The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-01-20
DR.. J. v. JOHNSON At
FIRST METHODIST
breaches on Craven Scam
per of the Hireling"
TEST PROVES THE MAN
The Hireling's Character Is Revealed
BY His Action-Scampers at Ap-
proach of Wolf-His True
Character Soon Shown
TEST PROVES THE MAN

At the First Methodist church yester-
dav morning the pastor Rev. DR.. J. w.
johnson, formerly presiding elder of the
birmingham district. preached on tie
topic of: The craven Scamper of the
IIireling,' in which he emphasized that
character is revealed by conduct. He said
in part:
mo man Is known until he is seen in
an hour of test. If he is a coward in the
hour of danger he will run. If he is a liar
when the truth is called for he vii lie.
II he is a thief as the opportunity kes
he will steal There is an old provorb
that opportunity makes the thief That
is not fact-rather let. me say that op-
pcrtunity reveals the thief
MY theme. The Craven Scamper of
the Hirelng' Is taken from story which
follows much like this: shepherd and
his flock of sheep were in valley on a
peaceful summer day, the sheep engaged
In feeding and browsing. the shepherd in
day dreams.
ON this scene the proprietor and vis-
tor form the side of a hill were gazing
when suddenly all the peacefulRess was
6estroyed by the appearance of vora-
eious wolf, who swooped down ON the
sheep The shepherd saw the wolf and
though armed with strong staff ran
from the scene, leaving the sheep at the
mercy of the Wolf.
THE visitor inquired of the proprietor
as TO the causes of the shepherds run
nng away and the reply was that the
shcr herd was hireling.
THAT was all that was necessary to
4.l.. /. Ii lg..r
and he cravenly scampered at the APP
preach of a wolf. What is hireling?
Are we not all of us hirelings9 Old we rot
all work for pay, and does that not make
as lire lings?-no necessarily so. \ hire
ling is a being who labors only for the
pa " he gets for the work. lie has no in
terest whatsoever in his work. His whole
viewpoint is the dollar mark. lie repre-
sents only consunmate sefishness and
greed and will betray, lie and cheat for
his master or against his master as 1t will
prove of benefit to him. No action of the
hike ling is devoid OF selfishness and lie
will scamper like a craven the moment
his interest is Threatened. He will not
stand to face danger when the weak are
in peril. but lee at the approach of the
wolf. Ills character is revealed by his
action.
character is ever revealed by actions.
We cannot get away from this fact much
as we may try. No honest man will steal,
no matter how many glowing opportnni-
ties to enrien himself arise about him
that are dishonest. The thief, though, will
steal. He will seek the opportunity to
ST cal and also the opportunity will reveal
him as a thief. The Christian man re-
voals himself by his good actions in his
mode of life. The man who processes ia
be a Christian man reveals himself soon
er or later that he Is sham, for he can
not help it, as it is a natural law thai
your thoughts and actions VIII reveal
your true character at the hour of test.
so, my brethren, let us not be hirelngs;
let us conduct our actions that our char
acter will stand out as credit to Chris
tisnlty. Let us not grasp at the stars,
hut do ufe's nIaln common work as Il
comes, certain that daily duties done in
an unselhsh manner and our daily bread
are the sweetest things in life.'