[135] The following are the lines specially alluded to: Shall the strong full-flowing river, bearing on its mighty breast Half the wealth of some proud nation, precious spoils of East and West, Shall it mourn its mountain cradle and its infant heathery bed, All its youthful songs and dances, as adown the hills it sped, When by it in yon great city half a million mouths are fed? [_Y. M. A. Magazine, October_, 1879.] [From the "New Year's Address and Messages to Blackfriars Bible Class." Aberdeen, 1873.] "_ACT, ACT IN THE LIVING PRESENT._"[136] CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD, _Christmas Eve_, '72. MY DEAR SIR: I am always much interested in any effort such as you are making on the part of the laity. If you care to give your class a word directly from me, say to them that they will find it well, throughout life, never to trouble themselves about what they ought _not_ to do, but about what they _ought_ to do. The condemnation given from the judgment throne--most solemnly described--is all for the _undones_ and not for the _dones_.[137] People are perpetually afraid of doing wrong; but unless they are doing its reverse energetically, they do it all day long, and the degree does not matter. The Commandments are necessarily negative, because a new set of positive ones would be needed for every person: while the negatives are constant. But Christ sums them all into two rigorous positions, and the first position for young people is active and attentive kindness to animals, supposing themselves set by God to feed His real sheep and ravens before the time comes for doing either figuratively. There is scarcely any conception left of the character which animals and birds might have if kindly treated in a wild state. Make your young hearers resolve to be honest in their work in this life.--Heaven will take care of them for the other. Truly yours, JOHN RUSKIN. FOOTNOTES: [136] This and the two following letters were originally printed in different annual numbers of the above-named publication, to whose editor (Mr. John Leith, 75 Crown Street, Aberdeen) they were addressed. Amongst the "messages" contained in them are some from Mr. Gladstone and others. [137] See the tenth of Mr. Ruskin's letters on the Lord's Prayer, _Contemporary Review_, December, 1879, p. 550. [From "New Year's Address and Messages to Blackfriars Bible Class." Aberdeen, 1874.] "_LABORARE EST ORARE._" CORPUS CHRISTI COLLEGE, OXFORD, _December_, 1873. MY DEAR SIR: I should much like to send your class some message, but have no time for anything I like. My own constant _cry_ to all Bible readers is a very simple one--Don't think that nature (human or other) is corrupt; don't think that you yourself are elect out of it; and don't think to serve God by praying instead of obeying.