PLEASURE

For men shall be … lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.

—II Tim. 3:2, 4

4396 More Money For Pleasure

By the end of 1912, nearly 50% of a worker’s salary went for food. By the end of World War II, the household budget for food was 27%. By 1960, this portion had fallen to 22%. In 1976, it was down to 17%.

In early 1978, however, an upsurge was detected in cultivated home-cooking and in “luxury” foods. With increasing numbers of women at work in an affluent society, the nationwide annual food budget of Americans now totals $415 billion.

4397 Changing Times In Sweden

When 27-year-old Carl Gustav ascended the throne of Sweden last September, he chose as his motto: “For Sweden—with the times.” As crown prince, Carl Gustav gained a reputation as a swinger. His choice of motto, therefore, may be indicative of his lifestyle. In contrast, his grandfather, King Gustav VI Adolf, had as his motto: “Duty above all.” There’s quite a generation gap between those two mottoes, and it illustrates two opposing attitudes toward life.

—Prairie Overcomer

4398 Comparing Giving And Pleasure

Americans give $3.5 billion to their churches and spend over $150 billion a year on pleasure, including:

$14.5 billion on liquor

$ 5 billion for TV and radio sets

$ 3 billion on boats

$ 1.5 billion for records by young people.

—Homer Duncan

4399 Take Any Four Years

That prosperity and sensible spending do not go hand-in-hand is revealed by a glance at some statistics that were gleaned during a four-year period when the world was slowly climbing up out of the depression, and America went back into the pit of inebriation.

From 1932 to 1936 the income of the American people increased by 51 percent. But during that same period they gave 30 percent less to churches, 29 percent less to benevolences, and 18 percent less to colleges and other educational purposes. However, take a look at where a large percentage of this increase in income went. During that four-year period of increased earnings the people of the United States spent 48 percent more for cigarettes and 317 percent more for beer.

—Evangelistic Illustration

4400 Age Of Pinballs

“It’s the hottest new product in home recreation,” says a manufacturer of pinball machines. Another executive dubbed this The Age of Pinballs.

Pinball machines once were condemned in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago and other big cities as a corrupter of youth. It is now played openly—and avidly—by scholars, doctors, scientists, brokers, and journalists. And manufacturers cannot supply enough to meet the demands of Americans for their homes.

Sears, Roebuck is marketing a home model for $645 and Montgomery Ward sells another. Pinball machine rentals are also booming. Up to $135 a day, they go to parties, company picnics and other occasions. A Midwestern firm installed pins to keep its salesmen on a competitive kick during lunchtime.

Worldwide sales of pins from 1972–77 had gone up by 30% annually. The playing pitch has even pushed through the jungles of Malaysia, where the machine is battery-powered in unelectrified villages.

4401 He Stopped For A Game

One day an 18-year-old Winnipeg office boy completed a game of snooker, and then discovered that his briefcase, containing more than $58,000, was not where he had left it.

Police said that the youth was taking a deposit to the bank for his employers when he stopped for the game. The briefcase was later recovered in a garbage can in a lane behind the pool hall. Inside were cheques valued at more than $54,000, but about $4,000 in cash was missing.

4402 Lighter Athletic Shoes

In 1960, Univsersity of Oregon Coach Bill Bowerman developed shoes that weighed only 4 oz., compared with 6 oz. for the old “lightweights.” The difference might seem minor, says Bowerman, “but you know what it meant in a mile race? The runner was lifting 200 pounds less.” Now a German firm has produced a 2½-oz. shoe. All for love of sports and pleasure.

4403 The “Human Fly”

Some years ago there came to Los Angeles, the great metropolis of Southern California, a so-called “human fly.” It was announced that on a given day he would climb up the face of one of the large department store buildings, and long before the appointed time thousands of eager spectators were gathered to see him perform the seemingly impossible feat.

Slowly and carefully he mounted aloft, now clinging to a window ledge, and onto a jutting brick, again to a cornice. Up and up he went, against apparently insurmountable difficulties. At last he was nearing the top. He was seen to feel to right and left and above his head for something firm enough to support his weight, to carry him further.

And soon he seemed to spy what looked like a grey bit of stone or discolored brick protruding from the smooth wall. He reached for it, but it was just beyond him. He gambled all on a springlike movement, grasped the protuberance and before the horrified eyes of the spectators, fell to the ground and was broken to pieces.

In his dead hand was found a spider’s web! What he evidently mistook for solid stone or brick turned out to be nothing but dried froth!

A good parable of worldly pleasure.

4404 Worth Seeing But Not Worth Going

Samuel Johnson was once taken by his friend James Boswell to see the Giant Causeway in Ireland. He arrived at the site in a disagreeable mood, having been brought there on horseback, a method of conveyance he thoroughly despised. He shrugged his shoulders contemptuously as he gazed at the columnar basalt rock, which is considered one of the wonders of the world.

“Isn’t this worth seeing?” Boswell asked him.

“Yes,” replied Johnson, “worth seeing. But not worth going to see.”

4405 Over The Niagara For A Flower

Travellers who visit the Falls of Niagara are directed to a spot, in the margin of the precipice over the boiling current below, where a young lady a few years since lost her life.

She was delighted with the wonders of the scene, and ambitious to pluck a flower, as a souvenir. She leaned over the edge, caught a glimpse of the surging waters far down the battlement of rocks, and fear for a moment darkened her excited mind.

But she was intent on getting that flower, and she leaned, in a delirium of intense desire and anticipation, over the brink. Her arm was outstretched to grasp the beautiful form which charmed her fancy.

The turf yielded to the pressure of her feet, and with a shriek she descended, like a falling star, to the rock, and was borne away gasping in death. A life sacrificed for a flower!

—Biblical Treasury

4406 Circumstances Then And Now

In 1942, when London was being blitzed, an article appeared in one of the British newspapers, which was widely quoted on this side of the Atlantic. It may not be out of place to republish this searching statement:

“We have been a pleasure-loving people, dishonoring God’s day, picnicking and bathing—now the seashore is barred; no picnics, no bathing.

“We have preferred motor travel to church-going—now there is a shortage of motor fuel.

“We have ignored the ringing of church bells calling us to worship—now the bells cannot ring except to warn us of invasion.

“We have left our churches half-empty when they should have been well filled with worshippers—now they are in ruins.

“We would not listen to the way of peace—now we are forced to listen to the way of war.

“The money we would not give to the Lord’s work now is taken from us in higher taxes and high cost of living.

“The food for which we refused to give God thanks—now is unobtainable.

“The service we refused to give God is now conscribed for our country.

“Lives we refused to live under God’s control—now are under the nation’s control.

“Nights we would not spend watching unto prayer—now are spent in anxious air raid precautions.”

—Christian Bus. Men’s League

4407 Trend In Children’s Heroes

In 1898 a schoolteacher polled 1,440 children, aged twelve to fourteen, to find out what sort of heroes and heroines the children had. In that era ninety percent of the children picked their heroes from history and letters. Washington and Lincoln led the list, followed by Whittier, Clara Barton, Julius Caesar, and Christopher Columbus. Very few of them gave first place to living notables, even such national characters as champion skater John S. Johnson or heavyweight boxer James J. Corbett.

Midway during the twentieth century a professor in the Massachussets State Teachers College took a similar poll and discovered a great change in modern youth. Only thirty-three percent picked their heroes and heroines from history. Franklin Roosevelt had passed Washington and Lincoln, though Clara Barton still led among girls. Thirty-seven percent of the votes went to the contemporary stars of screen, sports, radio, and the comics.

“It is rather significant commentary,” concluded the professor, “that four times as many boys chose Gene Autry as chose Jesus Christ; that as many chose Jack Benny as chose priests, ministers, and missionaries combined … and that, among the girls, twice as many wished to be like movie actresses as wished to be like all religious figures combined.”

—Donald Grey Barnhouse

4408 Eternal Loss Or Temporary Pleasure

A certain tribe in Africa elects a new king every seven years but it invariably kills its old king. For seven years the member of the tribe enjoying this high honor is provided with every luxury known to savage life. During these years his authority is absolute, even to the power of life and death. For seven years he rules, is honored and surfeited with possessions, but at the end he dies.

Every member of the tribe is aware of this, for it is a custom of long standing; but there is never lacking an applicant for the post. For seven years of luxury and power men are willing to sacrifice the remainder of life’s expectation.

Scores and hundreds and thousands are willing to be bankrupts through eternity if they may only win their millions here.

—Selected

4409 A Sacrifice To Mirth

The Persians, when they obtained a victory, selected the noblest slave and made him king for three days; clothed him with royal robes and ministered to him all the pleasures he could choose; but at the end of all he was to die as a sacrifice to mirth and folly. So the pleasures of the world are short-lived.

—Buck

4410 Crushed By Prison Walls

One of the tortures of the Hohenstaufen family was that of a cell, which, when the prisoner first enters is comfortable and easy. After a few days, he observed the dimensions of his chamber beginning to contract. The fact became more appalling every day. Slowly the sides drew closer; and the unhappy victim at last was crushed to death.

—Foster

4411 Senators Dying In Flowers

Heliogabalus, the Roman Emperor, being jealous of the power of the Senate, invited the senators to a great feast. When they were overcome with wine, Heliogabalus left the hall. The doors were locked from the outside. The carousal continued.

The emperor shouted to them from a glass door in the ceiling that, as they were ever aspiring after fresh laurels, they should now be satisfied. Wreaths and flowers began to rain upon them. The senators cried, “Enough, enough!” but the rain continued. Terror seized them. They flew to the doors; but they were immovable. Escape was impossible.

The relentless storm continued till all were buried and suffocated beneath the murderous sea of flowers.

4412 Teachings Of Epicurus

The Epicureans were followers of Epicurus who lived 341–270 B. C. He taught that nothing exists but atoms and space. The atoms are eternally forming new combinations which are only temporary and in the case of human beings are broken up at death. Then, Epicurus taught, the soul or personality reversed to the impersonal atoms which went on to form new combinations.

Thus, matter is all that matters. This life is all that counts and man should make happiness his chief purpose in life. Happiness might be gained for some by indulging in sensual pleasure and avoidance of pain. Others, more highminded, might attain happiness from mental and intellectual pursuits. If death ended all, they reasoned, why not indulge the flesh today?

4413 None Dared Give Him Bad News

The epitaph of an ancient city was written in the words “Deleta Silentia.” The legend runs that its prince, having been alarmed once without cause, gave orders that no word of evil tidings should be brought on pain of death. He spent his days and sights in ease and pleasure.

When the foe came the sentinel dared not sound the alarm. At last his master was startled by the shrieks of the dying when his place was in flames, and the city taken. “Deleta Silentia”.

—Burrell

4414 Bed-Pushing Record

Twelve St. Vincent College students laid claim to a world bed-pushing record.

The students ended their marathon after covering 854 miles on a half-mile campus course.

Their nine-day marathon, staged for the benefit of the Westmoreland country March of Dimes, raised more than $2,400.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, the previous world bed-pushing record of 738.3 miles was set by a team in Royston, Hartfordshire, England.

4415 He Was Hit By A Bed

Bodmin, England (UPI)—A judge rejected the damages claimed by a man who was run over and injured by a bed. Yes, a bed. It happened in a 1971 competition organized by a charitable group.

Ivan Hooper, 39, and another man were pushing a bedstead on wheels in a race against another bed pushed by five women. Hooper fell and was run over by the opposition bed, severing his Achilles tendon in the process.

He was out of work for a year as a result of his injury. Hooper, who claimed negligence on the part of the event’s organizers, described the beds as “low-slung purposely-built racing machines” with sharpened parts of their chassis protruding dangerously.

The judge said he sympathized with Hooper, but could not agree to his claim for 3,750 pounds ($9,000).

4416 Skateboard Accidents

There are now some 20 million skateboarders careening about the streets and sidewalks of America.

About 375,000 injuries, half of which require hospitalization, occur each year. For the first time in 1977, it topped the injury record of nonprofessional football (370,000). Nevertheless, skateboard accidents are still second only to bicycling accidents which had about 1.2 million injuries in 1977, out of 90 million cyclists.

4417 Throwing Pies Raises Money

San Francisco (AP)—The custard flew thick and fast as 200 fearless competitors squared off in the world’s largest pie fight, egged on by more than 1,500 screaming fans.

A panel of judges that included city councilmen and county supervisors rated them on direct facial hits, ducking ability, style and sportsmanship. The contest was sponsored by the Lions Club.

Twenty teams each consisting of 10 outlandishly-dressed players paired off for separate rounds inside the ring. For ammunition, each team had 70 pies donated by a local bakery.

Individual winners from each team were awarded a gold-plated pie pin and competed in a final round for a free trip to Hawaii.

The youthful, enthusiastic fans in the huge arena held up balloons and waved signs with captions like: “Don’t fire until you see the whites of their pies.”

John Steen, who chaired the festivities, said all profits would go to a Braille project. He said the teams paid 100 dollars each to enter and spectators paid 1.50 dollars each.

Steen said the 2,005 pies used during the day were baked with army surplus eggwhites.

He said the Guinness Book of Records listed the previous world’s record for a pie fight as involving 470 pies during the filming of “The Great Race” in 1966.

4418 Epigram On Pleasure

•      It now costs more to amuse a child than it once did to educate his father.

•      Amusement is the happiness of those that cannot think.

—Alexander Pope

See also: Leisure ; Time ; Jas. 5:5.