New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-25
INDUSTRY AND PIETY.
Tt Rev. c. r. BAKER hs Church Of TIC Nissan tPr0tst
IL

Il. Baker ths fhurci MSss'h
The Rev. Charles r. Baker, Rector of the
Church Of the Protestant Episcopal Messiah at Greene
and Cermont ayes, Brooklyn, preached the following
sermon, yesterday morning. His text was Romins
KILL 2: "Not slothful IN business feryent In spirit;
serving the Lord"
This tripet Is written singularly in tho midst of the
terse mendatons which Paul made to the Roman
Church closing his epste. 1t placed in i'm mediate
connection with the charge to love another to be
hopeful and patient under trial. to be prayerful to DO
sympathetic and helpful The verse itself enjoins dill
eence and OF spirit and then rises to gen
erallzston larger thought, which shall take In both
of Them and urges God-servce. II could draw pic
ture OF Rome as it when the apostle wrote. you
would how practical this charge Is. IL would how
ever take TOO muca une anu ieau 700 Lar away ir ,
national evils by which great multitude or lazy
td was c1ed by low deSagogue and becam
governed by of ideas destructive Of the national
economy The history of the city at this epoch is tedi
ous recurrence nsolent MODS,
which considered II necessary 70 rob. and demanded
support and amusement from the Enperors. Were to
undertake tell you how this crowd, impelled by
principlcd aud ambitious iers, put 10 death public
throne those who oId the highest for their shortived
favor, 1t would be only TO give long series Of mad
cueltes which only be Interesting TO the student
TO trace through snch disorders the gradual
evolution of intelligent popular government. 1t would
he sckening to relate the dreadful spectacle OF the
amphtneGter which this brutal mob demanded for their
amusement If this had been done, however you would
have what a regencrator OF society, what con-
OF good any religion would no which could take
them mind their own business and labor honestly and
patiently for their daily bread 1t would enable you TO
nat new life Christianity Introduced into the old
world. But what possible application this subject
have to lives nOwi Soth Is the very last thing
with. Go on the street at the hour when
the tide OF business is at the food Sec how swiftly they
90 jostrng each other IN their eagerness Notice how
earnest they Go there In such day the panic
OF last Autumn, aud mark, IN the excitement aud disap
pointment, and there. how absorbed men Ds
come business aud then say IL you think 1t Is
sary to urge sucn not to be sothful ia businessi
One would think there little need OF selecting this
text expound YOU returning home at night jaded
with the abors and worry OF the day so that even tho
quiet OF home cannot please you ultli nature Has had
time to recuperae yonr wasted energies; aud then
there often hangs over you me restless anxiety for the
to be moro proper TO seek the ala OF religion 10
stress upon the mpershabe riches which God has pre-
pared for them who love him
To such the first part OF this has no applca
ton The latter portion Will apply 10 Them This refers
to those who do not labor wish 10 dwell upon this
because 1 am satisfied that there is evil in this
respect in present social life, which oftentimes
entails most serious embarrassment and misery upon
Que class. While consider II dsacefu for young
man 10 be idle, not to be engaged in Industrial
pursuit In which he support himself and add
In The education young women. Any person who
comes In contact with the poor knows what serious
thing this is and heartrending frequent
produces do not now refer to the fact that the edu
Gallon OF young ladies' Is sometimes lamentaby neg
ected that they obliged to learn the practical duties
OF housekeeping by series OF bunders for which they
them great PAIN the loss Of aniablity In them
selves and Of all who i've with them. But do mean
that they not taught anything well enough to be
10 them Is likely to do to every OF 80
the ptaOle poor are these women who have been
brought up in luxury and have never cultivated their
natural talents as man In the same circumstances
would doue They do not know anything well enough
10 teach 1t. They have attained sufficient skill
in any handwork 10 earn livelihood by 1t. They can
do nothing which can be turned account ana there
fore sink far lower In restitution than OF middle
or low rank. There seems To be no help for them.
you this is no Overdrawn picture Come with me.
M nd OI
this church There Two classes OF paupers. One
comprise the utterly inefficient and lazy. who will not
work II they The best thing TO do for such to let
them sarye until they get tired Of IT, The other and
most discuuraging cases are ladies' who do know
how To do anything The help which you give them
10 do permanent good. When the money Is
gone, they Just where they were before. Their
story IL Of fsthless executors OF bad Investments
OF false friends OF sickness AMI misfortune. Now
injunction TO be dgent IN business IL one Of special
application IL refers 10 no one sex or class but presses
upon all who recognize the Obligations OF Christian duty
You will see further what mean as the subject ad
vances. Man was created To labor and woman too.
Manual work, which is not too the body
to round its beautiful proportions, tho coun-
enance to glow delightfully."- with health the eye be
liz with oearness aud beauty. without 1t health
shes aud happiness Is The intellect cannot
Itself 10 Its utmost strength unless the body does
tain amount OF labor The mind which takes q strong
grasp Of subject which does 20 until 10 has
solved all IT, problems must be in body kept healthy
by labor Inc same IS true OF the moral nature Weak
vi principle Will continually manifest itself where
there Is sloth. The Old which was taught US in
"satan nuds mischief still for idle hands 10 do
The obligation to labor ak days Ia strictly ineul-
Gated in Gods law There {, dignity il labor.
who. with affected softness OF aud mincing gait
initiates the silly girl, without acquiring any Of the
pleasure the aborers cottage on saturday eve
and his stalwart form approaching his home with
heavy treadf VINO can LOOK without ation Al his
hoesi pride he his little once or throws aboat
the harmless jest, VI eta conouted at his frugal moa