Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1882-02-09
.eaaiag fpr the Sabbath,
CONDUCTED By
REV, ROBERT LATHAM.
lOrlglnal.J
: WORK.

indifference that portion of the fourth precept
of the decalogue, which requires us ''to re-
member the Sabbath day to keep it holy"
they are even more determined in their disobe-
dience to that part of the same precept which
enjoins it upon u.s. as a duty, to 'labor six
days.'' The'words six days shalt thou labor"
are so expounded as to make them convey to
the mind the idea of mere permission to act,
|. in this matter, as may be agreeable to our in
clination. In opposition to such an interpret
ation it may be safely affirmed that it is as ag-
gravated violation Of the law to waste six
days Of the week in idleness as it is to devote
the Sabbath to secular business.
Idleness stands related to crime rs the cause
of any event doesto the event itself. Children
are not more closely connected to their mother
than ,deeds.of violence are to idleness. The
vapors Of the sea do not more; certainly ascend
and then descend than idleness leads directly
| to deeds of universal rebellion and then sinks
the soul in the lowest depths of infamy and
shame: >'',
Labor is honorable, but idleness is disgrace.
Labor begets a manly independence, but idle
ness brings forth only progeny Of dastardly
menials. The fruits of well-directed labor are
! mental vigor, bodily health and moral recti-
tude. Idleness is productive of bodily diseases,
countless in number and nameess in charac-
ter. 1t dwarfs the intellect, deadens the SEN
sibilities, prostrates the will and converts man
into monstrosity-a venomous beast-a blind
viper, which, in it's nladdened rage, strikes at
every thing Labor fells the forest, deposits
the seed in the ground, reaps the harvest,
builds cities, levels mountains and converts
the wilderness into fruitful field. Labor is
in harmony with the great principles of the Uni
verse. "My father worketh hitherto and l
work" is the language of him who possesses
the resources of all worlds. s'Goto the ant,
thou sluggard, and be wise" From this tiny
creature learn lessons of heavenly wisdom.
Work is honorable idleness is a disgrace.
''The hand of the diligent maketh rich, " but
the fields of idlers are cursed with barrenness.
To work, hard and constantly, is our duty.
To waste our time in ideness is sn-a great
sin. Diligence in business, no matter what
that business, provided it is legitimate, has a
tendency to beget and develop a principle of
honesty in the soul, while idleness leads direct
ly to violation of all the commandments.
The habit of ideness once formed, the door of
hope closes. The individual who has contract
ed the habit has lost all respect for himself and
for others. He presents a ruinous spectacle
a social and moral dilapidation. His counte-
nance wears the appearance not of grief, not
of sorrow, but of wolfsh guilt. A kind OF
half-sneaking and half-despairing appearance
is imprinted on his face and presented by all
his movements. He has reached the point at
which to lie and steal, to- hate good and love
evil is habit strong as death. He has no
love for himself and has wisely concluded that
others have formed the same estimate of his
social and moral worth.
All devoutly piOus persons are great workers.
They never eat the bread of idleness. Dill.
gence in business and fervency of spirit in
serving the Lord are not incompatible as some
think. On the contrary, they are linked to-
gether by the irreversible decree of God.
BY hard and incessant workers the gospel is
supported in Christian lands, and sent to
heathen countries. The honest sons and
daughters of toll watch and pray. Whatever
the providence of God assigns them to do, they
60 at it with all their might. On them God
showers down blessings which even the idle
share. Their sleep is sweet and they have
bread enough and to spare. ~ =
There are no idlers in heaven. There never
habitants of which are so many that no man
can number them, there are no idlers-none
out of employment-al are workers.