of the twelve, paid him while he was my hired laborer.  Now, as the technic "hired" is no longer used to designate him, and as he still labors on my farm, suppose my neighbors gather in conclave, and from such ample premises sagely infer, that since he is no longer my "hired" laborer, I rob him of his earnings, and with all the gravity of owls, they record their decision, and adjourn to hoot it abroad.  My neighbors are deep divers!—­like some theological professors, they not only go to the bottom, but come up covered with the tokens.

A variety of particulars are recorded in the Bible, distinguishing hired from bought servants. (1.) Hired servants were paid daily at the close of their work.  Lev. xix 13; Deut. xxiv. 14, 15; Job. vii. 2; Matt. xx. 8. "Bought" servants were paid in advance, (a reason for their being called, bought,) and those that went out at the seventh year received a gratuity at the close of their period of service.  Deut. xv. 12-13. (2.) The hired servant was paid in money, the bought servant received his gratuity, at least, in grain, cattle, and the product of the vintage.  Deut. xiv. 17. (3.) The hired servant lived by himself, in his own family.  The bought servant was a part of his master’s family. (4.) The hired servant supported his family out of his wages; the bought servant and his family, were supported by the master besides his wages.

A careful investigation of the condition of “hired” and of “bought” servants, shows that the latter were, as a class, superior to the former—­were more trust-worthy, had greater privileges, and occupied in every respect (other things being equal) a higher station in society. (1.) They were intimately incorporated with the family of the master.  They were guests at family festivals, and social solemnities, from which hired servants were excluded.  Lev. xxii. 10; Exod. xii. 43, 45. (2) Their interests were far more identified with the general interests of their masters’ family. Bought servants were often actually, or prospectively, heirs of their master’s estate.  Witness the case of Eliezer, of Ziba, of the sons of Bilhah, and Zilpah, and others.  When there were no sons to inherit the estate, or when, by unworthiness, they had forfeited their title, bought servants were made heirs.  Proverbs xvii. 2.  We find traces of this usage in the New Testament.  “But when the husbandmen saw him, they reasoned among themselves, saying, this is the heir, come let us kill him, that the inheritance may be ours.”  Luke xx. 14; also Mark xii. 7.  In no instance on Bible record, does a hired servant inherit his master’s estate. (3.) Marriages took place between servants and their master’s daughters.  “Now Sheshan had no sons, but daughters:  and Sheshan had a servant, an Egyptian, whose name was Jarha.  And Sheshan gave his daughter to Jarha his servant to wife.” 1 Chron. ii. 34, 35.  There is no instance of a hired servant forming such an alliance.