Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1873-11-10
Relisio,rs department.
..rHE DIGNITY oFLABoR.

Rev. Newman Hall has delivered |
lecture on the Dignity of Labor" La
Dor, he said, was the great law of the
universe and of humanity. The struct-
ure of the human frame betokened the
activity for which we were intended.
Health could not flourish in an atmos-
phere of sloth the muscle shrank which
was not strung; the joint stiffened which
never moved. So it was with our in
tellectual and moral powers. That which
was intended for the temple of the Deity
without action and industry became
melancholy ruin. Labor was so essen
tial to the health development of our
faculties that we could not at the same
time be idle and happy. Labor of the
brain was essential for directing the la
Dor of the body. Sometimes one thought,
such as that which led to the structure
of the steam engine, had produced great
er results than if the author had worked
with his hands for ten thousand wears.
The apostle, Paul said: IF thew will
not work. neither shall they eat, which
meant that man had no right to the
produce of other peoples labor, if in
some way he did not contribute to the
common store. There was dignity in
labor, because it was the obedience of
Gods command. Man. more than the
brutes, was dependent on labor. He
must make his own raiment. Some men,
were said to be independent. That was
mistake-none of us were Independent;
we were all dependent upon labor.
While the man of toll owed much to the
man of leisure, the man of leisure owed
his very existence to the man of toll
Working people were more willing to
listen to truth than the upper classes.
While the aristocracy of .Judea rejected
Christ and put him to death, the COM
mon people received him gladly In
like manner it was the workmen of Ger
many who upheld the reformation and
supported Luther In times of English
prosecution, while there were men of
gentle blood who advocated the cause OF
truth. yet it was the multitude of the
, comparatively poor who were ready tc
die for right, for freedom, and for God
Who composed those Ironsides, whose
charge nothing could withstand? Who
won for the English people their liber
ties? In the great struggle in America
, who were the classes that chiefly ant
from the beginning recognized the trutl
and maintained the justice of the strug
, gle for the Union in all ranks who up
held the noble cause, yet it could not b.
denied that the majority of its advocate
! we're to be found among the workin,
Y classes. From the beginning to the en-,
f the working men of Great Britain sup
ported the cause of the Union, and mon
ster meetings were held night by night
@ at which most earnest resolutions wer
enthusiastically passed in favor of en-
p ancipation. Having enumerated som
u of tho distinguished mon who have al il
q en- from humble positions, the reveren
) gentleman pointed out that the exampl
q of Christ in following the occupation
carpenter afforded mighty confirm;
II ton of his theme Christ knew tn;
: the larger portion of his followers woul
:. be composed of the multitude engage
o in manual toll. He knew their priv
tiops and the indignities they woul
IN suffer, and therefore he resolved to pl
70 his own royal stamp of dignity on the
~ position. There was dignity in eve
4 kind of honest toll, and he who treat,
N anybody with indignity because of tt
Ia nature of his occupation dishonored n
~ the man but himself.