The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1890-04-04
Rev. r. r. Davies Address On
Christian Socialism.

Christian Socialism.
Rev. Mr.. Davies delivered his address on
Socialism at the Opera house Sunday after
noon in response to the invitation of the
Economic Glass and under its auspices.
A large and intelligent audience testified
to the interest in this burning question and
their confidence that Mr.. Davies had some
thing to say about 1t worth hearing.
After prayer by Rev. MIR. Davies, male
quartette, led by Mr.. Duff and accompanied
on the organ by Mrs. Duff, sang an appro-
pirate selection. Rev. Davies was then in
troduced to the audience by Supt. j. w.
Simmons, acting for the president of the
Glass. 1t would give us pleasure to present
full repOrtO the very able and suggestive
address; but little more is practicable than
the briefest indication of the speakers line
of treatment. Mr. Davies began with few
words of explanation concerning the special
line of treatment he had followed, saying
that the paper was primarily written for an
ecclesiastical body composed largely of
clergymen, and he had not had opportunity
for rewriting the paper. The speaker
dwelt on the magnitude of the subject
and its far reaching and diverse branches.
''WhOsoever" said he would understand
socialism. must look back over the history
vi Vic NOllus idNC iiOi I'll VII
one hand, political economy OH the other
and the New Testament before him." The
advance of socialism is evinced by demOcra-
cy in the state and liberation i'm the church;
its aim is restoration and progress. "Out of
the is comes the ought to be- out of the
past through the present must come new
kingd0m-the kingdom of God" This new
kingdom will have new features, a new the
Ology whose revelation is the FatherhOed of
God and the brotherhood of man, new
moral philosophy and new political econ
omy whose main principle will be: ''DO
good to all men," The religion of Christ is
the ideal political economy. Several needs
of the body polite at this time were enlarg-
ed upon; the necessity of its life being gov
erned by permanent laws, laws which have
their root in the part of mans nature which
answers to God. Such laws are found in
motives of self denial, love, cooperation
in mans dealing with his fellow. An inner
force is needed which should uplft and uni
fly social life and such force is good will.
At present there is war raging between
individualism and cooperation. Further
needs mentioned were, knowledge of his
toric processes, their trend and teaching;
and of the growth of christian institutions.
AS prominent characteristics of the modern
dRc, bIt opCdhCl CuulhCldtCus HlOWlllS
power of capital, and knowledge which
comes through universal education.
Christian socialism is thigh order wait
ing on high ideal of man." How different
its conception of poverty from that cur
rent throughout the centuries! Power
ty, says socialism is crime against ma
ture, sin against God. At this point
Mr.. Davies depressed to consider specially
the subject of ownership of land and spoke
with warmth and indignation of the selfish
ness and oppression of the land monOpolists.
Returning to the subject, Poverty" he said
sis not desert. 1t Is an economic lie that
men get what they deserve of society,"" 1t
is not enough that workingmen are better off
than they used to be. He protested warm
ly against the labOrer being regarded as a
marketable quantity, subject to the fuctua-
tons of supply and demand; the principle
of such competition, he averred, is distinctly
modern, dating only from 1924. The So
cialism of the future will tend to unity.
Note now the diversity of classes which, if
not overcome will lead to dualism:-there
will i'm the end be but two divisions of society
the rich and the poor, the money power
and the muscle power, There is a tendency
toward money power in place of citizen
ship-power There must be equalization
but what kind? Down to the old leyel of
slavery, or,up to the new level of human
brotherhood, family rights and mutual help
fulness? The working classes complain of
social inequalities. They are not poor in
the necessities of nature but in the necessi-
ties of civilization. They complain of the
tendency to make their condition permanent
and there is danger of caste fixity-the eco
nOmic failure to remedy this evil is notable.
After dwelling on these conditions, he
pointed out revolutionary dangers involved
in them. The true end of government is
righteousness; the signs of the times shadow
the enlargement of the functions of govern
ment; already 1t has begun to assume cOrpOr-
alive powers and we have also the beginning
of its exercise of the Office Of educator, ply
stefan, and carrier of messages; and in the
future these offices ''of the people, for the
people, by the people" must be augmented
and increased in efficiency. The nation is
conscious moral personality. Christian So
cialism is an effort to know mems conditions
and to make them more nearly what they
ought to he. Communism means barbar-
ism-sOcialism means fraternal life in the
highest development, based on the teachings
of Christ. Socialism is of different kinds; all
i'm one strong current; all of Gods purpose;
all guided by Jesus Christ i'm the midst,
though we know Him not, in his character
of Humanity, the Son of God. Social
questions concern every part of mans be-
ing; he Is the center of all social questions.
To find an exposition of the truest socialism
we must so back to Christ-His teachings
are the truest socialism. There you find
one family, one master, even Christ. Where is
the church embOdying these doctrines? Even
though we see it not we must believe that
the world is marching on toward this ideal
at an ever accelerating rate of speed.
Liberty, fraternity and equality are grand
watchwords, but these without God are des-
tructive. Christian Socialism is construc-
ton That is the truest liberty when the
law of the state, in harmony with Gods
will, is in perfect accord with the actions
of individuals governed by the same will.
The law of Christian socialism is the Gold
ell Rule. There is needed new theology;
the Fatherhood of God and the brother
hood of man i'm the only son Christ Jesus
and the possibility of salvation and honor
to every man. Brotherhood declares
equality, why not realize it? 1t cannot be
done by force but by dispositions, selfde
NAL and love. Why has the Protestant
church failed to accomplish this thing?
Because it has weighed down and per-
verified the teachings of Christ. The