Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-03-05

go with the very highest commentators
and with wishes that his lot may be cast
among people worthy of such a pastor
and in a place which will offer ample
scope for the exercise of his energy and
ability.
Mr.. Leland was married at Chicago
in 1876 to Miss Frances Leeds, and the
fruit Of their union is two children-a
boy aged eight years and a girl of ten
months. Mrs. Leland remains at Apple
ton, where she has been detained on nc,
count Of the death of her mother, which
occurred on the nth of February, but
Mr.. Leland hopes to have his family set-
tied here by the first of next month.
PULPIT VIEWS OF THE STRIKE.
The Engineers Strike, or Monopolir s
and the Knights of Labor" was Rev. g..
w Cues subject at the First NJ. E.
church last evening MIR Cues text was
taken from Luke, l2:15:
Take heed and beware Of covotousncss, for a
mans life consistent not in the abundance OF the
| things which he possesseth;
In a certain sense, said Mr.. Cue, one'o
life does depeHd on ones possessions, for
the body must have food, raiment and
shelter. But our Lord, in the text, refers
to the higher or spiritual life--the wei
fare OF the soul and the favor Of God.
This spiritual life is independent of
earthly possessions, depending only upon
God for IFS support. The spiritual life
brings true happiness, regardless of our
condition in life Christ wants us TO be-
ware of allowing our idea of good in this
life to center in any kind Of material
| qualification. Here is the idea. If the
| little we have in this life has nothing sat-
isfying in it, then an abundance
of the same will not satisfy. If
there is no virtue in single drop then
the increasing OF the quantity will not add
to the virtue.
So in the text Christ teaches that
mans life or happiness consistent not in
| the abundance of the things he possesses.
1t is not quantity that brings the greatest
happiness, but quality. But notwithe
standing the teachings of our christian
religion there never was time when
there was greater anxiety among all
classes for wealth end position than now
Wealth is the dream of this age, the goal
toward which most people are reaching.
The very poorest are encouraged by every
surrounding to aim higher, especially
when they see that the weathiest ia the
land have come from the humblest homes.
This is also true regarding position, for
many of our greatest men come from
among tho very poorest. jeremiah Col
bath belonged to an exceedingly lowly
family, and for reasons best known to
himself, changed his name TO that of
Henry Wilson and afterwards became
vice president of the United States,
Lincoln and johnson are other in
stances which show that people can rise
from obscurity and poverty TO the
highest fame. But this very fact creates
restlessness, a sensitiveDess and jeal-
ousY among the poor and lowly. 1t is
probable that there never has been time
when there was such a restless, mpa-
tient, discontinued state Of affairs
throughout our country in business lines
as now. Capital and labor are arrayed
against each other. A monied aristo
crazy and the laboring people are at war.
They have been for several years, and will
hn for M To tbiS
| tlict will go on until there is mutual
undcrst anding between them, and they
| have reached point where they viii
Cheerfully recognize each others rights
| The working people, as a rule, are as
well educated in this country as the
wealthy classes. They have been taught;
"All that o Their folks can do, why with
patience, cannot your" With the many
examples of success about them and
homes of luxury all around their little
homes, who can blame them for trying to
lift themselves out of their lowly sur
roundIngs. Then wealth becomes aris>
tocratic, naughty. domineering and
oppressive. and this creates a
| jealousy and i'll feeling among the poorer
and laboring classes. Two brothers once
came to Christ TO have him settle their
dispute. One had the birth right-that
is, all the estate--and the other was justly
envious and demanded division of the
property. So today capital and labor
stand facing each other, demanding each
their rights. The rich man wants his
cause maintained and revolution pre-
vented The poor laborer crys out
against the great crushing mouopoles and
demands that his rights be protected.
This country is being filled with monop-
olies of all classes of business. Every
kind of business is taken up into great
corporations and men of limited means
crowded out and sent to work by the day
or month The whole railroad system is
q gigantic monopoly. The boards of
trade, telegraph lines, express companies
and all other lines of business have gone
into great monopoles. The associated
press is monopoly. Sometimes we find
churches that seek to make monopoly
on salvation. claiming themselves to be
the only church of God, denying admis-
sion into heaven unless you Join their
little crowd. They are trying to ge! up
corner on eternal life. Nobody ever tried
harder to build up crushing monopoly
than the honest, hard toiing farmer.
The Knights of Labor. who are earnestly |
warning against monopolies are in danger