St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-11-30
ARDENT MISSION WORK.
The Rev. NJ. Kn0wltOn Discusses
Cnnital and Labor.


The ardent mission services of the Epis-
copal churches, which will be continued
throughout the week, began last evening at
the Church of the Good Shepherd and Christ
church. The exercises were made unusu-
lv interesting. At Christ church the
opening sermon was preached by the Rev.
NJ. Knowlton of Galena, ILL.,, who took as
his text: ''Who is he that shall harm you,
if We be followers of athat that Is good?"
The sermon was of a practical nature and
in it the speaker took occasion to speak at
considerable length on the signs of the
times, which he said were seldom of a more
lowering nature. There were wars social
rottenness, strife between capital and labor
and an abnormal thirst for moneygettlng.
1t would not do, he said, to look to any
merely human means for reform, for the
machinery of the world was apparently
given to carrying the evils forward rather
than checking them. He said that in view
of this men hardly dare examine themselves
carefully to see whether or not they were
doing their duty. They were like the
merchant who dare not strike balance on
his ledger for fear he may find
it on the wrong side, or at
any rate with too small a favorable balance
10 meet his expenses.
He believes that the most threatening of
any of the causes which might bring ruin
upon nations was the conflict between labor
and capital. after years of suffering"
said he, Labor is just awaking to know its
strength, and it has put forth its decree
that the benefits of what the laborer Gre
ates shall be shared, at least, by the laboler.
And labor is right. Labor, rather than
capital, creates,
AND IT IS NOT RIGHT
that the non-creating element should re-
ceive all the benefits. This is usurpation.
1t is not wrong to seek wealth nor to pos
seSs it, but to accept for ones own the pro-
duct of another's toll is villainy. Gods
economy has permitted this because the
many have not been able to control the
fruits Of their product as the few have"
The speaker then proceeded to ask who
were to blame for this. Are we personally
innocent?" said he ''Probably we are,
directly. We have not taken any direct
measure to crush and put down the laboring
man in our selfish greed. But how is it
indirectly? In a certain one of the West
ern cities the state legislature granted a
franchise to street railway corporation.
The legislature granted it exclusively as
public benefit. The stockholders were
entitled to receive fair profit
on the money invested, probably IL per
cent. at the most. AS an actual fact they
take out upwards of 60 per cent, or nearly
SO per cent. greater than the franchise
strictly interpreted, could allow. Who are
the participators in the scheme of robbery
of the poor man? The great majority of
those who furnish the income to the corpo-
ration are the class who do so as necessity.
hi. l,nt
they may keep themselves fresh for the
labor of the day. The great bulk of the
profits, from 2 to cents in every nickel, is
1ilched from the pockets of this class"
In New York recently a man who had
committed great robbery was brought to
Judgment, but the public said that the great
mass who We're indirect sharers of his
profits or thefts were innocent. Innocent
indeed! Large profits are seldom made in
a legitimate business in legitimate way
Money so gotten is taken from somebody,
perhaps cardriver or perhaps a steve
dOre but it is taken from some
body who shall rise up as a witness against
the one who took it, in the great day of
judgment, before court that cannot be
bribed.
1.-THE speaker dwelt at considerable length
on the proper methods of gathering in the
souls of the unsaved, and urged faithful
ness in those that should be shown to be the
most blessed.
THE REV. DIR. THOMAS
followed in a talk of fifteen or twenty min
utes, urging the immense audience not to
let their interest in the mission work of the
week die out after the opening meeting,
when their curiosity had been satisfied.
The Rev. NJ. N. Gilbert announced services
for to-day as follows: 7:30 a. H., holy COM
munion; 1920, ordination to the priesthood
of the Rev. Mr.. Jeffords, assistant rector
of Christ church; p. H., instruction meet
ing on the topic, How to Read the Bible;
7:30 p. M, general meeting, to be addressed
by Bishop Whipple and the Rev. Mr..
Knowton on the topic, Personal Response
bility, to be followed by an informal latter
meeting"