Maimed by Laziness.
One day a revolting sight was to be seen in the Ohio State penitentiary. It was a convict, standing on a box in the blacksmith shop where hundreds of visitors passed by him during the daylight hours; and on his back and also on his front was a sign which read:
I CUT OFF MY FINGER TO GET OUT OF WORK.
That is just what he had done, and his punishment was to stand there, thus labeled, until his finger healed. He spent about six weeks in that position, a scorn and abomination to all who saw him; for who does not despise laziness—in other people?
And yet, as I read of the affair, I thought to myself, "How closely similar to what I see around me all the time!" The world is full of self-maimed finger-cutters.
For here is a young fellow, able-bodied, quick-witted, well-trained; and his family need the money he might earn. But when his entrance on some gainful occupation is suggested, "Oh, I never could do that!" says he. "That needs a smarter man than I am. My ability, such as I have, does not lie in that line." So he cuts off his finger to get out of work.
Yes, and here in the church is a Christian of social poise, mental vigor, and business success. Some work needs to be done. It may be the chairmanship of a committee that is vacant, or the Sunday-school needs a superintendent, or a new deacon is to be elected. Then ensues a spasm of modesty. With one slash of the depreciatory hatchet, off comes a digit. "I never could do that! Why, it would be impossible! It's altogether out of my line!" He has cut off his finger to get out of work.
The world is full of that sort of folk. They stay home from meetings, lest they be nominated to some office. They hide their access of wealth, lest subscription-papers find them out. They refuse to cultivate their powers of noble action because they are too sluggish to act. They are like the cowards of Civil War times who blew off their thumbs that they might not be drafted. They are like the Buckeye convict who cut off his finger to get out of work.
Pah! how disgusting all this is—in other people!