STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 33 



O. L. Barler, of Hinsdale, Illinois, was requested to occupy a half 

 hour, which he did by reading the following essay on the subject — 



THE MINISTRY OF WORK. 



Work has a mission as real and as legitimate as worship. There is a 

 sense in which work is worship. The preaching that insi)ires only to 

 prayer and praise and emotional experiences is not just the thing, after 

 all. If these experiences and acts lead not to larger activities and indus- 

 tries, then is "our preaching vain ; your faith is vain, and ye are yet in 

 your sins." I cannot doubt that work is a real means of grace. The 

 avocations of this daily life, and by which we obtain a livelihood, are 

 helps in the golden track that leads to God. Yes, work has a meaning; 

 work has a mission. One must think so, who looks out upon the busy 

 on-going of this world. See, in the great marts of trade, what bustle; 

 what din; what uproar; what multitudes, surging and dashing like waves 

 of ocean. Men rush and run, and spend their energies, in this direction 

 and in that direction. If you did not know to the contrary, you would 

 think surely there was a fire somewhere in the city, to which the jostling 

 multitude was hastening to extinguish it. A stranger, drojjping down 

 from the moon, would betray a most quizzical face as he inquired : 

 "What does all this mean? What's the disturbance? What has posses- 

 sion of the people? " The calm and sure reply would be : " The people 

 are at their work. Only this, and nothing more." 



This is a world of work. The scene of to-day was that of yesterday ; 

 will be that of to-morrow and next day. It has been the same through 

 all the prosperous centuries, and will be the same till the final consum- 

 mation. 



I am impressed with the thought that the multitude are already over- 

 worked. It is not in my heart to add a feather to their burden. Rather 

 would I lift the weight of care. I know how chafed these men are. The 

 father comes home at night from his daily toiling; he is not altogether 

 himself; he is morose and petulant. We will forgive him, for the labors of 

 the day have fretted him. Jaded in brain or muscle, or in both, with 

 little vital force left in him, he is unable to maintain good behavior. 

 His own children are so shy of him that they fear to come near 

 him. The dogs dare not bark in his presence, and even puss is safe 

 only in a distant corner. Wife understands the situation perfectly, and 

 asks no questions, but hastens to get the supper ready, and feels relieved 

 when "the lord of the manor" is put to bed and sleeping. The poor 

 man works, in his way, too hard. When the day is done he has not life 

 left to speak pleasantly ; no, nor strength to murmur his nightly prayers. 

 Shall I preach works to this man? God forbid that I should tax him in 

 directions in which he is already oppressed. I would emancipate him 

 from the slavery of his calling, and proclaim the true gospel of work. 



It is the business of the child-man to play away the first years of life. 

 It is natural and right for children to play. The bird is no more fitted 

 for flying, or the fish for swimming, than the child for playing. It was 



