Teaching further the nature of service, and what kind of service is pleasing to God, Jesus told His disciples the parable of the laborers in the vineyard.
The parable of the laborers.
"The kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which went out early in the morning to hire labourers into his vineyard. And when he had agreed with the labourers for a penny a day, he sent them into his vineyard. And he went out about the third hour, and saw others standing idle in the market place, and said unto them: Go ye also into the vineyard, and whatsoever is right I will give you. And they went their way. Again he went out about the sixth and ninth hour, and did likewise. And about the eleventh hour he went out, and found others standing idle, and saith unto them, Why stand you here all the day idle? They say unto him, Because no man hath hired us. He saith unto them. Go ye also into the vineyard: and whatsoever is right, that shall ye receive.
"So when even was come, the lord of the vineyard saith unto his steward. Call the labourers, and give them their hire, beginning from the last unto the first. And when they came that were hired about the eleventh hour, they received every man a penny. But when the first came, they supposed that they should have received more; and they likewise received every man a penny. And when they had received it, they murmured against the goodman of the house, saying. These last have wrought but one hour, and thou hast {246} made them equal unto us, which have borne the burden and heat of the day.
"But he answered one of them, and said, Friend, I do thee no wrong: didst not thou agree with me for a penny? Take that thine is, and go thy way: I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for me to do what I will with mine own? Is thine eye evil, because I am good? So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called but few chosen."
The value of service in the world's work.
In the world's work, there are many today who become offended for the same reason that the laborers, who had borne the burden and the heat of the day, became offended. But that is because they do not understand the principle of service and wages. In every industrial or commercial institution rewards in the way of salary or promotion are made dependent, not upon the length of service, but upon the quality of service and the spirit put into the service. In a certain mercantile institution, for example—an institution with which you are perhaps all acquainted—there was employed not many years ago a young man of unusual ambition and energy. There were then in the department in which he was placed, men who had been in the employ of the institution for fifteen or twenty years. This young man gave value received in return for the compensation he was given. He put quality into his service; he put spirit into his service; he threw himself into his work body and soul. Before long, he was made head of the department. Those who had served for many years were offended, and murmured against the manager. But the reward came, as rewards worth while must {247} always come, for quality and spirit of service. The young man has continued to give to the institution the best that it was in him to give; he has continued, too, to advance; today he stands next to the superintendent, with the outlook that ere long, when the superintendent retires, he may become himself the superintendent. In the meantime, men of long years of service are still in the same positions that they held when this young man entered the employ of the institution. Promotion and reward are based on merit.
The value of service in the Church.
If we turn now to the spiritual life, we shall find that the same principle obtains. Length of membership, or service, in the Church does not assure exaltation. Indeed, there are many men in the Church who have belonged to it from childhood to a ripe old age, who may nevertheless receive a very meager compensation. Theirs has been a life of membership only. They have rendered little or no service; and such service as they have rendered has been of inferior quality and questionable spirit. In reward, they will receive whatsoever is right. On the other hand, men who have had the privilege of belonging to the Church in this life for only a short time may receive as large a reward as the others, or even a larger reward than theirs. For again, these members of few years, have in those few years rendered service of a quality far superior to that of those of long years o............