The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-06-10
THE PULPIT SIDE OF LABOR.
Rev. J. ". Rogan Says Some Things
for Employees to Think About


for Employees to Think About
Previous to his contemplated departure
for Europe, Rev. ]. W. Rogan has been
giving a series of sermons on Practical
Subjects" at the First Presbyterian church.
Last night he preached from the text:
Look not every man on his own things,
but also on tie things of others"
The words Of the text, the preacher said,
were not intended to teach that men should
neglect their own affairs in the interest OF
the affairs of others. 1t is natural for man
to be specially interested in his own affairs.
Reason confirms the rightfulneSs of this
very natural proclivity and the scriptures
generally insist that man should show dill
gence in his own behalf The apostle IN
the text does not wish to dobar US, the
preacher said, from giving attention to cur
personal affairs. but he insists that we con-
slider at same time the things of others; that
We show ourselves less selfish in little things
and in great, more charitable, more sympa-
thetic
There Is thing forbidden in the text,
said the speaker, and a thing commanded.
What is forbidden is to look on our own
things when doing SO will wrong or make
others suffer. In this connection, he
asked, what is to be said Of the 600, 900 men
and women engaged in the liquor traffic in
this country who, as Secretary Whitney
said recently, are more destructive to the
nation than were the 2, 900, 900 soldiers en-
gagged in the conflict of The civil war. They
destroy not with shot and shell, bat
with weapons that kill the soul
as well as the body. They build
up their trade and accumulate their wealth
at the cost of the happiness of thousands of
ruined homes and wrecked lives. The
speaker dwelt upon the tendency of copora-
tions to look not on the things that concern
others but only on those things that con-
Germ themselves. It's too true. he said, that
the rule of the strongest prevails in the
world, but might does not necessarily
make right. Shakespeare, in one of mis-
plays, the preacher said, makes q fisherman
remark that the fishes live in the
sea as men do ON land, the big
ones eat the smaller ones. This is eninently
true of the great corporations and combina-
tions of capital where few men bind them
selves to corner the market on provisions
at tho expense of the masses.
The employees of all corporations as a
rule are oYerworked and underpaid! He
instanced one employe who was on duty
eighteen hours per day and another who
worked fourteen and fifteen hours. A
young man who died only day or two ago,
and who was buried yesterday afternoon,
told the speaker during his illness.
shortly before his death, that his
sickness was brought on by
the labor he was compelled to do
on Sundays and other days for the corpora
ton which employed him.
No corporation, said the speaker, has a
right TO take advantage of a mans necessi-
ties to make him work more than twelve
hours day at most, or more than six days
each week. If the men are not able to de-
fend themselves the law ought to step in
and protect them. The law protects prop
erty very carefully, why not life also!
Look more on the things of others. Be
more respectful for the feelings of others, :"
said the preacher. ''There is class Of
persons met with every day which is
consummately selfish. Their cares
all they care to talk about.
I-ours and mine-is all they know or
think about The world revolves around
them. They are the world. How such
people jar and jostle those of more gener-
Gus and sensitive natures"
"Treat every one gently" urged the
preacher EVERY one has sorrows to bear
and burdens to carry. Some have more
fears than others and are more easily dis
couraged and respondent and need help
and sympathy"
The speaker paid tribute to the hero
ism of the foundryman, Willis, who, when
the food flowed through the Conemaugh
valley bearing houses and human
beings on its angry bosom, sprang
into a boat, and rowed out to a
floating cottage on which was woman and
two children. He got them into his boat
and rowed for the shore. He repeated this
feat again and again until he had saved
twenty lives from a watery grave. That
man, said the speaker, looked upon the
things OF others He was possessed of the
stuff Of which heroes are made. In our
own city, he said, there is little thing IN
which you may show consideration for
others. If the ladies will do their shopping
early in the day they will enable the
stores TO close at $50 o'clock, and the
tired clerks will get rest. Remember, he
said, that the clerks have stood by their
desks and counters all day, and both you
and they viii feel better for the considera-
tion shown in their behalf. cit is the law
of the christian kingdom that they who
most serve others, are most serving the
master. In this matter Christ was the ex-
ample, who, being equal with God, made
himself Of no reputation for our sakes who
We're under the curse, wherefore God has
now highly exalted him."