The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-05-13
Christianity and Socialism.

enco on the currents of European emigration
Christianity and Socialism,.
The attempt OF Prussian court chaplain
to organize IL Christain-Socialist party in
Germany cannot DO said to have completely
miscarried, for it has cast good many votes
at recent elections in Berlin and other large
cities. But the fusion of ideas which this
movement represents has not commended
itself to the great majority Of German work
ingmen, being discredited by the supposed
political motives OF its promoters. In other
parts of the Continent there are even fewer
signs of an alliance between Christianity and
Socialism. The Russian Nihilists are athe-
lists, while both the Anarchists and the much
more numerous Collectivists in France are
agnostc5 in respect to the nature of tho first
cause and the government OF the universe
and Darwinists with regard to tho origin and
significance of human life upon this earth.
The recent tendency of the European prof.
ctariat To abjurc Christianity is sufficiently
Ineligible. The workingman knows that
Christianity is II mighty social and political
force, but he sees that in Europe it is now,
and has been for some centuries. ostensibly
arlnyed upon the side OF those whom he re-
CARDS as his opprcssors. In Russia the
Orthodox Church Is the irmcst prop OF Car
dom; in Austria and Germany the Catholic
Church either maintains or tries to form the
most intimate relations with the landowners
and capitalists who have thus far controlled
the civil power; the Lutheran schismatics
have at all times shown themselves equally
favorable to similar union of Church and
State, while in England the dominant form
OF Professionalism has become through tho
Anglican establishment, ono OF the ilrmest
bulwarks OF social conservatism and pre-
scrptive rights. 1t is, in brief, because they
find all the more compactly organized and
powerful forms of modern Christianity APP
parently enlisted on the side of individual
| property, and opposed to IL more equal dis
tributon OF humanity's common fund, that
the landless and the moneyless deem them
selves forced to say OF it what GAMBET'rA was
driven to say OF clcricaliSm in France FOild
rcnnemi: Behold the enemy"
Now, not only the founders OF Christian
Socialism In Germany, but such Catholic
thinkers rs ST. GEORGE MIvART and such
disinterestcd students of social questions rs
EMILE DE LAvELEYE regard the actual AL
t;igonism between Christianity and Social
ism AZ unnecessary, unnatural, and calami-
tous to both Of the interests involved. The
Christian religion will be shattered at tho
base when the toilinS masses shall have
wholly ceased 10 look for sympathy and ac-
tive cooperation to its expounders and vota-
ries On tho other hand, the labor party
which seeks TO ameliorute the position OF the
workingman and to bing about equality Of
social conditions may BE- guilty OF gricvous
blunder from its own point OF view in making
Darwinsm the basis of its philosophy. The
doctrine Of the survival of the attest lends
itself with cruel facility to tho justification
Of the maxim that whatever is, Is right, aud
to the maintenance by force OF the worst
abuses OF the present industrial system. Tho
friends OF labor have little to hope for from
the evolutionary philosophy, as is shown by
this fact among many proofs that its chief
cxpounder. HERBERT SPENCER. although he
has much to say about the prospective be-
nignancy resulting from highly developed
sympathics, has distinctly declared himself
against the naturalization Of land and all
similar assaults upon the principle of ind-
vidual ownership.
But while Socialism, which aims to substi.
tu.e for thu orthodox political economy @
| Sysitiu VI llloidl vi S'fill lis
terests. or, in other words to insure to every
human being, so far rs this Is practicable b!
human agencies. an equal chance of we'll
being and OF scl!-improvcmcnt, will look II
vain for impulse or sanction to Darwinism, il
might conceivably gain both by an alliance
with Christianity. The advantages Of sucl
, n league have often been pointed out by ob
servers whose sagacity and sincerity coult
, not be impugned, and they have recently
? been summed up with singular effective
, ness by NJ. DE LAvELEYE, the we'll
: known Belgian writer Oh economical
. and social questions. After citing th
/, familiar passages of the Gospels in whic!
= SOcIalistic doctrines are uncquivocally form
, ulatcd. and advertiug 10 the picture trace
III the Act, OF the life in common followed b,
c the first disciples OF JESUS, NJ. DIX LAvELEYl
: goes on to show that the authentic writing
y Of the most vcneratcd Christian Fathers con
y tain the precise countcrparts oi the mos
! extravagant theories broachcd by mOdnr
, Communists. For instance PEoUDHoS /
l. denounced for maintaining tina, "propert
. is theft" There is the highest Chrstla
authority for the assertion. "Tfc rich ar
J. thieves" said st. BASIL. "The rich ar
q brgands," said st. JOHN CHRYsOsIos
4 "Opulcnce is always the result OF II theft,
Il said ST. JEROME, "for II not committed b
@ the actual posscssor, it has been the wor
o OF his ancestors" st. CLEMENT TOO, pre-
It nounced private possession un iniquitou
l. thing" and declared that "if justice wer
70 enforced, there would be general divisio
~ OF property"
VI What " quite ~ much to his purpose. \