Year: 1876




variably contributes her presence and lends
her gentle influence, which is as unbounled
as the waves of the ocean, to everything
that elevates and benefits mankind. Upon
my left notice many with whom / have
trod the flowery paths Of literature, men of
sagacious minds and resplendent culture,
the majority of whom by far transcend in
general information and scholarly attain
ments that of your humble speaker. On
any other than this occasion should invoke
the inspiration of the Muse-I can better
please when [ trench upon the realms of
fanciful speculation. shall ignore much of
that On this occasion.


The theme for our consideration this even
ing will be the Dignity of Labor. From
the foundation of the world there has been
tendency to look down upon labor, and
those who live by it, with contempt, as
though it were something mean and ignoble.
This is one of those vulgar prejudices which
have arisen from considering everything
vulgar that was peculiar to the multitude.
Because the multitude have been suffered to
remain too long rude and ignorant, every
thing associated with their condition has
been confounded with the circumstances of
this condition. The multitude were, in their
rudeness and ignorance mean in the public
| estimation, and the labor of their hands was
held to be mean too. Nay, it has been said
that labor is the result of Gods primary
curses pronounced on man for his disobe-
dience. But this is great mistake God
told Adam that the ground was cursed for
his sake; but not that his labor was cursed.
lie told him that in the sweat Of his face he
should eat bread until he returned to the
ground. But so f;fr from labor partaking of
the curse, it was given him as the means of
triumphing over the curse. The ground
was to produce thorns and thistles, but labor
was to eXtrpate them, and to cover the face
OF the earth with fruit trees, and bounteous
haryests. And labor has done this. Labor
has already converted the earth, so far as its
surface is concerned, from wilderness into
a paradise, Man eats his bread in the sweat
OF his face, but is there any bread so sweet
as that; when he has only nature to con-
tend with, and not tie false arrangements Of
his fellow men? So far is labor from being
a curse, so far is it from being disgrace, it
is the very principle which, like the winds
of the air, or the agitation of the sea, keeps
the world in health. It is the very life-blood
of society, stirring in all its veins, and diff
tusing yigor and enjoyment through the
whole system.


Without mans labor, God had created the
world in vain. Without our labor all life,
except that Of the rudest and most savage
kind, must perish. Arts, civilization, refine
ment, and religion must perish. Labor is
the grand pedestal of Gods blessings upon
earth it is more like man and the world it. !
self; it is the offspring and the work of God
All honor then to labor, the offspring of De-
ity. the most ancient of ancents, sent forth
by the Almighty into these neither worlds,
the most noble of mobiles. Honor to that
Divine principle which has filled the earth
with all the comforts, and joys, and affiu-
ence that it possesses, and is undoubtedly
the instrument of happiness wherever life is |
found. Without labor what is there? With
out it there were no world itself. Whatever
we see Or perceive i'll Heaven or on earth, is
the product of labor. The azure sky above
us, the ground beneath us, the air we breathe, |
the sun that steals the dewdrop from the
flower, the moon that sleeps upon the hill
side, the stars that dance in the sapphired |
canopy of Heaven, like so many diamonds
in sea of glass, what are they? The pro- !
q Il