Vermont farmer. [volume] (Newport, Orleans County, Vt.) 1870-1877, 1877-02-16

success OF all efforts at the true and perma-
neut elevation Of tho laborer. In any ma.
ton where christianity christianity Of
Christ and the New Testament--shall be
made general and predominant, the labor
question will be settled by that fact alone
will disappear, indeed, because the true
christian life animating the bulk Of COM
munity must drive out every wrong, the so.
cial and political alike with the moral. Just
50 far, therefore, as christianity is known and
preached in our churches, and lived by our
people, will right prevail and discomfort dis
appear spontaneously, or be removed by the
firm, intelligent action of Just laws aud So
cial influences At present the religious
teaching Of "christendom" is to great de-
gree sophisticated and perverted under the
influence Of the money-power; and the
clergy Of the Greek, Roman and Protestant
churches are alike untrue to the Great Lib
orator they profess to serve, aud to the peo-
pie. Pure and uudefled christianity os ap.
piled to this question, if preached from the
pulpits of New England for one month,
would produce an uproar Of which hardly a
conception could be formed in advance, and
would throw a flood of light upon the para
doxical saying of the Lord, that he "came
not to bring peace, but a sword" The
working people are instinctvely conscious OF
this uniaithiulncss of the watchmen upon the
towers Of Zon,--and they are forsaking tn,
churches aud coming more aud more to dis
believe-because they 6nd them SO weakly
taught aud practiced-the doctrines of ouI
religion. 10 Europe and in the American
cities the industrial class is rapidly becoming
inHdel, from this cause alone. The terribl,
consequences of thus transforming the ma
jority Of nation from men conscious o
moral responsibilities to q mere mass Of hun
cry stomachs and dcspairing hearts, is appal
ling to the thoughtful mind.
1t ought to be among the farmers, wit
combine the characters Of capitalist anC
manual laborer in ono, that this question
should be most carefully studied, aud its rem
edy be best understood. The "proletaire'
class the working people Of cities and larg,
towns, who live mostly from hand to mouth
and feel most severely the pinch of hare
times caused by the speculation" Of th
money -power,-suffer too keenly to be JUS
to their tormentors. They are embittered
and revengeful spirit possesses them. Thu
farmer suffers too, but in the midst Of thu
depression he can, if prudent liver, "still
live" and can think aud reason with somt
approach to Justice. His natural alliance i
with the workman, since even as n capitals
he is subject to the rule that "the big fish ca
up the little ones )" while as a laborer b
sees the profits of his labor taken away tina
the great capitalist may increase his boards
To-day it is the farmer who is compelled
to feed the poor Of the manufacturing auC
commercial towns for what little money thel
can raise to keep starvation at bay. TIL
working man is our best and largest custom
err, and when he is stinted Of work and foo
we are obliged to sell our products at les
than cost, even though our clothes becom
seedy, our capital lies unprOductive, our i'm
plements and our land wear out, and tn
eight and ten per cent. interest on our mort
cages goes unpaid.
S,,,,ort T. ii. III.