The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-23
THE QUESTION OF THE TIME.
Rev. Dewitt Talmage Begins a Series
ofSermOns on the Absorbing Topic.
Mutual Dependence of Labor and Capital, and
How Their Differences Will Be Solved
Religion Teaches all Their Duty.


labor question. After expounding appropriate
passages of Scripture. DR.. Talmage gave out the
text, Gen. i, q 1.-THE earth was without form,
md void; and darkness was upon the face OF the
deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the
face Of the waters" He began his discourse by
retelling the story of creation. when order was
brought out of chaos. and likening the original
Ihaos to the confusion and anarchy into which
The human race ever and anon plunges. The
preacher then said:
"Such a social condition many are expecting
because of the overshadowing contest between
labor and capital; there mas not been an lntelli-
gent man woman during the last two months
who has not asked the question: Shall we have
bloody revolution in this country have heard
many answer tha question In the Affirmative;
answer it in the negative.
"There may be and there have been terrific
Dutbursts of popular frenzy, but there Will be
no anarchy, for the church of Christ, the might
est and grandest institution of the planet
shall, laying hold of the strength of the
eternal God, come out, and putting one
hand on the shoulder of labor, and the other on
The shoulder of capital. say: / come In the
name of the God who turned chaos into magnih-
cent order to settle this dispute by the principles
of eternal justice and kindness, and now COM
mand you take your hands off each others
throats.' The only impartial institution on this
subject is the church, for it Is made up OF both
capitalists and laborers, and was founded by
Christ, who was carpenter, and so has right
30 speak for all laborers; and who owns the
earth, and the solar system, and the universe,
md so speak for the CAPITALISTS.
1--WE must admit that the tendency is toward
of disturbance in almost all our cities. Rail
trains hurled over the rocks Workmen beaten
to death within sight of their wives and chill
pren. Factories assaulted by mobs. The faith
ful police of our cities exhausted by vigilance
night and day. In some cases the military
called out The whole country asking the cues
ton. What nextp An earthquake has with one
hand taken hold of this continent at the Pacific
beach, and with the other hand has taken
bold of the continent at the Atlantic
beach, and shaken it till every manufacturing,
commercial agricultural literary and religious in
terest has trembled. A part of Belgium one great
riot. Russia, and Germany and Austria keeping
their workmen quiet only by standing armies 30
vast that they eating out the life of those ma
tions. The only reason that Ireland is in peace
is because she is hoping for home rule and the
triumph of Gladstoneism The.abor quarrel is
hemisphere; aye. world wide quarrel, and the
whole tendency is toward anarchy.
''But one way in which we may avoid anarchy
Is by letting the people know what anarchy is.
We must have the wreck pointed out in order to
steer clear of it. Anarchy is abolition of right
Of property 1t makes your store, and your
house, and your money, and your family mine,
and mine yours. 1t is wholesale robbery. 1t is
every mans hand against every other man. 1t
Is arson and murder and rapine. and lust, and
death triumphant. Ii means no law, no church.
no defense, no rights, no happiness, no God. It
means hell let loose earth, and society COM
blnation of devils incarnate. 1t means exter-
animation of everything good and the coronation
of everything infamous. Do you want it9
Will you have it, Before you let it get a
good foothold in America take q good look
1t the dragon Look at Paris, where for few
days it held sway the cutters red with blood and
the walks down the street stepping between
corpses. the archbishop shot as he tries to quell
the mob, and every man and woman armed with
knife or pistol, or bludgeon. Let this Country
take one good, clear, scrutinizing look at anar-
chy before 1t is admitted and it will never be al
lowed to set up its reign in our borders No
There is too much good sense dominant in this
country to permit anarchy. All good people
will together with the officers OF civil govern
ment, cry Peace" and it will be re-established.
Within six months there will be kindlier un-
Outstanding between labor and capital than has
ever been known in this country. They have
had demonstrated as never before their absolute
dependence upon each other.
'.Meanwhile my brotherly counsel is to three
classes of laborers. First to those who are at
work. Stick to IL Do not amid the excitement
that something better will turn up. He who
giveth up work now, whether he be railroad
man, mechanic, farmer. clerk, or any other kind
of employe, will probably give 1t up for starva
that you are sailing in, but do not jump over
board in the middle of the Atlantic. Be little
earlier than usual at your post of work while this
turmoil lasts, and attend to your occupation
with little more assduity than has ever char
acterized you.
sMy brotherly counsel in the second place is
to those who have resigned work. 1t is best for
you and best for every body to go back immed-
atey Do not wait to see what others do. Get
on board of the train of national prosperity be-
fore 1t starts again. for start it will, start soon
and start nightly Last year in the city of New
York there were 40 general strikes and III shop
strikes. Successful strikes. 81; strikes lost. 81
strikes pending at the time the statistics were
made, SO; strikes compromised 49, Would you
like me TO tell you who will make the most out
of the present almost universal strlkes l can
and will. Those will make the most out of it
who go first to work.
other class of laborers namely, those who have
been long time out of work. How many of
thernY Before this present trouble began there
were nearly 1000, 900 people in this country out
OF work and could not get work. have for the
last ten years been busy much OF the time in
trying to get people work who asked for it. /
have worn myself out again and again. as many
of you have, to get employment for those who
besought It. In some cases we succeeded,
is to the nearly 100000 people who
could not get work before this trouble
began, and who have themselves and their fam
lilies 20 support to go now and take the vacated
places. Go in and take those places million
snd a half strong Green hands you may be
now, but you will not be green hands long My
sentiment is full liberty for all who want to
strike to do so, and full liberty for all who want
10 take the vacated places Other industries
will open for those who are now taking vaca-
tisn, for we have only opened the outside door
pf this continent and there is room in this coun-
try for 500. 600. 600 people, and for each one OF
them home, and livelihood and God.
80. however others may feel about this ex-
eitement, as wide the continent, | am not
scared bit. The storm will hush. Christ will
put His foot upon it upon agitated Galilee.
As at the beginning, chaos will give place to
order as the spirit of God moves upon it. But
hear it, workingmen of America! Your first
step toward light and bettermeut Of condition
will be an assertion of your individual indie
pendence from the dictation OF your fellow
workmen. You are a free man, and let no or