Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-03-30
Mlisfellamepns &eadiua.
THE DIGNITY OF LABOR.

WlakEAAaAkHAa gkaM1~y
THE DIGNITY OF LABOR.
The great mass of mankind are laborers
The broad sweep Of the universal law, that il
the sweat of our face we shall eat our bread
LAYS on the race the stern alternative-worl
or starve. In some lights this looks like tn
law Of hard master and the philosophi
friend of humanity is saddened at the specta
Gle of WEAKNESS and toll, barren alike fo
body and soul, and very naturally wonder
how this drugery can be made to harmonic
with the dignity of mans nature or the be
nevolence of mans creator. What relation
has the bent back and furrowed brow, and TIN
hard hand and the worn out frame, and thu
overtasked brain and the weary sinking heart
with the growth of the immortal mind, an(
with all those better aspirations of the soul
those most characteristic marks of the divine
finger which formed it
These, and a thousand questions like them
which pass through the thoughtful mind
would be hard to answer, if there were not {
brighter side to the decree. But once find il
this law the noble'purpose and the beneficial
results of labor-let down on this busy toilinf
scene of life, the beautiful light of the Crea
tors love, and the difficulty vanishes. Work il
mans appointed task-the great mission he il
sent upon. Labor is not merely necessity
but duty-the fulfllment Of responsible
trust obedience to wisely imposed and ben
eficial law.
You are obliged to work Thank God anG
all your stars for it Out Of his infinite treas
ure house of gifts, we know not that the Crea
tor could find more precious one than this
same necessity of labor. In the midst of your
WEAKNESS and pain, think moment-labor Of
some sort lies at the foundation of all progress
all good, here or hereafter. From first to last
life is a school to teach activity, effort, labor
Every sense and every muscle Of the body
must be trained every intellectual and mora
power within us has to- be brought out and
cultivated. Nature is vigorous old school
dame and her morning greeting and evening
charge to her pupil is, what the voice of God
| is, and what the voice of conscience within
us is-he that will not work shall not eat.
| We are not sent into the world to be sheep, to
crop the spontaneous herbage of the fields,
and then recline on full stomachs in thought
less repose. Nature gives nothing but the
raw material, which we must work up for oul
wants. 1883 ....-
Thoughts, as well as wool, must be combed
and spun virtue, as well as gold, must be dug
out, and cleansed and assayed honor, station,
power-all good must be built up, course by
course, toiling and anxiously every step to the
top If nature had her way, the monarch OF
this world would be the greatest worker, and
the only order Of nobility composed of those
that achieve the largest and best results.
Labor is life's great function. With spade
and plow, with shaft and furnace, with fire
and steam, amidst the noise and whirl of swift
and bright machinery, abroad in the silent
fields under the roofing sky-everywhere and
always man must work, always by experiment
ing, pushing, progressing. He is a man only
when he wOrks-he is faithful to lifes great
law and Gods express will, only as he tolls
on, in imitation of the nature that supports
him.
Yes, thank God for labor! It is the only
way of happiness and self-respect. Luxurious
Incidence never yet did for man, and never
will There is law against it. Every good
thing in this world has it's price. Whatever
is obtained without effort, by necessary law
of the mind, is used without pleasure. To
enjoy thing we must strive for it and US
ually the measure Of the enjoyment will be the
length and stress Of the toll by which it has
been obtained. The mother loves not one of
the group that clusters around the fireside,
and claim her affections, as she loves the poor
fragile plant whose life and growth have been
the fruits of manifold watchings, and cares
so sweet to the possessor Of millions, as the
first precious dollar that rewarded his early
toll. The heart gilds with thousand pre-
cious affections, the object it strives for and
tolls for The world over, labor and peace,
toll and pleasure, work and happiness 60 hand
in hand. The sweat of the brow turns into
diamonds and drops upon your path.
Nobody has a right to live who does not
labor in some way. A lazy man is defaulter
in the most precious trusts and, tried by a
just standard, he deserves to be shunned-if
not shut up. Nature has no respect for the
man that will not work. She uses him very
roughly indeed. If it were not for his friends
and for his crimes he would be starved and
put out of the way. If you ask the stars, or
the ever swelling sea, or the untiring forces of
earth and air, they will tell you, he only is
living like man, and worthy the honor of
manhood, who masters his tasks, and goes
about his appointed duty manfully. All 9TH
ers are intruders, drones, or something worse.