How Advantages, Temporal and Spiritual, Are Lost

HOW ADVANTAGES, TEMPORAL AND SPIRITUAL, ARE LOST. BY JAMES DUNN. Order is said to be heaven's first law, but it was doubtless punctuality that brought that order about. The order of man is too much of a comparative term, while the order of heaven is without a flaw, whether in the motion of the planets above, or in the changes that are forever taking place in this world below. Every 21st day of June we have our longest day, just as on every 21st day of December the shortest day of the year appears. It comes punctually to the very shadow of a recording line. We know that such punctuality is impossible with man; and also that it is the persistent carelessness of man that keeps him so far behind. Because of this trait, we lose many blessings and advantages, so much needed to help us on in this second probation of ours. I heard a good man assert not long ago that he had wasted two years of his precious life waiting on other people to keep their promised word with him. But my own experience would compel me to extend the time even beyond two years. Days and days have been wasted for all of us in waiting on people to keep their appointments with us; not only has our own time been wasted, but the time of workers under us has been thrown away as well as ours. Some people have a notion that it is immaterial whether they keep their promises or not, since they are of such little consequence in this world, anyway, that a failing on their part does not matter much. In many cases that may be so, but that is one potent reason why they are branded as "good for nothings." They

282 IMPROVEMENT ERA. care so little for their own promises that none can trust them in the smallest matter. But there is no honor in possessing such a character as that; and had they been as prompt and punctual in keeping their promises as they have been in neglecting their duties, they might have taken their places in the front ranks of progress. Punctuality is not only a virtue, but in the present state of society it is a stern necessity in all men, no matter whether they are servants or masters. References need not be made to the lives of distinguished men to prove this fact. The observations of every man is proof enough. Every thoughtful person can see hundreds of blessings that are lost to individuals and to families every day in every community, for the want of punctuality. Order and punctuality bring many advantages. I knew a worker in tools who could go into his work shop on the darkest hour of the night, and pick up any tool he wanted; and if it was not there, he knew some person had been using the tool, and had not returned it to its proper place. On the other hand, I know dozens of men who never have a place for anything, and who thereby lose valuable time in hunting for tools they used only an hour before. They even go so far as to accuse some of their family for having removed the article they were in search of; and, in some instances, children have been punished for offenses which were the results of these persons' own carelessness. Thousands of people are suffering untold agony every day from stomach trouble brought on by the lack of punctuality in eating their meals. Indigestion is, therefore, well nigh becoming a universal complaint. But many have been cured of that disease by returning to a set time for taking their meals and adhering to it. The cure has been effected when all other treatment has failed. But what about the many spiritual blessings that this virtue may bring to us? According to the teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, punctuality is an important factor in bringing blessings to the assemblies of the Saints. The Prophet taught that when an hour is appointed for the meeting of the Saints, the angels will be there, but if the meeting does not begin at the time appointed, the angels leave, as they have no time to idle away, waiting on the tardiness of mortals . If the presence of the angels