man whom you condemn as an idler is always busy with something or other; he is either dressing, or visiting, or seeing company, or walking, playing, or dancing. He has always something of that kind on hand; can you, then, call him idle?” “True,” replied Seneca, “the man should not be called idle, but sick, nay, rather dead.”[1] For he does not live like a reasoning being. He alone deserves the name of a living, reasoning being who uses himself and his reason in becoming, useful, and virtuous occupations.[2]
But resembles a dead man, as the heathens well knew. The emperor Tiberius had a minister to whom he was much indebted for past services, but who was now growing so old that it appeared high time for him to be relieved of the burden of office. The emperor intimated as much to him, and told him that he might retire, still retaining his former titles and income. How do you think, my dear brethren, that old man took this message? He had a funeral pyre erected in a large hall in his house, assembled all the members of his family, and said to them as he laid himself down on the pyre: “Weep for me, O friends! Weep and let your tears flow freely; for I am now a dead man; I have become a living corpse.” The emperor, hearing of this, sent for him, and asked the reason of his strange conduct. “Your majesty,” was the answer, “once I am deprived of my usual occupations and duties I look on myself as condemned to death; for I am idle and have nothing to do.” The emperor, amazed at this reply, restored him to his former office; and he ran oil home exulting and saying that he had now been recalled to life from death. This example deserves mature consideration, my dear brethren. A nobleman, very rich, and a heathen to boot, who expected no reward in the next life, hated idleness so much that he looked on himself as dead if he had not much work to do, even at an advanced old age, because his reason told him that a man must never be idle. What, then, shall we think of the Christian, who looks for eternal rest in heaven as the reward of his labor, and yet squanders away his precious time in idleness or in useless occupations? Cut him down! Away with the idle man! He is of no use on earth to himself or to the end for which he was created and lives on earth. Nor is he of any use to others with whom he lives.
