As to the worthiness of work… – Sunday, October 09, 1960
Some recent weeks ago we spoke of willing work: its dignity, its healing power, its power to soften shocks and sorrows—work which Carlyle called “The grand cure for all the maladies and miseries that ever-beset mankind.”1 There is yet another side of this subject of work that should be considered. For want of a better word we might call it the worthiness of work.
Work takes our time, and time is the very essence of life, and what we give our lives to is of incalculable consequence. And thus there could be little satisfaction, little justification, in unworthy work—work that would undermine men, work that would mislead men’s minds—or their souls—or their appetites—work that would in any way impair people. Any time or effort or energy used to the detriment of men, any work which in purpose or in practice pulls men down physically or mentally or morally, likely isn’t worthy work—regardless of whether it is profitable or politic or popular. Work to deceive others, work to produce products that are not good for people, work to promote what is unwholesome, work to induce men to do what they should not do, to partake of what they should not partake, work to lead men into temptation, work that runs counter to the commandments, isn’t worthy work. On this question we would quote some sentences from a significant source: ” . . . Whoever conceives labor in relationship to the divine purpose … will not lend his energies to the manufacture of goods which implicate [men] . . . in wicked and sinful activities . . ..”2
“The Christian,” said this same source, “is therefore bound to refuse to participate in the production of wicked and harmful items which injure or undermine the worth of man, as well as to refuse to buy them…, .”3 “Nor can one reconcile . . . the expenditure of labor in the production of . . . worthless products. Drudgery in the production of worth-while articles may be justified, but. . .”3 [not] ” in the production of articles which have no real worth. There can be no sense of purpose in making trash”—or, we might add, in working for what is of no worth. The Lord God has said that “men should be anxiously engaged in a good cause”4—not merely “engaged,” but engaged in “good.”
Working for the wrong things manifestly must be wrong. To be satisfying, to be acceptable, work must be more than merely motions, more than merely making money—it must be moral. Work should enlighten and lift life and play its proper part in promoting the peace and health and happiness of people.
1Thomas Carlyle, Address in Edinburgh, April 2, 1866
2Carl F. H. Henry, Ph.D., The Dignity of Work, Vital Speeches, August 15, 1954
3Treglown, The Christian and His Daily Work
4Doctrine and Covenants 58:27
“The Spoken Word,” heard over Radio Station KSL and the CBS Radio Network, from the Tabernacle, Temple Square, Salt Lake City, Sunday, October 9, 1960, 11.30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, Eastern Time. Copyright 1960
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October 09, 1960
Broadcast Number 1,625