The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-04-20

Of aimless idleness. AS a proposition. it
is too late to argue in it's favor. because
it is sustained by the experience of all
nations. The nations that lead are and
have been toilers. BY brain and Drawn
they have come 10 power. influence and in
telligence. The nations which control the
destinies of the world are those that thrive
by great industries.
1t is a very common and a mischievous
idea that manual labor includes all the work
in the world, when. in fact, all use of hand,
brain and skill which adds to the we'll
being and progress of mankind is useful
and consequently elevating employment.
The man who writes a book which broad
ems the conception or quickens the imagi-
nation of thousands is as useful a worker
as he who works in factory or on farm.
Those nations have the greatest nluenc
and enjoy the highest type of civilization in
which the masses have intellectual devel-
opment. and those who labor TO elevate the
thought and spiritual conceptions OF a pso-
pie are most useful workers. The indi-
vidual who grows is he who is not content
with mere existence, but strives for better
conditions. The mechanic who leads in his
branch Of industry is the most skillful and
ind~efatigable worker; the lawyer who leads
in his profession is the one who spends the
most time in studying the law and in the
preparation of his cases; the merchant who
succeeds is the tireless man whose hours
of labor arc NOT liuftad. thu manufactures
who has made and who directs a great
industry is the one who with good ability
devotes all his powers to his enterprise.
None of these men has time for idling. The
man of fair ability with the capacity to
put himself TO the task always wins over
the man of more brilliant parts who has
not the self-control to put himself to work.
Even those men who have achieved the
greatest renown in literature have been
workers. If the manuscripts of those who
are the most popular authors. including
the poets who are called geniuses, could be
seen they would bear the evidence of long
and patient toll. Nothing valuable in this
line is "just dashed off,"
1t must be admitted that the natural in
clination of mankind is to evade work.
From the time that our first parents were
turned out OF Eden with the information
that sin the sweat of thy face shalt thou
eat bread" the race has been trying TO
escape the conditions OF an expulsion which
God said made man to become as one of
US" In this attempt TO escape the divine
injunction mankind has w~oefully failed,
and will suffer punishment individually as
long as he resolves TO live without work.
If the man has wealth, idleness will make
him a %trif1er; if he has not, it will make
him a burden upon others. or a sharper and
e. criminal. There is no more contemplate
man than the shirker who says, 1.-The
world owes me a living and I will lave it. -
The truth is. and that truth is a part OF
the divine economy, that every man owes
the world to be engaged in some useful
occupation. All the human beings who
harm society and are a menace to it's Sc
curity are men who are striving to escape
the divine command to eat bread in the
sweat of the brow-that is, by useful occu-
patton during the years of bodily and men,
tai activity.
AS the preacher referred to said, the
greatest power to regenerate mankin and
uplift society is that which could give
every man employment, occupation fol
hand and brain. 1t is a gospel that al
intelligent people should preach.