St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-24
Rev. John T.. Scudder.

Rev. John +. Scudder is a Minneapolis
minister who seems to grasp an idea of the
true Importance of the so-called ''labor
question" Judging from some Of his re-
cent utteranceS he understands much of the
great movement that is quietly, but firmly
rightmg some of the wrongs against the
producers and toilers. He has not chosen
to ignore so serious crisis, which concerns
the prosperity of the nation, and so has de-
voted a series of lectures to frank discus
sion of different phases of the social prob
lem, basng his remarks upon personal in
VeStlgatiOn, and contact with wOrkingmen.
He apparently has found out that the pub
lie is mistaken in thinking that labor unions
are cOmmunstic organizations and has dis
covered that the demands which are being
made are not unreasonable. Being
endowed with strong sympathy
for the oppressed and weak he naturally
desires that as much as possible Of suffer
ing and sorrow shall be lifted from the
hearts of men. Acting under the impulse
of a generous nature he has taken bold
stand in behalf kof the Nottingham
and has said much in an eloquent and
forcible way to remove blind prejudces and
to bring to the aid of the masses the sup
port and strength of public approval. His
reasoning has been so forcible and fair that
even some of those whose interests it would
seem he was attacking have been con-
WINGED. For instance, he recently said that
it was an injury to communities and to the
country that individuals should become
enormously rich; that a man who boards
immense wealth is really robbng hundreds
and thousands of people of their share of
the eniOymentS of life; that there should be
some remedy for this evil either by pro-
gressve taxation or by law which will
prevent the growth of monOpolies. At the
conclusion Of his sermon well-known
millionaire, whom he supposed he must
have mOrtally offended came forward and
said: young man, your heads level"
Mr. Scudder's utterances on the labor
question have been in keeping with his
method of dealing with the problems of
life. He knows that people desire and
need advice upon temporal as well as spirit
Pal affairs. and his Sunday evening lectures
ave been uniformly devoted TO the conSid-
Grafton of matters Of everyday life in
way that is both practical and cOmprehen-
Sive. The result of this departure from the
beaten paths of the pulpit can easily be i'm
agined. When he came here two years ago
about fifty persons were in the habit of at
tending evening services at the First Con-
gregationai church. Since then it has been
found necessary to enlarge the church, and
each Sabbath the house is crowded. His
audiences too, are composed of young
folks, and people which come from all
grades of society and all parts of the city.
just now he is lecturing upon Living for
Show, and last Sunday evening he told his
auditors that he wanted them TO come to
church plainly dressed. He said he alb
horred fashionable church. where people
came to see each others clothes, and where
the minister breaches in swallow-tail.
He wants everybody to feel at home, and
would be panied to know that any one
stayed away because they felt their neigh
bors were better dressed than they.