did the dirty work should inhabit the rooms most convenient to their work, and those furnished so that they would be least injured by the use of persons whose feet and clothing were often soiled by their work. The most elegantly furnished rooms were those most easily soiled and injured, and therefore the general good required, that they should be occupied by those whose work and dress would least injure them. He showed them, that, if instead of this arrangement, the persons who did the hardest and most soiling work, should use the finest clothing and nicest rooms, very soon their clothing and furniture would be gone, and the company would be obliged to work to make more. As a matter of convenience and economy, therefore, he inquired whether it was not for the general good, that those who did the hardest work should take the plainest apartments and the strongest clothing. This all decided would be best, and yet, some said that it seemed hard, that those who had to do the least agreeable work, should have the least agreeable rooms and the plainest clothing too. But they all concluded that it never would do
to wash dishes and cook and plough and dig, in muslin and satin dresses; and so they concluded that the arrangement which would make their clothes and furniture last the longest should be adopted.
But then the question came up, How shall we decide who shall do the harvest work, and wear the plainest clothing, and take the least agreeable rooms?
In this dilemma, the minister recommended that they should appeal to God, who was the wisest Being, and a Just and Holy Judge. He told them the way to appeal to God was, by casting lots. To this all agreed, and so when the lots were prepared, the company all stood up and uncovered their heads, while the minister then called upon God.
“Oh Thou, who art our Father, our Judge and our King, decide for us by these lots, what our portions shall be, and when thou hast thus decided, incline our hearts to submit to thy will, and with patience and cheerfulness, to perform the duties of the station in which we are placed.”
After this prayer they all drew their lots to
decide their employments, and then took the clothing, rooms and conveniences, as they had before decided, would be for the good of all.
The minister then pointed out the necessity of having overseers to each kind of work, who should direct and superintend others. He described the waste, confusion and trouble that would follow, if every one went to work on the farm where he pleased, and did his work in any way he pleased. And so in the housekeeping, he showed what discomfort and confusion would follow, if each one did her work at any time, or in any manner she liked, with no system or order, and with no one to plan or direct.
It was then concluded, that it was for the general good, that each kind of work should have an overseer, and that the overseers should spend their whole time in planning and directing others about their work, while the rest should obey their directions. Some seemed to think that it was rather hard, that some should have nothing to do but go about and see that other people kept at work, but after some talk, they all concluded that the work never
would be done properly any other way, and so they consented that this arrangement should be made. Then came up the question, who should be the workers and who the overseers. On talking this over it was agreed, that those who knew the most, should be appointed to direct the rest. Accordingly the best cook was made overseer of the cooking, the best gardener overseer of the garden, and thus in every kind of work, the one who understood the most about it, was appointed to direct the rest.