Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1916-12-09
Y. NJ. c. A. SHOP TALK
Rev. George H. Strouse Was Speaker
at international Silver Plant.

Religion made practical in the work
shop was the subject of the shop talk
delivered by Rev. George II. Strouse,
pastor of the First Baptist church at
the International Silver Co., Friday
noon under the auspices of the Y. NJ.
C. A. s.
In part Rev Mr. Strouse said: o..
Men, we are not here today to the
orize- about religion but to demon
strate the practical working out of re-
ligion in our daily toll. 1t was Christ,
a toiling man who gave US our relig-
ion. The Divine sanction ever rests
upon honest toll. Christ worked with
hand and brain. At the carpenters
bench he knew how to turn out good
piece of work. He early acquired the
habit of putting his best into all he
did. When he left his manual work
for preaching he displayed such skill
in devastating argument and jllustra-
ton with shrewd doctors and carpirg
lawyers as to give US the impression
that at the work bench he had learned
to join things together with, remark
able accuracy. plato, who would ex-
clude bad workmen from ideal repub-
lie, lest they exert an evil influence
upon youth would have spoken of Je-
gus as exerting a salutary influence,
like a breeze bringing health"
Every man ought-to thank God for
strength Of mind and body to toll. We
u
producers. God never intended there
should be any human favorites on So
ciety. If a man is able to toll and will
not, it isn't your business and mine to
give him half of the loaf for which we
have rendered hard and honest ser&
vice.. Feeding the unfortunate is ono
thing while feeding human parasites
Is quite another thing.
Honest toll is by no means a dis
grace. Now how to get religion into
this toll is the question. The man
at the bench wants first Of all a. true
conception of religion. IL religion is
interpreted as a weight or a burden,
MS something which will narrow. our
horizon and circumscribe our hber-
ties, then men will have no use for it
In their daily toll Again many men
have an idea that religion bleeds men
| financially. Such interpretations of
true religion will never stand the test.
Religion gives to us a thousand times
more than we can ever give in turn.
Religion helps us rather than binders
better work and do it with more cheer
fulness. Two passages of scripture
viii throw a whole flood Of light on
the subject under discussion.
Take my yoke upon you and learn
OF me- Christ wants to help MS carry
1.-THE great burdens of life. Yoke up
with me and let me carry the big end
| Religion doesn't only help man
preach or sing but it's help to US in
our. manual work The Bible tells us
we are fellowworkers with God. What
a dignity that gives to labor working
with God.
Religion can be made practical
when we feel that we are working
with God-that Christ is with us at
the work bench just as much as he is
with the man in the pulpit. Religion
broadens our horizons and we begin
to see, that we are working not for
Lime but for eternity
Men, the big thing in life is char
Rcter. The machine shop, the factory,
the farm are not places simply for
the production of machines, cloth and
crops but the Production of character.
BY special request Mr. Kinder sang
Rocked in the Cradle of the Deep.