, 1873-11-13
THE PLATFORM.
Lecture Inst Evening by tho Rev.
Newman Hall, Of England. ..
an ELOQUENT Vinlication Of tho "Digni'
i" ty Of Labor"

Tho Rov. Newman ITnl1. who Ia known ovory-
whore as MI eloquent pulpit orator, delivered Tho
fourth lcotr1ro ot tho Star Course, In Kinnbury
Music Hall, Inst ovontng. Ills subject was
"Tho Dignity OF Labor."' Tho train from
Springfield, whore ho lecturod OH Tuesday ovorl-
Ing, waB all hour behind time, and ho did notroaoh
tile hall until o'clock. Tho Rev. Robert Coll
yor entertained tho audience with anecdotes and
rcfninfscencca until ho arrivod and then intro
duood him.
The 1octuror commenced with a statement Of
tho roaaota for constant labor In the world, say
Ing tint tho vfgor Of alt tho faculties depended
upon their continued oxorciso. This was not only
applicable to tho montd faculties, but to the
physical as vol. II tho mind was not employed
1t became anfaobled, and, In liko manner, tho
muscles, II allowed to romain Idle, arc unable to
perform tho work assigned thom. Tho lecturer
then spoke Of tho diiforont kinds Of labor, rotor
ring particularly to manual 1nbor. Tho working
mon woro tho most noble c1aHB and men In all
kinds Of professions, whom they ondoavored to
honestly perform thoir, work for tho good Of
thoir follow mon, wero worthy OF being classod
among the real working -claHaos Ho who did
not return something to the common store did
not earn Aia subsistence; he did not bo-
long to tlo noblo class. Tho spoaker
referred to tho Bible In illustration Of a
number OF his arguments In favor Of labor,
saying that tho Bible was great book, not stn,-
ply Of theology, but Of general learning. Tho
most eloquent orators in the world consulted It,
and drow thoir nrgumenta from It, It was tho
boet bool In any literature. The inhabitants of
tho world wero instructed by 1t as to the utility
Of labor. Many mechanics were taught to labor
by God himBo}f. Ho greatly 1anentod tho
prevalence OF many told fogy" ideas aud
projudices in England. They were doubtless
caused, In q measure, by tho ago Of tho
country: and tho foolish precodonts eB-
tnb1ishod. There woro somo ladies' thero-
he would not call them women, tho namo
Indy boing applied to many who wore not trud
womon-who had decided prejudice against en-
gaging in any manual labor, thinking it degrad-
ing. This was one Of tho wcaknesHes of tho in-
habitanta Of tho old country. Tie, people Of tho
Unltnl etatos, Of courso, know nothing Of thom,
Labor being an absolute noceasity, we should
doem 1t honorable. How WAS 1t possible for
man to bo Independently rich, as tho popular
acceptasion Of tho term lad it, without labor
He simply possessed his gold, which represented
labor. Tho mctal itBolf waa Of no uso,- Tho could
not ont it or make coat from it. Labor on
nobled every one, rich and poor, beggar aud
Prince. BY labor, everything performed by man
OH Garth WaH accomplished. by 1t continents
were united together for Tie purposes Of trade. ,
The Hpoaker then enumerated tho benefits to
DO derived from lahor, saying that tho valuable
results all pointed to tho oxlHtonce OF Great
Boing above. Tho great mass OF tho laboriug
classea In Great Dritain folt and Expressed their
sympathies with tho Northern statca in thoir
recent struggle. Night after night thoy held
meetings during the progress Of the war to take
measures to rcndor aaaiatance. But a very few
Thousands Of tie pooplo Of England were mr.
rayod against tho North In their opinions, s,-many
millions Of mechanics were ready to do all In
their power to assist the North. a number Of
glowing illustrations wore given of the hum
bio origin Of different notable personagea In
America and tho Old World. Tho Lord
Jesus Christ himself WAS working-man.
Tho announcement Of His birth WAS not made
to tho royal and the great, but to tho shep-
hords at work on the plains. He was not born
OF tue Kings household but OF an humble
family. We should not despiso those to whom
We owo Whatever value our property may hage.
It. i'll ..bocame fallen man to dospfBo another,
however degraded he might bo. ,Wo should
honor labor BY not oyortaxing It, There was q
limit to toll, beyond which service was slavery.
and preserving tho great charter Of the working
man-tho Sabbath rest [Applauso.] Neither
power, nor wealth, nor learning, nor geniuH, nor
philanthropy, nor all combined, hal monopoly
Of honor. Toll, however lowly, was honorable,
God.
It was announced TINT DR.. Hall would prenct
in Trinity Church this evening, md in tho First
Presbyterian Church, corner of Thirty-flrat
stroot and ludiana avonuo, tomorrow morning.