The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1859-01-26
RELIGION in THE WORKSHOP.


"you are not going to put in that piece Of
wood. Richard !" said one workman to an
other.
"Yes am. No one will be the wiser for
H." was answered.
/" But some one may be wronged by it,
= No very serious wrong. The worst that
can happen will be rickety drawer"
. But Richard; if you will take the trouble
to 20 into the third story. and select BETTER
seasoned piece Of wood, you will then be
able to furnish drawer that will always run
smoothly"
al am not going to take that trouble. Mrs.
Thompson would be very FAR from putting
herself out as much for me-"
cit doesn't strike me that you have any
thing to do with Mrs. Thompson's disposition
towards you, in the case. II is simple
question Of right and wrong. You are at
work on a bureau. for which she has agreed
to pay our employer a certain price. The
understanding is, ol course. that the wood
and workmanship are to be Of good quality.
Now, if you put IN that piece of wood, you
will wrong both Mrs. Thompson and our em-
ployer. She will receive a defective, trou-
blesome article, and he will be injured in his
business; for Mrs. Thompson would hardly
engage him to make another piece Of furni-
ture, after finding herself deceived in this.
Your doing this thing. Richard. is. according
to my notion, a violation Of Christian char
ity."
al don't see that Christian charity has
any thing to do in the matter. Mrs. Thomp-
son crowded down in the price, and am
not too well paid for my part Of the work.
So, you see, can't afford 10 be hunting about
after seasoned wood. This piece comes NICE
" to nv hand, and am going to use it,"
81 have nothing more TO say" replied the
fellow workman, Except TO repeat my judg-
ment Of your act, aud call il yiolation d
Christian charity. Our praying, singing. and
Bible-reading, Richard, will not help Us
heavenward. unless we are just between man
and man. The Christian profession is no
\ thing without the Christian life. Our reli-
gion, in order TO change Us radically, must
\ descend into all our commonest duties. Ii
! belongs as much 10 the shop. as to the fami-
I ", aud as much to the family. as to the sane
tuary. II you put in that piece Of wood,
! knowing, as you do, that IL will render the
bureau permanently defective, you will hurt
i your own soul"
Don't trooble yourself about nv soul, y
was the rather short reply. !" will take
good care Of that. II you hadn't said SC
\ much about it-magnilying moehlll into /
mountain-I might have selected betei
piece OF wood. But this shall 20 in now
\ III risk the consequences"
"The risk may be greater than you imsg.
inc. Il generally is 10 sll such cases." wa'
the grave reply.
| And here the remonstranee closed. Rich.
ard Wheeler, the journeyman cabinet.msker
worked in the unsessoned piece Of wood, and
went on to finish the bureau. which was sent
home at the time agreed upon. and the price
paid. We do not know whether the sugges'
tons Of his fellow. workman remained with
him or not or whether the unseasoned piece
of wood troubled in anywise his conscience
Il Time passed on. The bureau which had
been placed in the chamber Of Mrs. Thomp.
son, gave good satisfaction for time but
the unseasoned piece ol wood failed at length
10 DO lis proper duty, and the drawer begar
haltng ID lis work. The dispropOrtionat,
shrinkage of one side Of the drawer bent al
the paris out o. line, and so the opening ant
closing thereof was always attended viii
more or less difficulty.
Richard, the journeyman who made th'
bureau, was in the wareroom one day wheI
Mrs. Thompson came in. and with som,
warmth Of manner, said 10 his employer:
al don't think you have dealt fatly by IN,
in that bureau, Mr. Cartwright"
"Rather grave charge, Mrs. Thompson.