, 1891-08-04
. a CHRISTIAN MINIsreR.


The Rev. Louis A. Banks, of Boston, IL
Undoubtedly One OF the Right Kind.
Rev. Louis A. Banks, of st. Johns NJ.
E. Church, South Boston, recently de-
hvered a sermon on ''The White Slaves
OF Boston Sweaters, which attracted at
tention all over the country. During
the week following the delivery of the
sermon Mr.. Banks received a letter from
"a distinguished writer on social ques-
tions,' whose name he did not announce
because the letter was personal This
gentleman took issue with the state
ments made by the reverend gentleman
and objected especially to the title OF his
ermon OF the latter he said:
In the sermon which you preached yesterday
the title as given in the newspapers is The
White Slaves of Boston Sweaters" Under the
fourteenth amendment to the constitution Of
the United States there can be no such thing
as slave" in this country. Under the decision
Of Judge Parsons there has not been a slave in
Massachusetts since the adoption OF the con-
stitution-
Rev. Banks, not daunted by the pro-
tests of the conservative Bostonians, of
whom the author of the above is a fair
sample, preached again on the subject,
and the following extracts are taken
from his second ermo to show that he
did not weaken, but remains the same
genuine Christians:
Wonderful Judge Parsonsl who is able, by
the magic wand of his decision, to unshackle
all the slaves who, under the cruel whip OF
necessity-more unmerciful than any slave
drivers lash-have sweated under the bonds
imposed by avaricious taskmnsters in every
city of the commonwealth.
Can you make men free by constitution sim
plyT Are there no slaves except those who,
like the African of n generation ago. are
bought and sold at the auction block7 Ave
indeed. For every black man liberated by
President Lincoln's proclamation there is to-
day n white man robbed. degraded and brutal
lied by some gigantic trust or other equally
s~oulless, unfeeling corporate power.
For every mother whose heart was broken
by having her children wrenched from her
arms in the African slave market, there is a
white mother whose very soul Is crushed at
the sight Of her hungry, ragged little ones.
For every black babe torn from its mothers
breast by the iniquitous system of negro slavery,
the slums of our great cities have n white child
whose future is equally dark and hopeless.
But my critic continues: "If there were no
sweater, the woman would get no work" The
sweater Is n comparatively recent institution,
and, / devoutly believe, an institution OF the
devil.
The incoming OF the sweater has not resulted
in more work, but in less wages. But" says
my conservative friend, suppose this woman
had not come here with her children, and had
stayed perhaps in Italy. or in Russia, instead
OF coming here. Is some work here better
than no work in Italy2" Very likely it Is true
that the woman Is "a well Off here us she
would be in Italy. But is Italy to be the stand
ard OF our American civilization
No matter where people came from nor WHAT
they have suffered in their native land, II we
permit them to come to us we are compelled in
sheer self defense to see that they are treated
fairly and justly, and receive a sufficient com
pensation for their toll 70 support them in
cleanliness, intelligence and morality.
But my critic raises another question; SIS it
better TO give aims to these people in their nt-
tic or to give aims to them under the condition
of the almshouse2 What course would be most
sure to pauperize them utterly2"
My answer Is, | do not want to give aims to
them in either place, but TO treat them so lust
ly that they will not need aims. There is moth
ing wholesome In the question whether IL is
better to pauperize people n little in the attic
or to pauperize them altogether in the aims
house. We ought not to pauperize them at all.
1t is not charity these people need or want. 1t
is justice.
My critic concludes his letter with this re-
markable inquiry; Are you justified. as a
Christian minister, in creating prejudice and
hrousing malignant passion by the use Of the
term 'slaye2' Can you defend or justify this
term. under the conditions as they are stated
In the printed report of your Sermon ! ven
ture to ngt these questions TO you because |
think theuangerous class OF this community il
to be found among persons who. without intel
ligence, create luminosity, and by their method
of preaching tend to retard. rather than to
promote, the progress of the poor and ignorant
in this country"
My answer to all that is, thai as n Christian
minister, | am n follower of him who. stand
ing in the midst OF the self satisfied aud
wealthy oppressors of his time. exclaimed,
Beware OF the scribes which devour widows
houses, and, for n show, make long prayers.
the samo- shall receive greater Examinations"
who cried aloud, Woe unto you also, ye law
yers, for ye lRde men with burdens grievous to
be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the bur.
dens with one Of your fingers" | am the fol-
lower OF him who came not to send peace IN
the earth, but Al sword"
am not alarmed that this critic, IA II type
OF conservatism, regards me as a member
the most dangerous class in the communi Y
1t was ever thus. The old antislavery Hd-
men in the republic, and | remember that n
very distinguished minister once bitterly re-
GREETED the agitation on the evils OF slavery.
because he feared it would destroy the pros
pect for n revival of religion in the city where
he lived.
II to be n "Christian minister" Is to stand rs
a policeman to hold back the righteous indIg-
nation of the robbed and degraded laborer or
preach patience and contentment to empty
stomachs-empty that the sweater may grow
rich and fat on the toll OF orphans and widows
then | spurn the title as beneath the dignity
OF my manhood; but il, as | take ii, to be n
Christian minister Is to be like my master. the
brother Of all men, rich or poor, standing for
ever as the unhinching enemy of oppression
and injustice wherever found. as the friend
and advocate of the defenseless and the weak,
then | am proud of the title, and thank God for
its unspeakable privilege.