St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-09-07
PEOPLES MEETINGS AGAIN.
Rev. s. w. Sample Preached Yes
tePday on Work and Wages"


The peoples meetings at Century hall
have been resumed, the inaugural meet
ing of the season having been held last
evening. with large attendance. Rev.
S. w. Sample conducted the service,
and frequently during his remarks was
heartily applauded. DR.. Sample chose
for the subject of his discourse, "Work
and Wages" and for his text the seven
teenth verse, fifth chapter of the fourth
gospel:
"But Jesus answered them. My Father
worked hitherto and work."
He said: Tomorrow will make
another chapter In the history of this
country. Exercises will be held in
celebration of Labor day, and | feel that
at this, our first meeting, we should pay
some tribute to this day and to this
cause. | believe in the celebration of
this day, and would that it could be
made legal and national holiday.
Zone of the most admirable features
of Christianity Is its missionary spirit.
Buddhism. BrahmlniSm and Christianity
are the three missionary religions of
the world. The great beauty or
Christianity is that it IS not content
with embracing America and Europe,
but aims to encompass the entire
world-even the interior of Africa.
If Christianity would claim Africa,
it should also claim the continent of
industry. Christianity has reclaimed
literatures no man OF the present day
would read aloud in his family, the
writings of even the purestan cleanest
authors of 300 years ago. Christianity
has also claimed art, and instead of the
nude subjects of the past art now deals
with models which are more acceptable
and fully as capable of expression.
Christianity has claimed the home and
Its circle, and Christianity has claimed
education. 1t is now time that it claimed
the world of industry; the world of
humanity. When the preacher of to-day
says anything about work or wages,
people say he is not very cautious, and
that he is stepping beyond his domain.
With most of them it is forbidden
ground. In the name of my Master [
claim the realm of industry for the
Christian Gospel. Jesus Christ exalted
and dignified labor and chose his asso-
Charles Kingsley has said, The Bible
is the rich mans warning and the poor
mans comfort"
The old theological idea is that work
is curse which God has put upon man
because he ate of the forbidden fruit,
but this is a mistaken idea which the
modern Christian religion will not ac-
cept.
But, if work is not a curse, neither is
it crown per Sc. 1t is rather school
which fits man tor greater and bet
ter life. Christianity teaches us the
true dignity of labor, and the Christian
sentiment is that true, cheerful labor is
a part of Christianity. To labor is to
nd &c in irrht
spirit, and cheerful, honest, uncom-
planning labor is noble and holy.
Christianity not only speaks of the
dignity of labor, but OF its worth, and |
believe that the day will come when
labor will be considered honorable;
when to live in idle luxury will be con-
sidered disgrace: when men will be
Judged by what they are, and not by
what they have.
But must go farther in my discourse.
A man who is not doing work which is
of use to the community is an anti
Christian, an infdel. The interests of
humanity should be first, and those of
self second.
The wages system itself is but tenta-
tive and provisional. 1t is not final or
lasting, but merelya phase of evolution.
an improvement upon feudaliSm. The
feudalism as feudalism was an improve
ment on slavery, aud will just as surely
give way in turn to something better.
The interests of the employer and en-
ploye must be made Identical not ONLY
in an ideal sense but practically. Some
thing better than the wage system must
grow and be established on the earth.
Many people will say that if the wage
system is done away with socialism will
follow, and this idea horrifies them be-
cause they know but little of socialism,
and, like Pope Leo in his recent ency-
clical letter. connect it with commun-
ism.
Here he read brief extract from the
pope's letter. and proceeded to speak of
socialism with special reference to the
recent Christian social movement. He
held that there was considerable merit
IN socialism, and that the principles of
the Christian socialists were highly
commendable. Continuing. he said:
81 am not socialist, but will Join