The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-12-23
NEW YORK HERALD MONDAY DECEMBER 2s l87sTRIPLE SHEET

tried to force its universal adoption. Would not
Christianity have ceased to trouble the worlds
Christianity works only by the higher motives Of the
mind. Therefore ii showed no partially for any
government; much less did it originate any. What
it does say is said incidentally. Its moral truths
have an important bearing on social subjects. The
fourth chapter OF Acts TO teach that comm I'M
ism was the ordained form az Christian government
The lecturer then read the well known passage
saying that it seemed to be organized communism.
venture 10 affirm however. that there such
organization. This was special conseq uenoc OF
special circumstances. and not TO be OF gen
eral and permanent character. The men and women
on whose heads the fire descended in fit state
of mind to found permanent system. 1t is thought
that the spirit of Christ would rerder. such a
system possible. but is it not strange that
of Jesus words limited aisappr0val
OF private wealth? The greatest and most fearless
preacher of Christianity regarded society IN its
structural elements at least proper He taught all
classes but disapproved OF classes. Paul
gave ithes for the support Of suffering church. and
so far we have communism, but this aid asked
for and gratefully acknowledged.
CHRISTIANITY NOT A POLITICAL. FORCE
Christianity had something more important to do
than to amend the social and political arrangements
Of the world. We believe that the communism o. the
Penccost was never meant to be precedent for any
the elevation and benefit of mankind is in accord
with Christianity in that respect. The great truths
of Christianity are always available arguments in
favor OF attempts to make the brotherhood OF man
reality. Any form of government may best serve
divine ends in different stages OF peoples progress
As to government or revolution changes Chritan-
ity has nothing 10 say but it has much TO say of
what man owes to others. 1t comedies nothing to
caste status 1t recognizes the necessity of
government but does not insist on a type
1t nculcates prayers for rulers whatever their titles
hold that the socialism of to-day has many claims
n n in nC rnptc fnr ttah pNth Np
hood OF men. Yet Christians generally look
socialism with at least jealousy and fear while
be the end, who can tell? The dcvout will go
on. suppose, singing pious little ditties in
masses of people outside as destined to
damnation. while those masses will grow
hanse yoa may attitude d np ysa
conceal the wrong you do. One danger is the con-
founding Of Christianity with ecclesiasticism The
latter is too often fraud tyranny. The fearful
arraignment of it in Lecky's History of Ration
alism" is enough to make any one trenbe who has
to speak for the Church. TOO often fearful wrong
has been wrought by those in ecclesiastical authority
and Christianity has been charged often with their
crimes. You may say this betrays lack of discrim
nation. 1t may be- but these crimes have too often
filled men with hot anger and the lack of dscrinna-
ton is not confined to the ignorant. Dr. Rylance
then quoted several passages from modern books
arraigning the Church and said that such things
traceable to the confounding of Christianity and
ecclesiasticism Men and women who struggle to
live, and who are forced to ask ugly questions
to whether the relations of life are ordered
as they should be- have been alienated from re-
gion that tells them TO be content. / have heard
preacher, learned and good. tell congregation OF
paupers that they blessed in being poor that
they could give thought to religion II is such stuff
from pupts disseminated in tracts that alienates
the people from the Church. They say, .'Oh, yes,
religion is good enough for silks and satins but
it doesn't do for the poor
III have taught Christians anything of their duties
in this relation in the lectures conclude shall
not have spent my strength in vain.
FRENCH AND GERMAN SOCIAIISrS
At the weekly conference of the French section OF
the socialistc labor party, held in West Houston
street last evening NJ Finie alluded the terrible
condition of the laboring classes in England, and
attributed it TO the absence of q social
equilibrium, which still worse on the Con-
tnent of Europe. There he said, the principal
labor performed is the making of guns
and casting of cannons all for purposes of destrc
ton and not for production. Referring to the state
of labor in this country the speaker found
fault with the contract system OF the
prisons and said that the work there done
by criminals came into sharp competition with the
to be kept busy they should put to work and cul
tivate the lands OF the West. where they would not
enter into competition with ordinary labor 4 lead
ing feature OF the exercises of the evening the
reading by NJ. Poicter of long French poem eulo-
CYSTIC of Communism and its defenders
1t is understood that efforts have been made by
Socialists of this city to induce all those expelled
that there is but little work FOR them here WHILE by
engaging in some employment in England, they will
be the of operations whenever their po
tical services may be required i'll their country.