The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1865-10-20
AND FAITHFUL, AND VALIANT FOR
B1DDEFoRD, ME-, FRIDAY MORNING.
Dignity Of Labor.

did, and he may look AZ MS traue simpiy aS
a matter of livelihood; but he ought to look
at It also as matter Of art. And not only
that, he ought to look at it in the light OF
benevolence. No man works at q manual
craft that he is not doing something for the
comfort. or happiness, or convenience OF
somebody. and he ought to have conscious
ness Of this, and rejoice in it. You are put
ting better roof on a mans house. and
making the apartments more attractive
thus you arc providing for the future enjoy.
ment of his household; and to know this
ought to afford you satisfaction, and convert
your labor from drudgery into agreeable
work.
1t may be that you have too much to do
to indulge in these ideal notions; but woe is
you If you have. You are not to forgot that
you are to get your living; but hold that
evcry one that works at proper business in
this life is a bencfactor, and that 1t is un-
manly never to look at your work in its re-
lation to the welfare OF men. You cannot,
perhaps, endow hospital, or build library;
but your trade enables you, according to the
measure of your ability. to diffuse happiness
throughout tho community. Aud l hold
that n man, whatever his calling may be,
should study the relations of that calling to
the education and well.being Of men. And
II you would regard your avocation us hav-
ing direct influence upon the prosperity.
happiness. refinement and developement OF
the whole community, you would feel that
every blow you struck in that avocation was
struck for your fellow men, you would no
longer feel that you were shut out from USE
fulness. and you would reap the satisfaction
of benevolence from the work in which you
were engaged.
This better mode of looking at our avoca.
tions stands in strong contrast with the ten
denotes Of men to compare their business I'M.
favorably with that OF other people. Men
are inclined to make their work as oncrous
and disagreeable as possible. Many seem to
study to render their cup as bitter as they
know how. Few there are that whistle and
sing as they work. like to hear girl
sing as shO performs her duties about the
house.. I like to hear workman whistle.
like to see 1.-THE and lively spirit.
whistling and singing are not infallible
signs that people are happy in their work,
but they are pretty sure indications of it.
Most persons are mondy about the labor
which they are called upon to engage in.
They look upon it US task imposed upon
them by necessity. They would rather do
something else. They do this because they
must. They say" 81 should suffer for the
want of bread if did not do It; but l havc
no taste for it."
And so men augment the disagreeable ele.
mcnts of their callings. They gil their work
with as many spines and prickles as they can.
And doubt whether, If you 90 among oil
classes of men, you will find merchants, or
lawyers, or doctors, better satisfied with their
avocations than those who work with their
hands. believe ministers arc the only men
who think that theirs is about the best busi-
ness Tho lawyer says, "Well, there are
some agreeable things in my profession, but
I should rot like to bring my boy up to 1t.
1t is laborious, and perplexing, and 1t places
one where he sees the unfavorablo side Of
lifc." The doctor says, my lifo is "a dogs
life." Now and then there is an enthusiast
in this profession !; but the majority Of ply
sicians say, 81 cannot get along Us we'll in
any other business as in this; but it is dis.
agreeable, and do not like it." Among
school teachers there is now and then an en-
thusiast; but most Of them ore on tho way
to something else. Teaching. to them, is u
device for reaching something better by.and-
by. They do not like it particularly we'll.
Go from the professions down into what
are dcnominated the menial cdliings. The
shipmaster says he does not like to 60 to sea.
The sailor says, ~ never would bring up q
son of mine to follow the sea. am in the
habit of living upon the water myself. and
am better fitted for that than anything else /;
but | would not have son Of mine become
n sailor" The soldier does not like to be a
soldier. Blacksmiths, and carpenters, and
shoemakers are dissatisfied with their work.
The fact is, men do not want to be anything
useful. They want to be gentlemen; that is
lazy man. They want to be happy. and
want other men to make them so. Their
idea Of life is to be carved out of whito mar
BILE, and have the sun by day and the stars
by night flicker all over them. God and you
aro at disagreement; and think you will
not prevail. Work is the law Of lifo; 1t is
the law Of honor; II is the law Of decency.
And If God has called you to Geld Of Ia.
Dor. work lovingly, rejoicingly. happily in
that. until you have 80 filled Il with your
swelling sides that that which binds you
shall give way, as does tho outer covering Of
n growing tree. For work Is like bark, and
you will drop It as last as you expand. You
will have room in this life to do ell that you
have the capacity to accomplish. But there
Is peruieious tendedcy to undcrvalue work.
There is mistaken feeling among men gen.
erally. that the sooner they make their for