The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-02-21

or n0tntng 70 give. lneY complain,
too, about being unable to dress as
they desire, and upon these two
grounds are willing to ignore the wor-
ship Of God in the sanctuary.
Nou, as to the first excuse, Che
churches impose no tax upon any man.
The offerings made are free-will purely,
and only he is censured who can aid in
supporting the church and still declines
because he is mean or stingy. The few
who override all their excuses, and
come regularly to the place of worship,
are never found condemning the breth-
rem or crying out that they are badly
treated because they are poor. The
complaints all come from those who
habitually stay away. As to 6ne dress,
this excuse Is based upon pride and
ignorance, The churchsis no@place for
dress.parade. Clothes suited for work
are suited for worship. We have mem
Der of this church whose axcnse for
uon-attendance has been that his clothes
we're not suitable, and get that same
man is willing to walk the street on
Monday, where he is seen by four times
as many persons as he would have met
on Sunday. The truth is. an old suit
of clothes makes a very convenient
blind to dodge behind. and may be set
down as one of the 'refuges of lies"
spoken of in the Old Testament.
The laboring man, like any other
man. has right to choose his company.
If his tastes lead him to such fellowship
as will always keep him down or, such
as will never teach him how to rid
himself of awk xardness when in better
company. no one is to blame but him,
self. He has the remedy in own hands,
and he alone can administer it.
II. Whale eoi1s still erist, zoe must
not ignore the fact that the condition Of
the lab0ring classes has ineproued mach
during the century.
Whether the laborers are any
happier or more contented now than
formerly, l AN not prepared to say
but I am sure I can establish the fact
that their condition and surroundings
are better. Mr.. David A. Wells. of
whom DR.. Strong speaks as the American
economist, says that taking into account
hours, wages and prices, the average
-laborer is twice as we'll off as he
was thirty years ago, aud Mr. Mullhall
shows that in all countries the laborers
consume twice as much as they did in
1850. Speaking Of the matter as it
applies to Europe, be says textile fabrics
are eleven per cent cheaper than iu 1860;
books aud papers thirty-three per cent
cheaper, and the same amount of labor
that was once required to buy seventy-
seven pounds of bread will now purchase
one hundred and forty po1odss
It is only Of late years, both" in this
aud in the mother country. that our
lawmakers have taken into considera-
ton the welfare Of the laboriog classes
Our forefatbers once declared that
laborer must accept the price offered
for his labor, or 60 to Jail, that price
being fixed by custom. If any one to
secure labor offered higher prices than
others, be was fined twice the amount
be offered. They also said it was
unlawful to give alms to any man who
could labor. Wages were sometimes
fixed by the justices and published by
the sheriff, SO that the workman had no
voice ia the matter. If, laborer
refused the wages offered, be was
and denounced as rogue
and vagabond. He was also required
to work fourteen hours. per day from
March to September, resting only
half.hour at breakfast and diBaer.
The laborcr of the eighteenth century
rarely ever knew the taste of wheat
bread. Tea and coffee were for the rich
only, and fresh meat was luxury.
WOODEN clothing were oeyond their
reach. There were no cheap calicoes
and prints. Their houses were un-
glazed. and had 40 furniture beyond a
bench and bed. with an iron pot
and basin. Medical aid pas too
expensive fos them. and the sick we're
generally left to die without treatment.
Public schools ~ere bat little known,
and the children were reared in igno-
rance. In order to save the cost Of
lights, it was customary for four or five
families who desired to work at night,
to meet at one place aud use the same
light.
With all the woes Of this day, we
must aatter ourselves that We have
come upon better things. If our peo-
pie were9now. even for a season. to be
subjected to these privatioDs, the whole
United States army could not suppress
the riots that would spring up.
III. What. then, is cause Of the
gray1sblsng and disconteat2