Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-08-08
The Poor MANS Friend.

This IS W0rid OF toll IL IS by the sweat OF the
brow that We eat our daily bread. Whatever the
state Of the world might have been without sin, and
whatever may be true If the few who live in ease
and luxury, the necessity Of inoesssnt labor is inns
passed on me race. Whether with the hands or the
brain We must work or starve.
Bat the frame Is so eostiiuted that it only
duTe given amount Of labor. It must have the
daily refreshment Of sleep. And even that is not
snoUgh, all experience Of man and beast proves.
Experience too has demonstrated that one. seventh
part is the just proportion Of time for rest.
France tried the experiment, in 1893 Of resting
one day in ten, but it did not succeed. French
writer says Of il, ave know now by experience
that the fifth day is too near, and the tenth day
day too remote for rest. Terror, which affected
everything in France, was never able 70 force the
peasant to fulfill the decade, because there was
want Of power in human strength TO do 1t; and also,
as has been observed, in the strength of animals
The OK was unable to labor nine days successfully
At the end Of the sixth day his lowing seemed to
demand the hours appointed by the Creator for the
general rest Of the creature
ssBut chiefly man the day of rest enjoys
Hail, Sabbath thee I hail, the poor mans day.
On other days the man Of toll is doomed
To eat his joyless bread, lonely; the ground
Both seat and board; screened from the winters
cold
Aud summers heat by neighboring hedge or tree
But on this day. embOsoms6 in his home,
He shares the frugal meal with those he loves;
With those he loves he shares the heartfelt Joy
OF giving thanks to God"
Yes, and we wish to show that among his causes
for ssgiviDg thanks to God" the sboTing man
every man-and especially the poor man, should
thank Him for the Christian Sabbath.
1t gives him period Of ease. Physicians are
agreed in the belief that who labor seven DAYS
in a week are less healthy, and die sooner than
those who work but six and rest one. Il have a
firm belief" says Dr.. Warren, Of Boston, ''that
III A. 4 "a
manner, in six days. than if they worked the whole
seven" But what security would there be for this
boon to the loborer, if the Sabbath were not fenced
around by human and divine laws? How long be-
fore sefshness would rob the poor man of his right
If it were not protected by the most solemn sane
tions? Thus, every enemy of the Sabbath, and Of
Sabbath laws, is the enemy Of the poor man. and if
he could have his own way he would remove the
barrier which secures day of rest every week to
white and black, bond and free. "Let no such man
be trusted
The Sabbath is the laboring mans friend. be,
cause brings him day Of T'st at the expense Of has
employer. The price Of labor is graduated in Oh IS
tian lands on the earnings Of SIX DAYS in a week
and the wants Of seven. If al we're 10 work seven
days in week, the price of labor would be dimin
ished one seventh. In France. before the year
1888. when the Sabbath WAS universally observed
as q day of rest, wages we're higher than they have
ever been since. Bus If the labOring man employs
the Saba hours for Amusement, and ,ompes OH
eTs 10 work on steamboat or railroad excursions or
In tsverns aud tea-garderus, for his pleasure he
yields bis right and he pleasure profit or con-
venience of employers may determine when he shall
give it up You cannot have public anu emeuts on
Sunday without making somebody work to provide
them, and som,bIdy may take advantage Of Your
necessities rob you Of your dsy OF rest. Nor can
the benefits Of he Sabbath he erj yed and perpelu-
sted without recognizing its duties The convic
tion that God claims one d'y IN seven for Him elf
and that it is mans duty 10 appropriate il 10 Him,
with hat view 10 rest from his ordinary ahors is
in truth, the only barrier which can resist he en-
crOaehments OF human selGshness, ever anxious 10
seize upon this valuable property fer its own pur-
pose
Il is the poor mans friend, because it affords
N time for meBisl and moral improvement, and
for domestic duties and enjoy menls. Men would
fall into barbsrism and ignorance il they lett
20 delve their worldly emplOyments without inter-
mission. Gan work and no play makes Jack q dull
boy" has passed into proVefb; bat What Of a
would 81 axe bee me II Were''a work" for365
days Of the year, and rest, no reading, no think
ing praying, preaching none of the elevatiDg
ennobling influences Of the heme, and the Church,
and the Sabbath The N nd, the soul Of the poor
man is worth more than worlds God made the
Ssbbalh for man, body and soul, to 81 the one for
toll and the olher for Heaven. IL Instituted The
family ioo aud gave the Sabbath to regulate it He
the lsboring perform his duties TO bis family
or study and understand, that he may ts3ch the
principles Of morality and religion contained IN the
Scriptures, or make the most OF home blessings, if
he regard not the Sabbath?