The morning call., 1890-10-06
EARLY CLOSING.
Sermon by the Rev. John Gray at
the Peoples Church.
He Supports the Movement and Holds the
Church Should Be More in Sympathy
With the Workingman.

The announcement that the Rev. John
GRAY. rector of the Church of the Advent
and pastor of the Peoples Church at Metro
politan Temple, would preach sermon on
the subject of the early Closing Move
ment'' drew large crowd to the evening
services at that place. There was scarcely
a vacant seat, while some of the aiSles were
filed with people, The remarks of the
clergymen were listened to with the great
est attention, aud at one time there was
faint murmur of applause, Notwithstanding
the sacred character of the services. This
showed how much the congregation was in
sympathy with the views of the preacher.
DR.. Gray took for his text Matthew
Xv:55: us not this the carpenters son?'
He said that no man had touched the heart
of man like the carpenters son. He was
the only one who was able to deal with the
sociological quest ion of his time. At that
period the great multitude of Judea were
poor and penniless, and ground down by
the upper classes. He spoke, and the
multitude responded to his words, because
they entered into their lives and touched
their homes. 1t was because Christ had
sympathy for the workingman that Chris
tianity had been success.
THE CHURCH AND SOCIETY.
The speaker said that in modern times
the church had kept al0Of from social queS-
tions with a timid conservatism, and con-
fined itself to definition OF faith. But the
day would come when the Christian must
follow Christ as he led them, when the
church must enter into the sympathies and
the lives of the great working classes. As
business is the principal occupation of man,
-, irrvpr Int ch
let men know 1t Is with them In their strug-
giles for justice.
Dr. GRAY then referred to the early closing
movement as one which should have begun
before. He believed the time had come
when every reasonable merchant must grant
this moderate petition. He said that 1t
effected women most, on account OF their
weaker physical condition. There is large
class of weli-meaning Christian women, he
stated, rich in the worlds possessions, who
are regardless or thoughtless of their work
ing sisters The moral existence of the lat
ter would be much better If the former
would take more in terest in her lot.
In regard to the men, the speaker sad the
condition was somewhat similar. There was
not enough sympathy of the rich for the
poor,
A NEW MOVEMENT.
He referred to a movement on foot in the
rich st. Georges Episcopal Church OF New
York to secure the unfolding of the eight
hour law. This, he believed, would be sue
cesstul. He complained that religion did not
touch the wants, the sympathies, the prya-
tons, the miSeries of the workingman, and
said:
- 1t Is time that the mausoleum and corpse
of empty benches and empty churches
should be broken into and the voice of
living Christ should be heard once more
speaking 70 the people in the voice OF the
The speaker stated that he did not aspire
to sensational preaching, but was only sup
porting what he considered the just demands
OF the nottingham, and claimed that il Eas
not only within the province but vast
duty of the minister Of the gospel. He
severely scored those who wOnli refuse to
subscribe to the early closing movement and
said the directors were cryslaliized into the
customs which they have learned from their
fathers-they would not close because their
fathers did not.
CAPITAL AND LABOR.
DR.. Gray next referred to the subject OF
capital and labor, and said that the differ:
ences between the two would only be settled
when they have come TO patient and Wise
understanding Of each other. The rich man
must see that his own welfare is the well
fare of the community. He thought that the
age Of strikes hal passed away and that fut-
ure difficulties would be settled IN less
hard, cruel and barbaric way. He did not
believe there would De any anarchy or social
disruption IN the future adjustment 81 the
differences Of capital and labor. When Christ
was brought into the lives and homes of the
workingman he would see clearer sky and
better Gays.
DR.. Gray stated that besides early closing
he was also in favor of not only half Sat
uIday holiday, but he believed in giving for
the women whole day, which would give
them time to spend the greater part of the
Sabbath in their moral Improvement
On the closing Of the sermon W. A Dun
das, one of the choir and member of the
Dry Goods A ssociaton, gave to the congre-
CATION a history Of the movement He said
there were only Two houses who had refused
to come into line. but hoped soon to report
that they, too, had agreed to close early.