The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1908-03-19
THE ETHICS OF WORK.

liz L HIOS "ONNs
Labor is the natural condition, as 1t IS
the imperative necessity, of the vast ma
iority Of the human race. According
to Holy Writ, it was part OF the primal
curse. Yet out of the obligation imposed
upon humanity to provide food and raiment
for itself by toll and travail many blessings
may be evolved and humanity itself may
be uplifted and be made more worthy than
if the world were composed entirely OF
idlers and work were luxury rather than
an inexorable obligation.
An able writer, commenting upon the
strenuous efforts which modern society
makes to evade honest work, says the
agonizing inquiry seems to be ''What
shall we do to be saved from work?" And,
therefore, he concludes that "our social
system is in imminent danger Of being
honeycombed throughout by this general
demoralization.' The evidences of de-
mcralization we discover in the anxiety of
men to secure occupation in which they
are called upon to render the minimum OF
labor for the maximum of remuneration.
Thousands of men seek political offices for
the reason that the remuneration is often
times absurdIy large when compared with
the nature and amount of the work re-
quired as a return. The same spirit leads
men to take "short cuts'' to riches. They
are unwilling to go along the slow and toll
some ways which their fathers trod. They
cannot bear the idea of continuous labor.
Their souls revolt at the idea Of years spent
in work for which they shall receive no
more than just reward for what they give.
And so We have forms of gambling in trade,
business operations resting upon chance,
and finally collapse and public confidence
almost destroyed. And all because the
cry is what shall we do to be saved from
work?''
A quaint precept of Zoroaster is quoted
by this writer: ''He who cultivates the
earth with diligence accumulates by his
work more precious store of moral eX-
cellence than he would be able to acquire
idle" The reason why is plain enough.
He has learned the habit of directing his
energies to a useful purpose. While accu-
mulating for himself he has provided for
others. He has been taught to expect as
his reward only that to which his labor
entities him. He has set an example of
sturdy self-reliance, of cheerful depend
ence upon his own resources, and demon
strated that happiness and labor, so far
from being inconsistent, are in fact closely
linked together. Man was put upon this
earth to work. Not only must he toll for
his mere bodily needs, but in that grander
and nobler undertaking which concerns his
future existence he is is told that he must
'work out his own salvation" In no re-
spect is he to be drone or a dependent.
"What shall we do to be saved from
work?" Surely this gospel Of idleness can
never prevail. The men whom we honor
most are the men who work, and the men
who accomplish most, the true leaders in all
departments of human thought and human
SiANsSetf VI SD, Oh liC Wol hSlo. Anu tllSlf WOik
is not a means TO an end, but is the end
itself Idleness to the earnest man is tor
pidity; Incidence is death. Activity is life,
and it matters not in what station in life
ones activity is exerted, he is happier if
employed, and he ought also to be more
unselfish. Antipathy to la Dor andsurrender
to Incidence is pure and unadulterated sell
fshness. Incidence leads to crime, and
Discrimination to work is at the bottom of
many evils. "The devil always finds some
work for idle hands to do.' This is SIM
pie old truth that most of us learned in
childhood, but it is the very essence of
wisdom. The devil will not make much
Roadway with busy people, however, and
II our work is the end in life, if we are
faithful in its performance, accepting it not
grudgingly and in bitterness of spirit, but
heartily, realizing that to live is to do, we
shall in very truth realize how dependent
our happiness is upon our labor, and our
cry will be, ''What shall we do to be saved
from idleness?''
There is no question but the prevailing
practice in this State of holding teachers
conventions, or other gatherings that call