Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1865-09-28
NIISCELLANY.
ne Dignity of Labor.

The following capital article is from the Rich
mond Republic. a paper conducted with much
ability. Thewriteri is "A gentemanandscholar,
whose head-work does honor to the most labo-
rious ofall professions. The young as well as
the old may read this, and profit by it.
We lately heard a desperate threat from a
man whowas short of funds. He said he would
have monev-if he had to work for IT, If he
had threatened % commit highway robbery or
murder, he could scarcely have worn an aspect
of more feroci0uS determination. We could not
doubt that he sincerely regarded labor as the
last resort of q gentleman; beneath his dignity
and only excuSable on the ground Of absolute
necessity
That there are those who thus consider it,
cannot, we fear be denied We are at a loss
70 understand how such ideas can be entertain
al ON any principle of reason or common sense.
Above all is it difficult 70 reconcile such notions
with the genieus of Christian civilization. The
lot Of toll was imposed upon man by Him who,
for six DAYS. was engaged in the work of Crea-
ticn. ard ON the seventh rested from His laborS.
I'm the DeCalOguc. labor is made universal and
perpetual law. and under the new diSpenSatlon
ii is declared that "hc who viii not work neith-
or shall he eat. the identical rule which Capt.
JOHN SMITH proclaimed and put into practical
operation ut jamestown: and by that means
saved the colony from starvation. II we look
20 the earliest history of our rlce, that which
we find I'M the Old Testament, we see, from the
gardener ADAM and his wife down TO the second
ADAM and his Apostles. no evidence that the
Creator regards labor as diSparaging to the Dig
nity of any portion of his creatures. We find
honorable mention made Of artifcers in brass
and iron. and of virtuOus women working VIII
lingly with their hands.
The book Of Proverbs abounds with severe
rebukes of idlencss. AS JACOB worked tOl
RACHEL seven years, and then another seven
IL is probable that neither the ladies nor the
gentlemen Of those times considered labor be-
Meath the dignity Of man. Working fourteen
wears for the hand Of a womanl RACHEL did
not disdain % go to the well for water. ABRA-
HAM was one of the wealthieSt men of his cOun-
trv or his time He had a thousand male anC
probably as many female slaves. But wheI
he entertained strangers he caught the calf witt
his own hands that was killed for their enter
tainmcnt. Some one has remarked that thi
patriarch was one of the finest specimens Of 4
finished gentleman on record, though he die
not wear ring nor powdered hair. and lel
waltzes and cotihons 10 the goats and lambs O
his flock.
That he was a gentleman is evident enougl
from the following: "And ABRAHAM lifted NJ
hiS eyes and looked, and lol three men stooC
by him, AID when he saw them he ran (marl
his prompt, active politeness)- ran to NEE
them from the tent door, and bowed himself 10
ward the ground He had not learned tha
bow from a French dancing-master. but n,
doubt it was a bow that any of us would hav,
been glad TO receive and would have long re
membered. Here his salutation, MY Lord. i
now have found favor in thy sight, pass no
away, pray thee, from thy servant Ther
his anxiety for their comfort and the courteous
tones in which he expresses it; Let a little wa
ter, pray you, be fetched and rest yourselye
under the tree, and l viii fetch a mOrsel @
bread, and comfort YOU your hearts; after tina
YOU shall pass on "And ABRAHAM hGSteRe
into the tent to SARAH, and bade her max
ready quickly three measures Of fine meal, knca'