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Recreation Refreshes and Invigorates, July 26
Recreation and Amusements
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy;
at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.
Psalm 16:11
It is the privilege and duty of Christians to seek to refresh their spirits
and invigorate their bodies by innocent recreation, with the purpose
of using their physical and mental powers to the glory of God. Our
recreation should not be scenes of senseless mirth, taking the form of
the nonsensical. We can conduct them in such a manner as will benefit
and elevate those with whom we associate and better qualify us and
them to more successfully attend to the duties devolving upon us as
Christians.... The religion of Christ is cheering and elevating in its
influence. It is above everything like foolish jesting and joking, vain
and frivolous chitchat. In all our seasons of recreation we may gather
from the Divine Source of strength fresh courage and power, that we
may the more successfully elevate our lives to purity, true goodness, and
holiness.
There are persons with a diseased imagination to whom religion is a
tyrant, ruling them as with a rod of iron. Such are constantly mourning
over their depravity and groaning over supposed evil. Love does not
exist in their hearts; a frown is ever upon their countenances. They are
chilled by the innocent laugh from the youth or from anyone. They
consider all recreation or amusement a sin and think that the mind must
be constantly wrought up to just such a stern, severe pitch. This is
one extreme. Others think that the mind must be ever on the stretch to
invent new amusements and diversions in order to gain health. They
learn to depend on excitement, and are uneasy without it. Such are not
true Christians. They go to another extreme. The true principles of
Christianity open before all a source of happiness, the height and depth,
the length and breadth of which are immeasurable.
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