New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-21

Iost Sunday the Rev. Charles III. Eaton, OF
the Church of the Divine Paternity in this
city. preached a thoughtful and timely sermon
ON the condition of the wOrkingwomen.
Drawing largely upon the facts gathered by
Mrs. Helen Campbell for The SUNDAY
TRIBUNE, Mr.. Eaton made strong and elo-
ouent appeal on behalf of the sufferers from
underray and overwork ard no DOUBT
his CONGREGATION were led to reflect seriously
nnon the terrible situation put before them.
Such representations and appeals certainly do
pood. If is to be desired that the clergy gener-
ally should follow the example of Mr.. Eaton.
Discussion is an indispensable preliminary to
remedial action. But it is not less necessary
that the question of remedies should be APP
proached in the right way than that the whole
subject should be forced upon public attention,
and Mr.. Eaton, in his sermon of last week,
made AN incidental remark from which perhaps
snme valuable suggestions may be drawn. lie
observed that the workingwomen somehow
q seemed to be beyond the influence of the
Church.; meaning, probably, that they do
not "a a rule attend Divine service, or belong
TO any rel gious community or appear to take
any interest in things spiritual.
That this is true of large proportion OF
them is indubitable But why is it true Be-
cause when human beings are forced TO work
from fourteen to nineteen hours out OF the
twenty four when by such incessant toll they
can only earn from twenty-five cents to nall
dollar; when they are unable to nourlsh them
selves sufficiently when they cannot buy de-
cent clothing when they drop exhausted upon
their Door beds the moment their daily task Is
done when, in short the mere postponement
of starvation taxes all their energies to the
utmost and drains their vitality every day in
the year, it ia not possible that they should find
time or strength for speculation upon another
world nor is it reasonable to expect from them
other than optimistic views of this one. In
fact. before the influence of the Church can
reach and embrace this element of society. it
must be raised out Of the material Slough OF
Desmond in which it struggles at present. Re-
liglon has no meaning for empty stOmachs,
boodless bodies aching muscles and stupefied
brains. The poorer class of workingwomen
are not in a condition to profit by moral or re-
lieious instruction. Semi-starvaton induces
diseased and abnormal physical state. lnnutri-
ton weakens the mind as well as the body.
And even if this we're not So with what hope
or expectation could the churches approach, for
merely uludcllC pulpoSco, .hoSO "hoSO "h"iO
experence has been of misery and abuse and
fraud and heartlessness; whose very existence
seems to Others, and may well seem to them,
standing refutaton of the claims Of Chris
| tianity upon civilization.
Such experiments are too hopeless to under
| take and the clergy know this very well. They
have made advances and have been repelled,
and they no doubt lament with Mr.. Eaton,
that tho worklngwOmen are beyond their in
| fuence. But is this really the case We say
no. The conclusion reached is premature.
| The churches have hitherto failed because they
| have not taken the right course. Before the
| wOrkingwomen can be made Christians they
| must be given better reason than they have
yet had to believe that they are recognized as
human beings Before they can think to any
purpose upon another life they must be con-
WINGED that this one is better worth living.
That is to say, material justice must in their
case precede spiritual enlightenment. Have the
churches no part in the great work here sug-
p.sted We assert that it is specifically their
duty to take an active share in it. 1t is for
them to form opinion and to urge it toward
organization. 1t is for them to impress upon the
women of society the mischievous effects upon
| a whole class OF the Indulgence IN bargains ana
the encouragement of nnreasonably low prices.
| Through them, too, the association of the work
ingwomen themselves, which, however, will
probably follow, not precede, some ameliora-
ton of their condition, may be led up to. The
churches, in short, have b,avy responsibility
and great opportunity here, and they cannot
afford to evade the one or neglect the other
Humanity and religion alike demand the
effort. Society can neither tolerate the con-
tinuance of the existing conditions nor confess
its inability to amend them, and the problem is
one in which the efficiency and civilizing power
of the Christian religion are too directly con-
cerned for the churches to hold aoof or decline
active participation in the work of regenera-
ton.
|