The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-04

Work and Wages, an Old ISSUE
The International Sunday School Les
son for July is The Laoorers !"
the Vineyard" Matt. 20:l-le.
BL WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
The wage question and the whole m
dustrial issue is mirrored IN the oiu
story told by the WORLDS srea.ess
Sunday school lesson. There are per
plexities in the parable as In the Iacts
of today, but there seems to De q clear
trail out in both cases.
The picture is that Of the many VINO
come into the service Of the Kingdom
of heaven where the rewards OF the
latest accessions are as great as tnose
of the earliest. Thus the nations tnat
have most recently become ChrlstlaH'
like the Fiji Islands and Korea, TOT IN
stance have partaken OF the 1ruits ol
the gospel even more fully than the
ancient nations OF Europe. Inc youne
est convert may know all the joys OF
Christ service as fully as one VINO mas
labored long in the vineyard.
The Burdens OF the Boss.
From the fact that Jesus 80 OFTEN
took the standpoint of the employer
In parables like the present one, ano
from the further fact that he so easily
handled men, it has been 1n1erreo tna'
he was a master carpenter with WOrh-
men under him. Certainly, he under
on whose shoulders rests responsibility
This householder in the story VINO
needed laborers for his vineyard, ana
who went again and again to the marx
ct place, hiring all he could nnd' nao
the same anxiety as has today the
farmer Of western America. He had
to get in his crop in time: His neeo
for labor was as real as the laDorers
need for wages. This side or the para
BILE may not be overlooked. Tor many
- -
plexities and cares and broad respon-
sibility to society, which empowers
bravely accept as their share OF the
burden Of life. Let us not indulge In a
mad delirium of attack upon capltai
and employers. The man who runs a
business is not often a rogue; although
there are selfish and ruthless men IN
business, even as in labor unions Tnis
graphic little story from out OF the
long-ago brings with 1t a lesson OF
tolerance.
The VIII to Work.
Some of the laborers in this vineyard
put in a full days work for as long as
daylight lasted. Another batch went
on duty in the middle Of the morning;
another at noon: another in the middle
of the afternoon, and still another with
in an hour Of closing time. All were
given the same wage by this generous
employer, grateful because his harvest
had been gathered.
All were paid a living wage-the
union rate. Let us get that clearly In
mind. Nobody received less than his
due. Those who worked longest could
not complain that they were under
paid; their only objection was that the
late corners were overpafd, which was
not very generous state Of mind.
The fact was that all the labOrers
wanted work and waited for 1t. and
had the same need of wages. The man
taken on at the eleventh hour had as
real a need for a days wages as those
who had spent the whole day amid the
vines OF course, the meaning lies
on the surface of the parable. that
God pays for purpose as we'll as per-
Torrance. The good we would do and
cannot Is recorded in heavens ledger.
Let us be glad that there Is a higher
scale of justice than prevails on earth.
and that Gods standard OF values is
not ours.
The parable is a parable of mercy
and not of economies. 1t portrays
the gracious consideration of God,
even as it reveals the ungenerous and
unbrotherly complaining of the work
ers in the vineyard who were not glad
because their fellow wOrkmen were
equal sharers in their own good for
tune.
A Modern Instance.
When a Detroit automobile manu-
facturer recently stirred the world by
announcing that nobody in his employ
would receive less than five dollars
a day, there was widespread criticism
from other employers who would not.
or could not. pay such rate. Why
should we not all rejoice that some
thousands Of men are getting even
more than they earn? The man who
sweeps the floors of this automobile
factory cannot earn five dollars a DAY
more than the eleventh hour toilers
in the vineyard could earn their de-
narius.
We search deep into the social I'M
rest Of our time when we ask whether
one mans good fortune, due perhaps
to no special merit of his own, but
wholly to the generosity of his en-
ployer, or other circumstances, shall
make his less fortunate brother bitter.
Why not exult in the grace which
gives to some far beyond their deserv-
ing.
The generous spirit which Is sin
cerely glad for the prosperity Of 9TH
er people is a social and national asset
of unreasonable value. There are
grave reasons why we should rejoice
with them that do rejoice" When we
take pleasure in our neighbor's good
fortune, we not only increase his hap
piness. but our own as well. Every
sentiment Of pleasure in another's
prosperity enhances our own charac-
ter. There prevails widely a perni-
cious habit of jealousy and detraction
and envy which is not wholesome. The
spirit Of good will makes for kingdom
character and temporal welfare. This
was the clear teaching Of Jesus in this
parable and in many other places.
Waiting in the Market Place.
America has never been more deep
" moved by any economic condition
than the recent spectacle OF the mali
titudes of unemployed in our great
cities. The condition has always ex-
listed in greater or less degrees, but
our new social conscience has be IN
freshly aroused. The pathos of the
multitude crying mo man hath hired
u.s. has reached the innermost senti-
Ynents of America