The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-09-24
SERMON ON LABOR"
A Thoughtful Discourse Last Even
ing by Rev. c. M. oliphant, Of the
First Christian Churchill Labor
the Worlds Normal Condition,

Last night at the First Christian
church, the pastor. Rev. C. NJ. Oliphant,
preached on the topic OF Labor" to q
large congregation. It was q thought
ful discourse. and was listened to with
attention throughout. 4.s'-.l,,
Labor. said Mr.. Ollphant, is a natural
thing: the world Is n laboratory In which
composition and reformation are con-
stantly going on. All OF US In this
world are solving some problem In some
way. He spoke OF the necessity Of la
Dor, us a method by which life Is en-
HANGED and beautined. labor that is OF
the foot, hands or brain. And nature
tolls with man; 1t ministers toward
man as man tries to minister toward
himself.
There are divisions OF labor. such as
mental and physical. and the speaker
told how these branches are related to
each other. Here in Wheeling are
many great Industrial enterprises-we
could not have them but for the mental
power that is back OF and conducts
them.
The speaker dwelt upon the dignity Of
labor. Labor is OF divine appointment:
God never made anything that Is not
consistent with His own character Of
dignity. He referred to what is occa-'
slonally seen In third and fourth rate
newspapers and from the lips Of speak.
ers OF certain class about the deg
radiation" OF toll. Labor Is not degrad-
Ing. Toll does not result In hardships
II properly conducted. There Is MOTH
Ing low. mean or degraded In anything
that Is useful-and what Is more useful
than labor?
These observations brought TO the
speaker consideration Of what Is de-
gradlng-the spectacle OF the man who
looks the world In the face and never
gives 1t anything while constantly TAX
Ing from 1t. Such n man is an ulcer on
the face Of life. He referred to those
people who. after acquiring n compe-
tcnce, retire. There are those who re-
tire too soon, Just because It Is possible
for them to retire. They are not COM
plying with any divine injunction or be-
hest, and instead OF being envied they
should be piticd.
The speaker referred In scnthlng
terms to the class that works not be-
cause circumstances do not compel
them to toll, and quoted these words:
AS true old Chaucer said to US many years
Igo
He's the sesntlcst mnn who dares tho
gcntlest deeds to do.
However mean his birth. however low his
place,
He's gentleman whose life rich gentle
deeds do grace.
1t is not n question Of position, but OF
character: not of LIES luxurIes. but of
quality OF the soul-charnctcr Is the
crown OF life. The sweat on the brow
OF the lnborcr Is jeweled crown.
lie dwelt on the problems OF labor.
So many people enter spheres to which
they are not naturally fitted. There IL
the boy on the farm who longs to leave
II. while by nature fitted for the farm.
Speaking Of the hours OF labor. tho
speaker snld ihry should be regulated
80 that no person tolls longer ithnn
brnln or hands are 1T for toll. This
regulation should apply to mental rs
well ms physical lnbor.
1t liz beneficial for n man to labor The
man who labors novcr goes crazy. 1t
Is the man OF voluntary or Involuntary
leisure who thinks himself Into the
grave. Motion is natures law; action