The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1868-02-13
From the Square and Compass.
THE DIGNITY OF LABOR.
BY REV. EGBERT HAYWOOD OSBORNE
o.. OF TENNESSEE.

THE DIGNITY OF LABOR.
BY REV. EGBERT HAYWOOD OSBORNE
OF TENNESSEE.
|. Multitudes OF. men believe that the
neceasity of Labor originated in the
apostacy of Adam and Eve, and
therefore the duty of labor grew out
of the evil of sin, and formed por-
'tion of the penalty of violated law.
With profound respect for the opin-
ions of lnen, we trust it is with be-
coming uodesty, that we humbly beg
steirnissidn to differ from this hypoth-
eticafldeduetion of popular theology:
We believe that labor4xas the primal
law Of mans physical, intellectual,
and moral nature, and therefore es-
.sential to the complete development
of all his powers. If labor was rot
necessary to the happiness, prosperi-
.ty, and triumphant success of man
kind, then infinite benevolence, and
ietcl nal justice, would never have pre-
dicted the greatest good of the human
family upon the sublime duty, and
invested it with a royal dignity. Sin,
is the transgression of law, labor is
the result of sin, therefore in viola
ting Divine law, man brought about
the necessity of developing his grand
est powers, for the good Of humanity.
Such is the logic of that hypothesis
which declares that the necessity of
labor, was a part of the curse pro-
nounccd by God upon man for trans.
crossing his holy law. God placed
;an am.fallcn Adam in the Garden of
Eden, ''to dress it and to keepit. -
This could not have been done with
out labor. "In the sweat of thy
face thou shalt eat bread" no more
implies the necessity of labor, than
the other duty to dress and keep the
garden of Ellen. The amount and
tie character of the labor may have
been increased by the earth's produ-
cling ~thorns and thistles," but the
necessity of labor was not the result
Of sin, because labor is necessary to
the development Of all the powers of
the mind and body. The law of pro-
gressiye development, rests forever
;6;5oa4t the, ,layAeflabor. No laber,sno
development, no laborer, no progress
sivcness. 1t was a glorious inheri-
taince bcqueathcd by Divine Benev-
olence to man, high, and sacred
duty enjoined upon the inhabitants of
a primal Eden, and fallen world
alike, to dcvelopc every power by the
obedience to the first grand law OF
nature. the law of labor. The law OF
man'sphysiological, metaphysical and
moral organization. The law, without
which ali human progress, alleduca-
ton, is worse than vanity. Incidence IS
the depression ofevcry power, the com
plcte prostration Of every faculty,
producing physical weakness, mental
ignorance, and moral degradation;
poverty, ignoranco and crime, are the
necessary eonsequeuts of Incidence
and idIeness. God never intended
man TO be an idler upon earth, or he
never would have made him subject
of law, and invested him with such
solemn and sublime responsibilities.
lie never would have made him a IL
bel upon nature, a libel upon tic al
mighty power which breathed into
him the breath of life, and created
him from the dust of the earth.
Motion, action, progress, labor are
the grand sources Of hrman power,
the energies Of his Immortality, the
sources Of his accountability to God,
and his obligations to law. 4" Six
DAYS shalt thou labor was no after
consideration with God, who is the
same yesterday, to-day and forever,
from everlasting to everlasting
There can be no after eonsaderatlons
with God, who knoweth the end from
the beginning. Divine actions, are
certainly the results of eternal pur-
poses, founded in justice, and judg-
ment. No action of God grew up out
of any human action, mans moral
actions never produced, Or created i'll
the mind of the eternal God new
purpose, or caused change of Gods
purposes, predicated upon change
in mans moral actions. God there
fore knew, and knowing proclaimed,
the fact, that labor was essential to
the dignity Of mans nature, and the
education of his powers. The bronzed
brow, and the toll worn hand of hon
est labour, is nobler offering, rich
or boon than the jewelled fingers of
that soft and efeminate foppery
L