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Fundamentals of Christian Education
It is not a virtue for men or women to excuse slow bungling at
work of any character. The slow habits must be overcome. The man
who is slow, and does his work at a disadvantage, is an unprofitable
workman. His slowness is a defect that needs to be seen and corrected.
He needs to exercise his intellect in planning how to use his time so as
to secure the best results. When one is forever at work, and the work
is never done, it is because mind and heart are not put into the work. It
takes some persons ten hours to do that which another accomplishes
readily in five. Such workmen do not bring tact and method into their
labor. There is something to be learned every day as to how to improve
in the manner of labor so as to get through the work, and have time
for something else. It is the duty of every worker not merely to give
his strength but his mind and intellect to that which he undertakes to
do. Some who are engaged in domestic labor are always at work; it
is not because they have so much to do, but they do not plan in such
a way as to have time. They should give themselves a certain time
to accomplish their task, and make every move tell. Dullness and
ignorance are no virtue. You can choose to become stereotyped in a
wrong course of action because you have not the determination to take
yourselves in hand and to reform, or you may cultivate your powers
to do the very best kind of service, and then you will find yourselves
in demand anywhere and everywhere. You will be appreciated for all
that you are worth. “Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy
might.” “Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord.”
Australia needs the leaven of sound, solid, common sense to be
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freely introduced into all her cities and towns. There is need of proper
education. Schools should be established for the purpose of obtaining
not only knowledge from books, but knowledge of practical industry.
Men are needed in different communities to show the people how
riches are to be obtained from the soil. The cultivation of land will
bring its return.
Through the observance of holidays the people both of the world
and of the churches have been educated to believe that these lazy days
are essential to health and happiness; but the results reveal that they
are full of evil, which is ruining the country. The youth generally are
not educated to diligent habits. Cities and even country towns are
becoming like Sodom and Gomorrah, and like the world in the days
of Noah. The training of the youth in those days was after the same