Section XVI. Of Thrift.

160. Q. What is thrift?

A. Thrift is a combination of industry, economy, and perseverance.

161. Q. To what does thrift lead?

A. Thrift leads to care in the use of time, money, and material.

162. Q. Is the proper use of time a duty?

A. It is our duty to make the best use we can of our time.

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163. Q. For what reason?

A. Because the present is our only certain opportunity for work, self improvement, or doing good to others.

164. Q. Why so?

A. Because the future is uncertain—none can know or foretell what the future may he, nor how long life and opportunity may last.

164. Q. Is there any other reason?

A. Lost opportunities never return. Others may occur, but those which are lost are gone for ever.

166. Q. How then should we regard time?

A. We should regard time as a precious boon, and both value and use it accordingly.

167. Q. Is care in the use of money a duty?

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A. As money is a means of increasing our own comfort, providing for those dependent upon us, and doing good to others, we should spend it carefully.

168. Q. Is there anything further?

A. By saving money we are able to provide against loss, and the time of sickness and old age.

169. Q. How then should we act regarding money?

A. We should live within our means, and cultivate habits of economy and frugality.

170. Q. What should we specially avoid?

A. We should specially avoid the vice of gambling, which invariably leads to idleness and dishonesty, and often to the serious crime of theft.

171. Q. What further should we avoid?

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A. We should avoid entering on ventures or incurring debts which we are uncertain of being able to carry through or pay.

172. Q. How may our duty on this matter be summed up

A. We should be careful and economical without being mean or miserly; and we should try to put by every week a sum, however small, as a provision for the future.

173. Q. What may we hope thus to secure?

A. We should thus secure a free and independent mind, and avoid the unhappiness of being dependent on either public or private charity in sickness or old age.

174. Q. What further springs from thrift?

A. Care of all things we possess, or which are in our charge, will spring from a page 50 spirit of thrift, because we shall recognised they have a value.