The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1904-03-23

II.
which confronts US. Engaged with the OCT
cupations of His trade during so many
years, He exalts industry into a DIVINE
virtue and brands sioth as deadly sie3
He has no favor for an ambition that longs
for absolute ease. 1t may not be necessary
for any one to be occupied with the bur
dens of business, but we are all bound 70
keep in personal touch with the life of hug
manity. There are other spheres OF uses
fulness than the fed and the shop, ting
office or the counting room. The chi -GS|
asks for thousands who are willing TO foiS
low the example of splendid heroes WHO
have withdrawn from the haunts OF trade
and from the hope of gain in order to det!
vote themselves exclusively to the minisGy5|
of Christian laymen. Everywhere are charf|
tiles calling loudly for encouragement and
service. Politics presents wide range foEI
the activities of patriotism and OF the yerNI
highest religion. There is something foA
everybody to do, and no one is justified %
living for himself in sequestered and att
tractive nook away from the demands THAI
sound from every quarter. Each lndiUdyI
ual should have some occupation, placeI
in the worlds vast factories, q. work o.
some sort which shall tell for the happiness
of others.
The Lord has strong word for laboE9|
toilers. He has a meaning for all thoodI
who work with their brain or with thei1SI
hands for ali such are workinemen. hi
has forever consecrated the eyerydayneAaI
of life He adopts the workaday worlds|
"The LIGHT of Asia" which states beautis|
fuliy certain features Of the Buddhist relffI
eion. represents the Incarnate Buddha as
wandering beggar, asking food. Jesu1I
Christ was no beggar. The mendicant anyl
more than the pauper, receives not the aptI
proval of His own practice, by which hS'
sanctifed labor until the end of the wordt
The Galllean CarpSpter was no less tnf3
Si4se WSieh BE spent SUn at @ Nszareth % than he
on the mountain of the TRANSPORTATION os
on the first Easter Day. There are many
reasons why work Is honorable, put lt -.
celves ITS croWnlng glory from tne expet
lence OF the divine Chrlst during the i0n8
period OF which we knew nothing save Snss
He was mechanic. he mas endured az
occupations WITH olgnlty tnag aotning sngrs
OF our own ,1sieyalty can posslpiy is:. -
away. IL matters no1 ,Wnas S9t,i,a.ay Aatsy
tolls are, tney are Worthy OF ,inaeiity ans
energy. and they are as mucn 81 part ~
Gods service as the saying % spfaHesrs s ano
the receiving OF religious. rtes. ne en-
peror and his humblest subject, the prlme
minister and the street sweeper, the mif
lionaire and his valet, all are included q
the spirit OF industry and asyotaon Wnici
Jesus manifested at the oenen wnicn. ss3oo
in q shop or, perhaps, az times unasEs
huge tree at Nazareth. de mas 1aIoMss!1
all vocatlons Dy the consecratlon gts -
personal industry, ana tney snoutd pe.l pilrn
terpreted and accepted as q sacred part Nl
the life which nowis. .ll faas X
The Nazareth Carpenter teaches that
worldly place of itself is nothing worth.
man may be a man wherever he Isl and
labor is honorable whatever it may be1
Station or the lack OF it does not make
the man or his life. The people OF loWiy
degree may likewise learn preciopsl Lessons
couraged because they fancy themselves q
be of no account, and they too often cher
ish an unhappy contempt for their daity
tolls. They despise the factory or lthd
Office as necessary evils. Jesus has, q lesson
for them which he pronounces from thA
Nazareth shop. Long years He spent ID
obscurity. Mo- murmura, escape Him, nd
signs Of impatience, no evidences OF
restless longing tolbe ;otherWise, no yuiga5
and goddess disposition to Try to improve
upon the plans Of divine providence. Qniesj
ly day after day he was: concerned wltl ht!
ters Of His business, and His only aim wa
to be true to the state where He was desl
tined to live until the time came for be-
ginning the public ministry. Wherever thd
Heavenly :Father has placed us we, thd
sons of: men, can BE the sons OF Gqd; Ih9
real things Of life are not earthly and tenn
poral, and the true estimate OF ourselves q
not the plaee-be it loftyor lowly.Whlcs3
we;hold among men, Fhe divine aCarpenI
ter'is comfort and an lnsplrationgto all.
Amid the, enployment of His trade dId
Jesus prepare Himself for His pubic hte/
There He WAS madesreadyr at leastSpn part
to exercise all those rtranscepdenNy great
qualities Of mind and heart which. marked
His ministry. For t1ree years he gay9
Himself up to His work as the worlds Re|
deemef, Bat for fiftear wears and more, al
was probably the case,e He was only car
pentsr. Surely He, did, ,saetc spend all Ia
time and energy upon His daily tolls. IN
ten did He devote Himself to cody exer
cises of prayer and contempla ton, withou
which no one can develop the traits q
highest character. But He was no recluse
He settled the truth onceffor all that th
place for strong.minded, stout hearted fol
to serve God is in the world; the arena fo}
doing the Fathers will is right here; wher
we have abundant opportunities Tor tht
culture of holy graces and the practlc6 q
holy living. We need the benefits OF oeca
sional solitude, but we are pouna 70 INN
to give no place To- the mawksh. senglmeh
taism ,," %nici tha su oohlest tvnelafs reliaior
The Ts div, divine Carpenter hesitated not
snond Tho wears upon which His futuri
speno .ne foynndsd yads upd amid The % activities mc