The farmers' union. (Memphis, Mo.) 1891-1895, 1891-04-23
CAUSES OF POVERTY.
INJUSTICE THE GREAT CAUSE
OF 1T.
Fifth Sermon in the Course on socialism
by Rev. Dr Horace w. TiIden; Pastor 6f
the Firs: Buptist hurch of Dos Moines,
Sunday Evening. april >, 1891.

the FRS: Buptist hurch of Dos N1oines.
Sunday Evening. April ., 1891.
Proverbs. xxli: o-open thy mouth, judge
and needy
GalationS. ii: io-Gnlv Trey would that
we should r, member til" poor; which very
thing was al-o Jealous 10 do.
The Old Testament and the New join
hands in pleading the cause of the poor
and needy and in exhorting all right
minded men to do the same. The in
ward animating spirit of the scripture is
always prompting the several inspired
writers to improve every opportunity to
direct attention to the destitute and op-
pressed. 1t ever seeks to create Sympa-
thy for the depressed classes. 1t promises
blessings upon those who ''consider the
poor The widow and the orphan arc
the special wards of Providence accord
ing to the declaration Of the word, and
they are many times addressed In tender
terms that assure them OF the Father
kindly notice and protection, and the
scvcrcSt tlcnuncations of the several
oracles are uttered against those who
Cypress the weak and helpless and
against those who devour widows houses
aud cause the little ones to stumble. The
Bible Sis the poor mans book. It,.
more than any other book in exist
cnce takes the poor mans part
in his struggle against the
rich and strong. 1t has no fear OF Of
Tending the proud and favored. 1t is
not concerned to curry favor with the
wealthy and influential. 1t is no res
pecter of persons. 1t fearlessly offers
aid to the helpless and appeals to all who
have humane hearts to do the same.
And this striking characteristic of the
Bible has its origin in Jesus and is only
a reflection of His loving compassionate
heart. He always espouScd the cauSc OF
the lonely and needyinGecd He, Himself.
though rich, became poor that through
His poverty all might become rich; and
especially that the lonely and down
troddcn might be lifted up. This care
for the poor on the part of the Father
was something that He introduced upon
earth as soon as men began to take His
thoughts into their lives.
And He illustrated gloriously this di-
vine compassion for the weak all through
the ministry of His beloved Son. This
unique doctrine is heaven born and
would have been a stranger on the earth
had it not been for redeeming love in
Christ. 1t was foreshadowed in some
measure in the Old Testament, but
found its full expression only in Jesus
Christ.
In giving our attention to the matter
Of poverty" we are pleasing God, who
has biddcn us to remember the poor and
plead their cause, we are following eX-
actly in the steps of our Lord, who
sought out the deSpairing and preached
to them the gospel of Hope. The best
charity Of the past has been narrow in
that it has neglected the pressing needs
of humanity on the earthly side, 1t has
been inefficient in that it has had in mind
the spiritual part of man
only. and ignored the body
which is insepcrahly connected with the
soul. But, happily. better days are
dawhing. The Christian pulpit is get
ting practical. 1t is beginning to under
stand the breadth of It's mission. 1t is
beginning to take hold of life as it is,
and with the view of clevatng is to what
it ought to be. Christian ministers begin
now to Civ" ear to such Instructions OF
the Word as are found in the texts Just
quoted. Not less than three sermons on
this subject of poverty were preached in
Minneapolis on the same Sunday two or
three weeks ago. Not less than three
articles in the North -imcrirn,,
Rcrie1r OF this months issue
are on the same topic. This is more
hopeful. There has been tendency to
draw line of separation between
charity and philanthropy. Narrow
Christians have looked with some ieal-
onsy upon the philanthropic spirit
when it did not carry the Christian
flag. and have been impcllcd
to deprcciate its good deeds because they
were not performed under the auspices
II the church. Thcy--thcse narrow
Christians-have called upon their Lord
to forbid these philanthropstS to dc
works, because they are not training in
the Christian ranks. Our Lord and
Master refuses their request as He did
the ones of old. If the church had done
the broad work it ought to have done in
the centuries past, philanthropy would
never have been known aIart from the
church: for it's spirit would have had
ample room for operation inside the
church. But Jesus will have His com
passionate will done in the earth at some
rate and by somebody. There is the
man-loving spirit in the very air towards
the human race ever since Christ came
Il is the irrcpressiblo love of God seek.
ing expression, and if the church is too
unlike Christ to give it scope then il
shall find expression in hearts not known
by Christs name.
Jesus Christ loves the poor and needy
and if His profeSscd followers will not
befriend them then He will raise Ut
others who will And so the class known
as philanthropiSts has risen Up to do the
humane work among their fellows-a
work that should have been done by
Christians.
The upspringing of the Salvation
Army is another instance of the same
kind. When the church got too grand
to welcome and to seek the poor and de-
graded, then others were chosen who
would seek and welcome them. and SO
the Salvation Army arose. The head OF
the church will not tolerate the
Dog in the Manger Policy.
If its members will not do its Lords
will, then they must be superseded bv
somebody else who will. The unused
talent will be taken from them and given
to somebody else.
The Lord has to deal with His neglect
full church in these days as much as lie
did with nnfaithful Israel of old. lie
said through Moses: 81 miH lrorokt
you to jealousy by them that are no pco-
pie, and by q foolish tation rHt anger
you
SO to-day the Lord is provoking
to jealousy His church by doing through
philanthropists and SO 'vationists what
He would be glad to do through His fol,
lowers in the church. BY inferior
classes. in poirt. Of privilege, advantage
and prestige. is God doing what the
church ought to be first and foremost in
performing. | wish the church might
have feeling enough left to be thus
angered by foolish nation. and to move
forward to do the great, broad work
that is set before them before the op.
portnnities are forever taken away
from them. For such opportunities will
be taken away in due time if the neglect
continues, as they were from the Jews.
Let us rub our eyes and awaken out OF
our sleepy stupor and look on the fields
that are already white to the harvest.
O. how the Lord Christ would love tc
HESS His DronIp IL thew would nu U