Evening star., 1921-04-16

was manual laborer. and the hands
with which ne grips the heartstrines
of the world are hands that have
been stained hy toll" When criti-
ciSed for His work of healing upon
| the Sabbath, Jesus defended lis
philanthropic activities by citing the
unceasing activity of God. His ella i'm
of unique relationship to God and
His assertion of occupying the same
plane with the Father was the rea-
son for their determination to kill
Christ. His claim that both the
Father and the Son were laborers
and that they worked INCREASINGLY
for the welfare of all makes labor
not only noble. but divine. Paul not
only points out the dignity of la bor.
as did the Lord. but he shows how
it helps develop Christian character.
In the first letter to the Thessa-
lonians the apostle called upon the
leaders of the church to warn. ad
mOnish and rebuke those who We're
trouble makers. They expected the
church to support them in idleness,
while they claimed they We're wait
ing for the Lords return. The lead
ers refused to provid" for them.
They then went up and down, like
busyhodies. retailing their supposed
grievances and bringing the church
into disrepute by their refusal to
labor and neglect Of true Christian
fellowship. BY authority of the
Lord Jesus. Paul commands them to
withdraw the hand of fellowship
from the disturbing busybodies, who
refused to work, as Christians ought
to labor.
The apostle cited his own life
among them as an example of Chris
tian independence. Refraining from
burdening the Thessalonians. he had
by heroic. efforts, provided his own
suppart, while at the same time he
preached to them the gospel of Christ.
Jesus. BY SO doing Paul teaches that
manual labor can be q means of de-
veloping the kingdom of God. BY
working at his trade Paul was work
ing to advance Gods cause. working
upon the ThessalOnians In such
manner that he was helping to mold
them into the likeness of the Lord.
If your work is not of a character
that promotes the glory of the Christ
you are doing what the idlers. whom
He condemned, did-injuring Chris
tianity.
Paul gives a warning against Civ
ing bread to those who can work and
will not toll. He claims that if a
man will not work he should be
left to starve. He stood for square
deal in settling the labor problems.
He did not favor giving to any one
who shirked or failed to perform his
duty what he had not earned. He
recognized that all his talent and
he considered a man traitor who
neglected to use all his powers
mental, manual and moral-for Gods
glory. While he opposed feeding the
idlers from the funds Of the church
the apostles encouraged the Thes-
salonians to continue their generosity
to those who needed help, aid and
assistance. for in due season they
would reap the rewards of philan-
thropic work.
gives specific instructions that all en-
blowers of labor ought to observe, es-
uecially those who employ the un-
skilled foreign speaking laborer ana
the growing child. because they can
demand only small wages. The man
who oppresses those who work for
him needs to remember that God is a
Judge who cannot be bribed to ap-
prove Of social injustice Most OF our
modern labor troubles are due to the
failure upon the part of both employ,
ers and employees to recognize and
apply the social spirit and teachings
of the Bible to industry. Both capital
and labor are essentially one. Both
should be used for the glory OF God.
the advancement of humanity and the
mutual benefit Of both employer and
employe. Unless your business can
pay a living wage, then quit your
business and get into one that Will
not bring you under the reproof OF
James, the IOru s DrOtneF. ne wal II :
ed the man who defrauds his servants
and employees against the day of Gods
judgment.
| Men are being guided by leaders Of
all faiths to see that the application
@ fthe Masters golden rule will solve
the Industrial problems OF the hour
and of all time. Quakers in England.
Methodists in Canada, the bishops
who were the Catholic war council OF
! this country, as well as the Federal
Council of the Churches of Christ,
who represent all the Protestant bod
| les of America. have issued valuable
suggestions upon this subject. Diff
fering in theological views. there is a
wonderful unity in their teachings
that point out how the laws of the
Lord Jesus, which He laid down for
the government of His kingdom. will
solve all the problems Of labor that
the modern industrial world is today
trying to solve. There is only one
way, and that the way of the Lord.
whom we ought to serve. Let us in
our work be mot slothful in business.
fervent in spirit. serving the Lord"