Time and the ability to labor are the capital stock of the whole world
of mankind, and we are all indebted to God for the ability to use
time to advantage, and he will require of us a strict account of the
disposition we make of this ability; and he will not only require an
account of our acts, but our words and thoughts will also be brought
into judgment. 18:73.
A young woman, compelled to labor for her daily bread, applies for work
to some lady in comfortable circumstances. The lady perhaps says, "What
wages do you want?" "I do not know. What will you give me?" The reply
is, probably, "Well, I will give you fifty cents a week and your board,
but I shall want you to do my washing, ironing, milking, scrubbing, and
cooking," the whole of it, most {464} likely, keeping the poor girl
at work from five o'clock in the morning until ten at night. Yet her
poverty leaves her no choice, and she is compelled to become a slave
in order to procure, day by day, her breakfast, dinner, and supper. It
is probable that if her father be alive he is too poor to help her;
and if she has a mother she may be a widow and unable to rescue her
from a life of toil and slavery. A lady, whom I knew in my youth, the
wife of a minister, where I used to attend meeting, said once to some
of her sisters in the church, "Do you suppose that we shall be under
the necessity of eating with our hired help when we get into heaven?
We do not do it here, and I have an idea that there will be two tables
in heaven." Yet she was a lady of refinement and education, still the
traditions that had been woven into her very being proved the folly she
possessed to ask such a question. 14:99.
Let mechanics and every man who has capital create business and give
employment and means into the hands of laborers; build good and
commodious houses, magnificent temples, spacious tabernacles, lofty
halls, and every other kind of structure that will give character
and grandeur to our cities and create respect for our people. Let us
make mechanics of our boys, and educate them in every useful branch
of science and in the history and laws of kingdoms and nations, that
they may be fitted to fill any station in life, from a ploughman to a
philosopher. 10:270.
The non-producer must live on the products of those who labor. There is
no other way. If we all labor a few hours a day, we could then spend
the remainder of our time in rest and the improvement of our minds.
This would give an opportunity to the children to be educated in the
{465} learning of the day, and to possess all the wisdom of man. 19:47.
Do not oppress the poor, but trust in God, and you will go neither
hungry, naked, nor thirsty. If you oppress the poor, the day will come
when you will be naked, thirsty, and hungry, and will not be able to
get anything to supply your wants. 8:73.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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