Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1848-06-30
MISCELLANEOUS.
Thoughts On Labor.
BY THEODORE PARKER.


1t is no law of God, that when Sin gets a
(ooihold in the world it should hold on for
ever, nor can Folly keep its dominion over
society simply by right of I" adverse posses
SION" IT were better the body went bare
and hungry, rather than the soul should
starye. Certainly the Life is more than
meat, though it would not weigh SO much ia
the butchers scale.
There are remedies at band. 1t is true a
certain amount of labor must be performed,
in order that society be fed and clothed,
warmed and comforted, relieved when sick,
and buried when dead. If this is wisely dis
tribdted-it. each performs his just portion,
the burlhen is slight, and crashes no one.-
Here, as elsewhere, the closer we keep to
Nature, the safer we are. 1t is not under the
burthens Of Nature that society grJans, but
the work of Caprice, of OstenLation, Of con-
temptiblo Vanity, of Luxury, which is never
satifed-these Cypress the world. If these
latter are given up, and each performs what
is due from him, and strives to diminish the
general burthen and not add to it, then no
man is oppressed there is time enough for
each man to cultivate what is noble in him,
and be all that his nature allows. 1t is doubt
less right that one man should use the services
of another; but only when both parties are
benefited BY the relation. The Smith may
use the services Of the Collier, the Grocer
and the Grazier, for he does them a service
in return. lie who heals the body deserves
a compensation at the hands of whomsoever
he serves. If the Painter, the Preacher, the
Statesman, is doing a great work for man
kind, he has a right to their service in return.
His fellow man may do for him what other
wise he ought to do for himself. Thus he
is repaid and is at liberty TO devote the undl-
vided energy Of his genius to the work.
But on what ground an idle man, who does
nothing for society, or an active man,, whose
work is wholly selfish, can use the services
of others, and call them to feed and comfort
him, who repays no equivalent in KIND, II
vet remains for Reason 10 discover. The
only equivalent for service is a service in re-
turn. If Hercules is stronger, Scion is wiser,
and Job richer than the rest of men, 1t is moi
that they may desire more of their fellows
but NAV do more for them. 1--WE that are
strong ought to bear the infrmitles of the
weak" says a good man. In respect, how
ever, TO the matter of personal service, this
seems to be the rule; that no one, whatever
be his station, wants, attalnments, or riches
has any right 10 receive from another any
service which degrades the servant IN his
own eyes, or the eyes of the public, or in the
eyes of him who receives the service. 1t Is
surely unmanly to receive a favor which you
would not give. If it debases David to do a
mental service for Ahud then it debases Ahud
Just as much 10 do the same for David. The
difference between King and Slave vanishes
when both are examined from the height Of
their common humanity, just as the differ
ence between the west and the northwest
side of a hair on the surface of the earth is
inconsiderable to an eye that looks down
from the sun, and takes in the whole system
though it might appear stupendous To the
notes that swim uncounted in drop of dew,
But no work useful or ornamental to human
life, needs no debasing. 1t is the lasting
disgrace Of society, that the most useful EN-
Payments are called low There is i'm.
piled in this very term, tacit confession OF
part of the employer, that he has wronget
and subiugated the person who serves him
for when these same actions are performed
by the mother for her child, or the son 70
his father, and are done for love and not mo
ney, they are counted not as low, but rattle
ennobling.
The law OF Nature is, that work and tn,
enjoyment Of the work 60 together. Thu
God has given each animal the power of self
help and all necessary organs. The sam,
Robin builds the nest and lives in it. Eacl
Lion has claws and teeth, and kills his owl
meat. Every Beaver has prudence and plas
tic skill, and so builds for himself. In thos
classes Of animals where there is a divisioi
of labor, one brings the wax, another build
the comb, and a third collects the honey
and each one is at work. The drones ar
expelled when they work no more. Even tn
Ruler of the colony is the most active men
Der of the state, and really The mother of tn
whole people. She only is happy asa king
because she does the most work. Henc
she has a divine right to her common station
She never eats the bread OF sin. She
queen of the Workers. Here each works f
the good of all, and not solely for his ow
benefit. Still less is any one an injury
the others. In Nature, those animals thi
cannot work are provided for by Love-
Thus a young Lion is fed by the parent, an
the old Stork by its children. Were a flu
grown Lion so foolish that he would n
hunt, the result is plain-he must starve.-
Now this is a foreshadowing of Mans estat
God has given us ten fingers for every tv
lips. Each is TO use the ability he has f
himself and for others. Who that is alb
will not return to society, with his head
his hand, an equivalent for what is receive
Only the Sluggard and the Robber. The
two, the Drones and Pirates of society, re
resent a large class. 1t is the plain duty
each, so far as he is able, to render an eql
valent for what he receives, and thus to wo
for the good Of all, but each in his own wi
-DOrcas the seamstress at her craft, a
Moses and Paul at theirs. If one cam
work through weakness, or infancy, or az
Or sickness, Love works for them, and tn
too are fed. If one will not work though
can, the law of nature should have its effe
He ought to starve. If one insists SIM
upon getting into his hands the earnings
others and adding nothing to the comm
stock, he is a robber, and should prope
meet with the contempt and the stout resi-
ance of society. There is in the whole wo
hut a cnrfain 1mount of ualna ont ,c ~