The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1891-07-24

gone, event il there is nc active hostility
in its place.I believe myself that the
present large employer system is bad
and will have to give place to something
better; it appears to me unjust that one
man should have the right Of taking all
the proceeds OF the common labor and
handing to the employed only what he
must, keeping as much for himself as he
can. Some plan is wanted and must be
evolved by which their interests shall
not clash, but coincide, and an employer
who is q practical Christian will exercise
his brains to deyise some workable plan
by which his employees may have an
interest in the success OF the undertake
ing.
This brings us naturally to another
most useful working which / fear but
few Christians are engaged-encouraging
industrial cooperation. This is the
most practical and hopeful way yet de
vised Of doing business on really Christ
ian principles, and substituting mutual
help for mutual enmity. By co-opera-
ton l mean the plan by which tbelabor-
ers themselves become capitalists, the
business being carried on with capita
subscribed by themselves. But the
movement is still in the experimental
stage and there is no question that If
thoughtful men would give their help
many OF the worst difficulties might be
overcome. Those difficulties are chiefly
the want, in a partnership OF workmen,
of a single directing head; the difficulty
of obtaining really able managers and
the want OF mutual trust on the part
OF the co-operators. Certainly the CO.
operative movement would have a great
future in store for 1T if half the business
abili' y 10Y spent in making surplus
wealth for the few, come to be exerted on
behalf Of the many.
and now, at last, | must draw toa aeon
]cIusion. We have but touched the
fringe OF a mighty subject and to many
collateral questions that arise out OF
our complex society we have not time
even to allude. Here is once more the
thought that l would have US ponder,
are we doing our share, as a church, and
as individuals, to help in the worlds re-
generation? Are we %cultiyating Il SYM
pathy for our fellow creatures?: Are we
prepared to sacrifice something OF our
time, our comforts, our reputation to
make the religion OF Jesus once morenot
a mere name, but a power in the
world? There are some who tell us that
Christianity is losing its hold on the
people and who point to the TACT that
less than a third OF our population at
tend any place OF Worship. 1 reply that
we only have ourselves to blame. So
long as the church divides the religious
from the secular and declares that with
the latter she has no concern, so long
will the way be open for men with
hearts in their breasts and the instinct
OF human brotherhood to enroll them
selves as secularists. They are simply
doing the Church's neglected work. II
she would regain her hold as IL great
spiritual force among men, she must
arise and shake herself from her dreams
and her dogmas and be ready to face
iearlessly the facts OF life. She must
cease to be the mainstay OF vested in
~tcrests and the exclusive rights OF prop
erty and come forward once more us
the champion OF the poor and the op-
pressed. what when our time comes
Il quote from Henry Georgel does it
matter whether we have Jared daintily
or not, whether we leaye a great fortune
or nothing at all, whether we have
reaped honors or been despised, have
been counted learned VI counted ignor
ant, as compared with how we may
have used that talent which has beer
%intrusted to us for the Masters services
What shall it matter, when eyeballs
glaze and ears grow dull, if out OF the
darkness may stretch a hand, and into
the silence may come a voice: We
done, good and faithful servant, thou
has been faithful in a few things, l vii
make thee ruler over many things, en-
thou into the Joy OF thy Lord"