Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-10-28
A Sermon Worth Reading.
LABOR.

The following essay was written by
William ]. Bryan in his sophomore year
and was awarded first prize:
From the smallest thing that God has
created, to the heavenly bodies that
perform their revolutions through I'M
limited space, there is nothing that was
not made for some purpose, nothing
that has not something to do, and moth
ing that does not cheerfully perform its
work. The tiniest herb sends out it's
roots, puts forth its leaves and draws
its nourishment from earth and air.
The fish of the sea and the fowls of the
air gather their support from the elc-
ments in which they abide. All brute
creation goes to and fro in search of
food, while the earth itself moves in
harmony with other spheres.
Of all the works of God, man, and
man only, is willing to be idle. If it
was true that he has been developed
from the lower order of animals, even
then we might be surprised that he has
not more nearly followed their example
in providing for his wants; but when we
consider that he was made in the image
of One, all-wise and all-powerful, as
constituent takes the place of wonder.
We know that, in the lower animals,
labor is not only good, but necessary.
Is it not also true with man? His phys
lea being demands food; his mental
and moral faculties also require nour-
ishment, though of a different kind,
and, their sphere being higher, the
cessity for labor is greater with man
than with the lower animals.
The world is large and wonderfully
varied in its productions; we find here
is rich abundance, not only of the
necessaries, but also of what are termed
the Injuries of life. But all of these
blessings do not fall from the trees or
rise from the ground ready for use;
much toll is required to, prepare them
for the many wants of man.
The cotton must be planted, cultivat-
ed and gathered; nor is the work done
then, it must be woven into cloth ard
fashioned into garments before it is
ready for wear. Coal lies in the ground,
but it must be dug up before it can be
used to benefit mankind. Gold and sill
yer are of no value as they lie hidden in
the earth, but can be formed into arti-
cles of beauty and use. God has given
the material. Man must shape it. 1t
is possible to grow in size, but strength
comes only with exercise. No one can
become strong in body without much
patient, and, we may say, continued
labor, for no sooner does he relax his
efforts than the receding tide bears him
back whence he started. The talent,
which is hidden in the earth, will soon
be taken away. Intelligence is neces-
sary to direct physical force, and the
training of the mind, like that of the
body, is accomplished slowly and stead
lily. He must be diligent who desires
spiritual growth. my father work ETH
hitherto and work" said our Saviour
every true Christian should say the
same. That is not worth having which
is not worth toiling for; there is no dis
tinguished victory without hard fighting
to win it; great honors do not come
without great eXertons. Success
glory and honor have been placed as the
rewards of the diligent; defeat, misery
and shame are the lot of the idler.
If it was necessary to refer to history
it must be easily shown that all the
nations which have, from time to time
swayed the scepter over the world
have risen, while their people were in
dustrious, and fallen, when idleness
became the law of the land. The splen-
dor of Greece and Rome departed, not
while their great men lived and guided
the affairs of state, but when these
were gone and luxury and avarice pre-
vented others from rising to take their
places. With idleness comes luxury,
with luxury avarice and vice, and ruin
and death are not for distant
Though there have been wonderful
changes throughout the ages past, yet