Present Pleasure.
WE all love to be happy, and how to secure
the greatest amount of real happiness
is a question very proper for our study.
Evidently the God who made us with such a
disposition desires to have us happy, or he
would never have planted that desire within
us. I know all my readers like to feel well
and enjoy themselves, because children always
do. We know very well how mother
is urged almost every day by the little ones
to go here or there where they can run and
have a fine frolic. And how apt they are
when the house becomes quiet to feel lonesome
or go to sleep but as quick as there
Is any laughter, or story-telling, or play, how
bright the eyes will look, and how wide
awake every one becomes. This is because
the children love to be happy. This disposition
is right when it is kept within proper
bounds.
But I want to say to the children, that
present pleasure sometimes results in
permanent injury, and brings great misery upon
us. So we should look beyond the present
in our desire to be happy. You have all
heard of the butterfly and the ant. The
former, like some people, only thought of
the present, enjoying herself through the
pleasant summer weather, never thinking of
the cold, wintry storms so soon to come;
while the busy ant toiled hard during the
good weather, and had a supply of stores
laid up for the dreary days of winter. Now
which found the most happiness in the end?
You can all answer it. So it is with many
people; they only look for the passing moment
think of nothing but the present.
The time will come when they will see the
folly of this course, and regret it very much.
This is also seen in the appetite of many.
They think they must eat at any moment
when anything comes in their way that
seems desirable, at any hour of the day.
Why do they eat? It is not because they
need food to supply their wants, but because
it tastes good. What is the result? They
give way to their appetite until it rules them,
and they think they cannot deny themselves
anything. And so they learn to live to eat;
and quite likely that appetite will finally
carry them to a drunkard's grave. But if
not so bad as this, they injure their stomachs
until they become dyspeptic and can hardly
eat anything without it gives them bad feelings.
So a little present gratification prepares
them for a great amount of pain
Now this is a great loss.
This is the way, children, that many people
become sickly all their lives, and make
themselves and others much trouble. How
much better to govern the appetite with
reason, and only eat when we need food,
and of such kinds as will benefit us.
Many children want to have their own
way, and it is generally that they may have
some present pleasure. They ought to think
how little experience and knowledge they
have, and that father and mother know best
what is for their good. But many times
they cherish this stubborn spirit till they
become stiff-necked and come to some bad
end. How much better it would be to
learn to submit their own spirit, and learn
to obey so that when they are old, they will
not have to look back and think how they
grieved their parents and sinned against
God.
Dear children, we should realize that the
present is given us for a purpose; not merely
to enjoy now, but to prepare for usefulness,
to do good, and learn how to help ourselves
and others. And we are sure to realize far
more happiness in the end by doing right
always, than merely trying to enjoy the present.
This life is for a good purpose; that
is, to use it well, to be faithful in duty; and
a long life, an eternal life, depends upon the
use we make of the present one. God gives
us a short piece of life now to use, and if
we do not use it well, it is all we can have;
but if we do, then he will give us a life that
will fully satisfy us. David said, "I shall
be satisfied when I awake with thy likeness."
Let us not think too much of present
pleasure, but look forward to the great
future life promised to the faithful.
GEORGE I. BUTLER.