The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-11-07
THE PULPIT AND LABOR.


TIE MODERN CHURCH DOES NOT
STAND FOR CHRISTIANITY.
Judgment of the Common People Voiced
by an Eminent Diyine-Edward Bella
my's Programme for Bringing About
Economic Changes.
The interest which of late has been
shown by some of New York's clergy
men in the subject of Independent poll
tics and the reform of public institu-
tions through the ballot box has again
brought forward the question of the
church's attitude to labor, and vice
versa, because it is impossible to think
of such reform without considering the
common people, who are always looked
to as the saving power when country's
institutions become shaky or are in any
manner threatened. But while it has
become popular in certain quarters for
ministers of the gospel to take up the
rudgels of independent politics against
the party in power and call
upon the workingmen to rally at the
polls, there is no perceptible change in
the ministerial utterances or conduct of
many divines. There are preachers who
express great regard for the laborer as a
voter. but have forgotten him as a fel-
low man and brother. Six days in the
week they will devote to making up
ticket of ':pure citizens" for the work
ingmen to support, but on Sunday they
stand in their pulpits and preach SER
mons which will be acceptable to the
barons who pay the $4,000 to $25, 900
yearly salaries. And it goes without say
ing that their sermons are not such as
Christ preached
| 1t is pleasant to record that Bishop F.
D. Huntington is not of that class of
clergymen. He sees, as all intelligent
people must see, that the breach between
the church and the common people is
rapidly broadening. and that the cause
is that Christ and his teachings are no
longer the guides of the leaders in church
work. He sees the significance of the
action of u meeting in New York which
cheered the name of Jesus Christ and
hissed the name of the church. And
Christian, as well as churchman, he
! must find consolation for the disrespect
shown the church in the evidence given
! that intelligent people still revere and
love Christ, though through ignorance
many make the mistake of confounding
the two and hold Christianity RESPONSE
! BILE for the hypocrisy and injustice of
churchmen. Bishop Huntington not
only sees, but speaks out. In The Octo-
ber Forum he has an article on Social
Problems and the Church" from which
copy literally, so that those of you who
will not see that publication may have
this testimony that the people have just
grounds for their complaints against the
church:
More than half the religious organi-
cations, large or small. are at present
practical contradictions of the sermon
on the mount. Itdoes not need an os-
tentatious hierarchy to open the door for
! the prince of this world, letting him in
where he does tenfold the mischief he
! could do by prosecutions. seductions or
| infidel arguments outside. He buys up
the property, holds the keys of pew DOORS
puts rich families in the foremost seats,
hires and pays the choir, raises funds by
lotteries and theatricals, tells the lower
! classes to stay out in the streets, or pa
! tronizes them with mission chapel in
the outskirts, makes u fashion plate Of
| the female worshipers, sees to it that
parish offices and all other marks of dis
tinction are assigned to prosperous mer
chants, politicians and leaders of society
never to mechanics and day laborers,
who have no qualifications except piety
/ and good sense-suits the preacher to the
tastes of the ruling set and runs the con-
cern. What is all this parochial MAN.
monism and snobbery but surrender Of
the kingdom of the cruciied to his ad-
versary?"
Speaking of the labor movement, its
want of unifcation and need of leader,
Bishop Huntington says: "Why does
not the church make itself their leader!
If peer in the house of lords could say
the other day that Christianity is the
, most perfect system Of democracy, why
should not organized Christianity prove
itself to be that? If the archbishop of
Canterbury could say in speech,
Trust the people, give them their rights
as citizens and they will not abuse
them, why should not the popular min
listers say it to the mill owners and cor
poration lawyers, and employers Of
shirt makers and cigar makers in
their congregations, emphasizing and
illustrating the second clause? Now and
then fearless voice is lifted up by
John Baptist, John Chrysostom, Savona-
rola, Anselm, Latimer, Lacordaire or
Ugo Bassi. but how often the pulpit Of
Christendom has missed its opportunity
by its timidity. Amiably, and after their
manner usefully no doubt, well mean
ing, peace loving shepherds have led and
comforted their focks, but not till
long after the peal of the trumpet which
the sons of thunder put to their lips has
died away, and their cause has been
gained, have messengers of the modern
Israel ventured to take up the cry.
Time and events have shown what har-
vests they might have reaped, what
names they might have transmitted,
what inspiring memorials they might
have left behind"
1t is neglect Of these opportunities re-
ferred to by the bishop which is almost
wholly to blame that Thaddeus D.