood with the money he could have earned in the time. Indeed, it is easy enough to see that most people, except ourselves, are wasting much time and often doing much damage by misdirecting their physical powers. It is a waste to use more force than is necessary, as when a man works with dull tools; and it is equally a waste to work till the novelty is gone, then leave the thing to its own destruction, as in tending a garden well for six weeks in the spring, then letting the sprouting weeds do the rest of it- .

7 Bui it is not in the expenditure of physical energy alone that there is a waste of power. We are quite as prodigal of mental and moral forces and have few’er admonitions to lead to reform. We waste words enormously. We surround what is important or proper to say with little nothings, so that the main thing is often lost entirely. A gabbler is not a good conversationalist; it is not by the use of a sea of words that a man is convinced, Books are too wordy; sermons are too wordy;' public speakers are by far too verbose. It may, indeed, be true that in the cases cited words are largely substituted for mental force; still a waste is no less certain. There is, too, much sound advice, good argument and -wholesome remonstrance wasted. All these are useless unless the mind addressed is in a receptive mood, and mentally able to comprehend wnat is said. A drunkard does not leave his cups, nor a profligate his debauchery, by merely being advised to do so. A way must be opened to the heart, then little advice is needed. Argument, no matter how 7 convincing, is vain with men buried hrprejudice or superstition. A skillful exposure of an evil does more for its abatement than the clearest proofs by reasoning. Is there anything so utterly wasteful of mental and moral forces as engaging in religious controversies? Both parties engaged in the conflict usually come out of it badly demoralized. Bad blood is stirred up, alienations are set afoot, and the uncharitable side of the character grows apace. If the contest is between individuals, the w’aste of energy is the least of the resulting evils; if it is between neighboring churches, the resulting feuds are well-nigh Satanic; if between nations, rivers of blood is the price of it. So, from little things to great, from the performance of our daily duties to the great concerns of intellectual and inoral action, there is a constant waste or misdirection of power—a waste which generally might be prevented by -studying how, where mid when to use it. —Providence ( R. /.) Journal.