The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-02-14
THE uHuRoH AND THIN WORK
INlMAN,

ANlNNNi w WV lNlNN'HN'N w fNN '''N'Nf'
20 WOrkngmen, This synopsis oaly
included a statement Of the situation,
We now give some further views by
tho lley, Morse, on the remedy for the
evils ~ they appear TO exist,
Having developed, ~ previously
shown, the state OF things under which
labor IL becoming constantly and ineyr
itably more impoverished aud helpless,
Rey, Morse notes two lines Of thought
and expression" arising therefrom, VIII
the MRlthusian doctrine niggardllness
! OF nature and as opposed 10 H. 'the
instructive belief that God hae ufoyidr
| cd UIl that ID essential 10 the highest do,
yelopment OF his ohildren that any In
duStrlal system which ennehes a class
at the expense Of the mass, IL due TO the
| ignorance and greed OF humanity Is OPP
posed 70 the spirit OF revelation, and
should be- modified and brought into
|cou60nauoe with the Sermon on the
Mount" But the churches having
reached the last stages Of e0n6erya'
tIsm, taciuy hold that the current eco.
monte theory Is founded on sound prin-
ciplea, aud IN In harmony with Chrlsta
teachings, Thus believing they teach
that existing conditions me-m arising
from correct economic aud moral prin
! ciples -unimpeaohable, and are Instant
in condemnation Of men who argue
that q change must be wrought, or our
institutions will ultimately go down.
They mantaiH-at least by impllca
ton that the great fortunes Of our day
are the fruit Of Legitimate industrial
enterprise, and belong 10 their poaseas
ora, 900 against the world,
Men, who under ancient legal proyis
Ions, have monopoli2ed the store Of
wealth which God has placed In tho
earth, are upheld ~ possessing under
divine sanction, while they, who under
take 10 show that the masses are de-
fTauded Of their bIrthrlght, are claased
by many with communists whose aim
il the gubycrdion Of the rights Of prop
erty, with regard 10 poverty leading
religious thinkers hold that II Is due TO
la2yncaa and ino1lcioncy, waste mis-
management extravaganza, Injurious
Indulgence and absence of u definite
aud reSolute purpose to escape from
poyerty,F
The church appears TO believe that the
cure Of present social Ills will result
from the reform Of individuals indie
p%cndonuy Of any change In or by legal
enactmonta, or industrial methods,
which Is 10 assert that the prosperity Of
a people will be- better conserved by the
charitable contributions Of q class than
by securing equal opportunities aud
exact justice to all mon, "fhis posi-
tion says Rev, Morse, "tho working
man knows Is untenablo"
The church says 10 the man who Is
supporting his family by his wages Of
one dollar n day, that he may become
wealthy II no viii, II points 10 the
millionaire who began life In humble
circumstances, and tells this man, who
N striving 10 keep his dollar u day Job
against the competition of u freshly
imported Italian, that his poverty 10
result Of his own faults and de0clon.
Giles; that he, alone, Is 10 blame II
breaches to him that his lot Is pr0yI.
dentiali that God gives TO some men
peculiar ability 10 secure wealth aud
withholds II from others, that poverty
Is u blessing TO promote our spiritual
growthi that he must not become dis,
contentod nor question the justice of
Gods dealings with men, and That
above al Things hemust not mtNgoni2o
the current doctrine OF vested rights"
with this position Of the church and
Us cure all for social Ills, Rev, Morse
now contrasts that Of the worhingman,
who luds the phrase 1.-THE viii Of God
administered TO him 40 u panacea for
all complaints, II "has proven inefreot.
ual, The workingman does not believe
H. Looking around upon the apparent
disorder he replies God would have
done II better job, Submitting TO an
enforced reduction Of wages, he believes
that the industrial system Ia In some
way responsible for his dependence,
and questions whether the system In
just If not Just, Of course II
IL u~nrighteous, then why does
the church sanction w He asks not
for unfounded or illogical assertion,
but for thought, discussion, reform,
justice, Refused thus he turns away
In dIgust lie asserts that God stocked
the earth with good thing aud gave It
10 The children Of men, lilo sees that
the majority Of children born into the
world ARE trespOsscrs While here IL
enough for all, the few have the fruit.
age, the many have the unrpquited
labor Of production All men Nre
equal in the sight Of Cod why such In.
equality among his GhildrenY Christ
teaches the fatherhood Of God and the
brotherhood Of man, why does tbs doc.
trine show 80 little outcome. TO all
these inquiries there Is but one answer,
the providence Of God Providence,
then, he asserts, has overlooked him,
and he turns TO his labor organization,
or the secret society for relief aud
sympathy.
In all his difficulties and TO all his
bitter pleadings the church returns
deCrepit g%eneralities and is earnest aud
definite only In defense Of vested rights,
when threatened by labor agitation,
He believes that In the estimation OF
the church, gold stocks aud bonds must
be protected, while bodies, heal Ia aud
hnuna asa lafl al Aha ,.,a.,, al ....al.