The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1877-08-06

Church; preached yesterday forenoon
sermon appropriate TO the times from
Matt, 20, l-l6, the parable in which is
described a dispute between an en-.
ployer and some Of his employees. Alter
explaining the details Of the story and
remarking that II presented neither the
nrst nor the last example Of conflict be.
tween these two great classes oil people,
he said that whilst In this case the EN-.
ployer was clearly right and the employed
a. clearly wrong, yetit was not always SO.
Admitting that the price Of labor as well
a oil grain might be regulated by the law
oil supply and demand, yet this law, like
any. other, could be violated. A comb.
nation OF spectators In wheat may tenn
porarily suspend the laws Of political
economy. and raise or lower prices to
SUIT their own purposes. And so n
combination Of employers might for
time at least put wages lower
than the rate established by supply and
demand. In all conflicts not arising
from Misunderstanding, tho wrong Is
chargeable 10 one pAfty or both, and hasty
conclusions should be avoided.
These conflicts invariably result In evil.
They may produce only envy, discomfort,
or hard feeling among men, or they
may be 20 disastrous in their results as
to defy description and computation, as
in our recent troubles. Consideration OF
these evils has led political economists,
statesmen and tradesmen to inquire for
a remedy. Every one who desires peace
and the weil.being OF all classes, asks with
interest how can these conflicts be avoid
ed? Mr.. MOiiat dlsClaims the intention 10
discuss this yexed problem in the pulpit,
but felt it a duty TO point out to Chris
tians what they, each In his own sphere,
might do towards bringing about SO de.
Slrable condition Of society.
First-We must commend to all, and
advocate the practice Of the mutual du.
ties OF both classes rs set forth in the
Bible. A number Of passages were then
read and classified, setting forth these
mutual duties. From these 1t appears
that all who labor for others are requir.
ed by the word OF God to obey them /. c.
to follow their directions; to endeavour
to do the best possible work, as II under
the eye Of God, and as serving not man
but Christ; 10 maintain a Christian feeling
toward them devoid Of every ill-will, and
lastly, that they were not 10 expect TO
fare better than their employers, but
when hard times come 10 bear their
share. II these directions Of Scripture
were complied with the workman would
be everything that a just employer could
ask.
On the other hand, the Bible requires
ofemployers, whether individuals or cor
porations, the, payment Of just wages.
II will be a swift witness against those
that Cypress the hireling in his wages,"-
and promptness in paying them. They
are forbidden to despiSe their cause or TO
turn deaf ear to their complaints. 70
refuse hearing to committee seeking
a redress OF grievances, or to meet their
request with u discharge is sin as we'll
as shame. They are to regard their
men as their equals before God, and to
beat them as il they were "stoCk" or ma
chimes will surely bring a retributiOn.
And, lastly, they have no right TO rob
their employees OF their Sabbath rest.
"The Sabbath was made for man" and
every man is entitled to it. Corporations
may not compel any man to work on the
Sabbath, but they place the alternative be.
fore them Of working seven days week
or not at all, and this is more aggra-
waited violation Of the Fourth Command.
ment than il directors and officials should
work themselves. 1t is not only viola
ton Of divine law but an act Of inhuman-
ity to men.
Many had declared our recent troubles
Judgment Of God upon Sabbath desc
Grafton. Such an opinion should not be
positively expressed except where the
evil could be traced to the sin as an effect
10 cause. But on the other hand il
might be equally presumptuous to deny
it, Us God was at liberty to punish sin
without making the punishment conse.
quence Of the sin. But one thing ia sure,
compelling men todisregard Gods law is
educating them TO the disregard Of all
law. II these directions were complied
with would not employers be all that the
employed could ask? We may not hope
to see both parties regulating their rela.
tions TO each other by the Word Of God,
but II is our duty to commend to all
classes that Word as the guide Of life.
SeCondly-We are TO labor 10 counter.
act some popular tendencies Of our time.
In our determination to separate the
church from the State we are in danger
Of separating religion from the citizens.
There is growing demand for the com.
pIete Secularizing Of all our institutions,
not only for the Punishment Of tho Bible
from our common schools, but even OF all
text books which contain u single re.
ligious truth or sentiment. This vIr.
tually amounts 10 an alliance Of the State
with the Church Of Atheism. We are
forgetting the lesson taught us so I'M
pressively by French statesmen, that re.
llgion Ii necessary to the perpetuity OF
the republic; that even false religion is
preferable 10 none. The secularization
Of France was the birthday OF the com.
mune. 1t takes intelligence and religion
TO make good citizens. Intemperance,
too, exercises 4 powerful influence toward
developing Dangerous classes" Saloons,
as much under the protection Of the gov
eminent as railroads, are yet schools
wherein rioters are educated.
In concluding, Christians were ex.
horted 10 renewed earnestnesI in the EN-.
ployment Of all the agencies Of the
Christian church for the promotion Of
religion.
ORGANIZATION OF A REFORMED Epls.