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| Chapter X.—The Exercises Suited to a Good Life.
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Chapter X.—The Exercises Suited to a Good Life.
The gymnasium is sufficient for boys, even if a bath
is within reach. And even for men to prefer gymnastic exercises by far to
the baths, is perchance not bad, since they are in some respects conducive
to the health of young men, and produce exertion—emulation to aim at
not only a healthy habit of body, but courageousness of soul. When this is
done without dragging a man away from better employments, it is pleasant,
and not unprofitable. Nor are women to be deprived of bodily exercise. But
they are not to be encouraged to engage in wrestling or running, but
are to exercise themselves in spinning, and weaving, and superintending
the cooking if necessary. And they are, with their own hand, to fetch
from the store what we require. And it is no disgrace for them to apply
themselves to the mill. Nor is it a reproach to a wife—housekeeper
and helpmeet—to occupy herself in cooking, so that it may be
palatable to her husband. And if she shake up the couch, reach drink to
her husband when thirsty, set food on the table as neatly as possible,
and so give herself exercise tending to sound health, the Instructor
will approve of a woman like this, who “stretches forth her arms to
useful tasks, rests her hands on the distaff, opens her hand to the pour,
and extends her wrist to the beggar.”1659
She who emulates Sarah is not ashamed of that highest
of ministries, helping wayfarers. For Abraham said to her, “Haste,
and knead three measures of meal, and make cakes.”1660
“And Rachel, the daughter of Laban, came,” it is said,
“with her father’s sheep.”1661
Nor was this enough; but to
teach humility it is added, “for she fed her father’s
sheep.”1662
And innumerable such examples of frugality
and self-help, and also of exercises, are furnished by the Scriptures.
In the case of men, let some strip and engage in wrestling; let some
play at the small ball, especially the game they call Pheninda,1663
in the sun. To others who walk into the country, or go down into the
town, the walk is sufficient exercise. And were they to handle the hoe,
this stroke of economy in agricultural labour would not be ungentleman
like.
I had almost forgot to say that the
well-known Pittacus, king of Miletus, practiced the laborious
exercise of turning the mill.1664
| 1664 The text has ἦλθεν. The
true reading, doubtless, is ᾖληθεν.
That Pittacus exercised himself thus, is stated by Isidore of Pelusium,
Diogenes, Laertius, Plutarch. | It is respectable for a
man to draw water for himself, and to cut billets of wood which he is
to use himself. Jacob fed the sheep of Laban that were left in
his charge, having as a royal
badge “a rod of storax,”1665
| 1665 Gen. xxx. 37. Not “poplar,” as in
A.V. [See Abp. Leighton on “Laban’s lambs,” Comm. on
St. Peter, part i. p. 360, and questionable note of an admirable
editor, same page.] | which aimed by its wood to change and
improve nature. And reading aloud is often an exercise to many. But
let not such athletic contests, as we have allowed, be undertaken for
the sake of vainglory, but for the exuding of manly sweat. Nor are we to
straggle with cunning and showiness, but in a stand-up wrestling bout, by
disentangling of neck, hands, and sides. For such a struggle with graceful
strength is more becoming and manly, being undertaken for the sake of
serviceable and profitable health. But let those others, who profess the
practice of illiberal postures in gymnastics, be dismissed. We must always
aim at moderation. For as it is best that labour should precede food,
so to labour above measure is both very bad, very exhausting, and apt to
make us ill. Neither, then, should we be idle altogether, nor completely
fatigued. For similarly to what we have laid down with respect to food,
are we to do everywhere and with everything. Our mode of life is not to
accustom us to voluptuousness and licentiousness, nor to the opposite
extreme, but to the medium between these, that which is harmonious and
temperate, and free of either evil, luxury and parsimony. And now, as we
have also previously remarked, attending to one’s own wants is an
exercise free of pride,—as, for example, putting on one’s own
shoes, washing one’s own feet, and also rubbing one’s self
when anointed with oil. To render one who has rubbed you the same service
in return, is an exercise of reciprocal justice; and to sleep beside a
sick friend, help the infirm, and supply him who is in want, are proper
exercises. “And Abraham,” it is said, “served up for
three, dinner under a tree, and waited on them as they ate.”1666
The same with fishing,1667
| 1667
[The old canons allowed to clergymen the recreation of fishing, but
not the chase, or fowling. Of this, the godly Izaak Walton fails not
to remind us. Complete Angler, p. 38, learned note, and preface
by the late Dr. Bethune. New York, 1847.] | as in the case of
Peter, if we have leisure from necessary instructions in the Word. But
that is the better enjoyment which the Lord assigned to the disciple,
when He taught him to “catch men” as fishes in the water.E.C.F. INDEX & SEARCH
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