THE ART OF RIGHT LIVING. 



HAT is our chief object in life? There may possibly be a majority 

 among us who have never paused to consider the question. We have 

 just lived: got up and gone to bed; eaten and drunk; worked and 

 talked; grumbled a bit. perhaps, enjoyed and suffered much and 

 often ; but never given a thought to the REASONS WHY we enjoy 

 pleasures or endure pain ; much less have we turned our attention 

 to this question : What is the object of our existence? 



Of course, it may so happen that a few among us were reared on the Old 

 Scotch Catechism. Then our reply to the inquiry will be prompt and mechanical 

 rather than thoughtful : " The chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy 

 Him for ever." 



But what possible connection is to be found, you will ask, between this 

 concise definition of a Scottish Covenanter's religious faith, our own little- 

 considered ideal of an object in life, and 



THE ART OF RIGHT LIVING? 



Just this : We consciously or unconsciously glorify God by the standard of 

 our daily lives, not by the singing of a hymn at intervals of a week or longer. 

 Our object in life our ideal is or ought to be the maintenance of efficiency in 

 ourselves and our homes, in order that our households may contribute their full 

 share to the progress of the world and the betterment of humanity. 



By what means, then, is energy fostered, health promoted, productiveness 

 achieved? The answer to this inquiry is found in the title of this bulletin, which 

 also indicates the connection I desire to trace for you. 



RIGHT LIVING SHOULD BE OUR CHIEF OBJECT IN LIFE; 



right living is the means by which, through the fullest development of all our 

 powers, we glorify God. But this is not all. The title introduces another thought 

 when it speaks of the art of right living. 



WHAT IS AN ART? 



If a good dictionary is at hand and you turn up the word " art," you will 

 find it explained somewhat as follows : " Skill, dexterity, tact in planning and 

 carrying out a project ; a series of rules designed to aid one in acquiring practical 

 skill or dexterity in performing some specified kind of work." 



The full intention of my chosen title should now be clear. Seeing that it 

 must be our object in life to live up to 



THE HIGHEST LEVEL OF EFFICIENCY 



of which each individual is capable, we must study rules designed to promote 

 our ideal, and must acquire practical skill in their performance. 



It is a common saying that there is nothing new under the sun ; here is 

 another proof of its truth in connection with our subject. The famous Greek 

 poet, Homer, who lived, it is believed, about three thousand years ago, wrote 

 the following words as a result of his experience of life; 



