The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-11-07

is as honorable as the Eheriffs staff.
The busy hum of labor Is as eloquent as
the plea of the lawyer at the bar, or the
charge of the judge on the seat of JUS
tico. This IS the light in which great
men regard labor.
Washington was not ashamed to call
himself farmer, When his country
required his services, he went from his
fields to the Presidency, his mission ac
cOmpiishei, he returned az tin to toll.
Many OF our Congressman have been
hard working men selected by the people
as best adapted to represent them in the
council OF the nation, An anecdote is
told OF Prof. Steward, one of the best
scholars OF his time. n student in the
theological seminary at Audover, had
purchased some wood. Being unable to
obtain some one to saw it, he sought the
Prof. for advice in the dlemma-'1 am
out of job and will saw it" said the
man OF learning.
Labor is not only useful but essential
TO life. As l have said it is law of
God, an ordinance OF heaven, that man
shall use his powers in employment,
'By the sweat of thy brow, shalt thou
eat thy bread There is no law which
specifies what that employment shall
be- There is no arrangement of God
by which one is to cultivate the soil, and
another manufacture garments or con
struct our dwellings. lie, has i'll no
way other than by the arrangements OF
| his provideuce, made one man the pro-
Queer aud another the distributor OF his
| bounty but he has made toll essential
not only to success but to lie itself. lie
! has sent ont his decree, declaring IF
any will not work, neither shall he eat"
! Suppose all labor should cease. How
soon would want and starvation spread
! over our fair land See that idler fold
his arms, and hear him say "A little
more sleep, ard little more slumber."
how soon be will come to want! The
wise man had such in mind when
he said: the sluggard will not plough
| by reason of the cold, therefore shall he
begin harvest.
While the fields of the industrious
man wave with abundant crops and his
barns are flied with plenty, the sluggard
is destitute aud has nothing. 1t is an
established law, that idleneSs brings
ruin; physical idleness brings physical
ruin; intellectual idleuess brings intellec
tual ruin and spiritual idleness brings
spiritual ruin. The hand of the diligent
maketh RICH" II this is true III refer
ence to the body. Ii luual labor is
honorable, useful and essential is not
the labor in which the Interests of the
soul an Involved, equally s.? Spiritual
labor or labor in the vineyard of the
Lord, is honorable because, of divine
appointment. God says to each of us
Go work to day, il my whey ard, This
involves the work OF personal piety,
work which rises in importance above
every thing else. Z .rthly interests a-e
circumscribed o. the Dundaries of time. !
DOT the interests at the soul run parallel /
labor terminate at death, but the results |
attending our persOu3l salvation are |
commensurate with the existence OF the |
soul. The Saviour emphasizes the impOr- |
lance of this work, when he says: |
Seek first the kingdom of God aud |
his righteousness and all these things |
shall be added He would have us at
tend to this work first is point of time, |
and first IN point of Importance and |
enforces the solemn duty b. ibis momen-
teous question: What shall it profit a !
man, if he shall gain the whole world |
and lose his own soul ''Gr' what shall |
a man give in exchange tor his soul"
If the work Of salvation Is SO important |
what does it embrace? 1t embraces the |
work of repentance, of faith. of CONVEX
sion, the work of holy living, i'll word, |
it embraces the conservation of the |
heart and life to the service of the most
High and can be maintained only by |
diligent use of the means of grace,
such as prayer, self denial, religious |
meditation, searching the scriptures and
attendance upon the ordinances of G0d's |
house, in word, by giving diligence to
make your calling and election sure.
Some OF the tenets of your order, as
have been informed are: temperance, in
dustry and honesty. These are good |
as far as they go. 1t is we'll for man
H., =, l., r..
his own wants and for the comfort OF
those who are dependent up)n him. Il is
well for him to practice the principles of
temperance, saving himself and family
from the curses of intempeTance. It is
well, yea, it is honorable, and worthy
of praise for a man to practics the princi
pies of honesty, and thus render to all
their due, but when he has done all this,
it is lot enough to secure him a title to
Heaven. Jesus said Eye must be born
again You may carry out the princi
pies Of your order, industry, temperance
aud honesty, AMI yet your character as a
subject OF Gods moral government, be
| imperfect. The principles above enumer-
ated, affect US only as we stand connec ed
with our fellow mau. We may rise
early and retire late, and yet be iders in
the work Of saving our soals: We may
practice sobriety aud fail TO bring our
passions and appetites within the bounds
prescribed b. the gospel. We may b.
honest toward our fellow man and fail
to meet our oblg atoms to God. If we
90 no further than these principles, it
may be said of us, as Jesus said of the
rich young ruler, "One thing thou
lackest." We must be born again, we
must have upon our natures the washing
OF regeneration and the renewing of the
Holy Ghost. We must Oe honest toward
| God, as we'll as man. We must render
to him the affections of our hearts and
the service of our lives. I util this is
done our characters will be incomplete
Except man be born again he cannot
see the kingdom of God"
This labor is not only important but it
is useful. Much OF the labor connected
with the present life, amounts to little,
brings small return, but the labor OF
which | have spoken is sure to bring
glorious reward. Hence the language
of the apostle Wherefore, my beloved
brethren, be ye steadlast, unmovahle,
always Astounding III the work of the
Lord, for as much as ye know that your
labor is not in vain, in the Lord.
| 'FGOiljnes is Droiitabla unto all things