Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-06-12
TxE NOBILITY OF LABOR.


"The social Condition of the Work
ing People" was the subject of very
able and interesting lecture delivered
by the Rev. DR.. o. II. Tiffany, pastor
of the Trinity Methodist Episcopal
Church of Chicago. The first portion
of the discourse was giving TO geDer-
alization upon the subject of labor, all
of which tended to prove that labor is
the initial law OF nature, and that man
is not an aggregation of possibilities
but a unit. The speaker denounced
the custom of society, which is inclined
TO look. down upon the workingman,
disregar,ling the necessity of work in
this life. To some people work is a
curse, and the end of life is eagerly an
tieipated as means whereby they are
to get rid of doing work. The fact
there is work to do is sufficient punish
ment and misery to this class. Mans
destiny is something more than to mere
" subsist and accumulate wealth. In
work man can glorify God. Toilers
are merely carrying out in detail a sa-
cred allotment, given to them by the
author of their being. The distinc-
tons of society in regard TO work and
working people are but arbitrary assump-
tons. If the human race were perfect,
men would group themselves into class
es other than they are now, and more
according to their intrinsic merit So
ciety divides them into the principal
classes-those who do and those who
do not work. That class of men who
inherit wealth and are maintained by
possessions which have been left to
them by others are called aristocrats,
and in some instances they are OF very
great force and influence in this world,
particularly in Eastern and European
countries 1t is an unrecognized class,
however among us. There is still
another class in society which is COM
posed of men who do no work and yet
are not aristocrats. These are the pau
pers. Neither the former nor the lat
ter class does anything for the good OF
society. 1t is little singular that
those whose conditions are SO far apart
should belong together. But social
providence orders that at the gate OF
every Dives there shall be a Lazarus.
The second class is composed of all
that toll, whether it be the farmer, the
laborer, the mechanic, or the profession
al man. If the wealthy class is consid-
cred the ornament of society, and the
paupers IFS sore, then must the work
ingmen be looked upon as its strength
and hope. The aristocracy, so called,
may be the benefactors OF those who
toll or the patrons of art, but with them
il is q characteristic to look down upon
toll. IdlenesS is a vice, and nearly all
the destitution there is in the commu-
nifty is caused by idleness. Taking this
for his premises. the speaker drew the
conclusion that it was moral sin, and
that all oilers were sinners, whether it
be the man that idled away his time i'll
elegant clothes in his elegant home, or
the pauper living in abject squallor-
one is as much the sinner as the other.
The brain worker, the man of culture
and letters, is as much the workingman
AZ the laborer. The workingman is al
ways responsive to appeals for, help.
His pocket is always open, because his
heart is always accessible. No better
proof can be found of this than is fur
nished by the late civil war. The fight
ing was done by the nottingham, and
the money was raised by sanitary
commissions from the workiDgmen who
could not turn a deaf ear 10 the appeal
to their patrio tism. If the rich men
were depended on alone, there never
would have been raised the money with
which to carry on the war.
The Bible, the speaker continued,
furnished the corroborative proof for
every sentiment advanced in favor of
the workingmen. All of its greatest
heroes and principal characters-Moses,
Elisha, Paul, and many others which
he quoted-were men who were selec-
ted by the Lord toserve him, from their
work. Labor is a virtue, idleness is
vice. There is but little difference in
what man may do, but he ought to
do something. And what he does ought
TO be done sturdily and cheerily. All
distinctions of society are ridiculous.
Social distinctions cannot be done away
with, but they should be rightfally
based. Tie harm in the foolish dis
tincton consists in the name that is
given and the action based OH the name.
Ir conclusion, the speaker made an eff
frctiye and eloquent peroration, in