St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-08-22
MINNEAPOLIS.
WORKINGMEN's FRIEND.
AT Lake Harriet Rev. William Will
kinson Tells of Him.

kinSOn Tells of Him.
Yesterday. at Harriet lake, there was
the usual large attendance of orderly
people, who had gone to see its beauties
and take in the fresh air. At in the
afternoon Rev. William Wilkinson
placed chair near the pavilion,
stood upon it, read part of a chapter
from st. Luke's gospel, and then gave
Rn address which had evidently been
prepared with care. The subject was
Jesus Christ the Best Friend Working
People Ever Had He said: THE
age in which it is our good fortune to
live is marked by all interest in work
and workers such as has not been
in any by-gone day. And this in
terest is not alone III the money
paid for toll; it is iii all which does or
can concern the good of labor. Man, in
all his relation to man, is considered as
potent factor i'll every walk of lite. 1t
Is sign of the times that in Massachu-
setts the Congregationalists are asking
the opinions of representatives of every
class how far working men are eS-
ranged from religion, as represented
in the churches. and the answers are
instructive. The men who speal. for
labor say the churches are the
friends of capital, as against labor, and
Now. at the start 1t must be remem-
bered that the church can not take one
side at all times, right or wrong. but it
Is bound to holu the scale of justice
truly and speak justly. Let me ask,
What has the man who works TO ask
that the teaching of Christ does not help
him to gain? Are his demands founded
upon justice and right? Is there 4 line
in rho rocnal IN, bic natho Nav arn pOt
all the sanctions of the gospel. in
Its every principle, but one expression
Of rectitude? Is it not true that Jesus
was poor man. that His words and His
deeds for His fellows ever leaned tow
ards the man who had to work for hire?
And there has been no charge III the
attitude of Christ. 1t is not the man
who is a special pIeader for any class,
who never sees the mistakes made.
who is its best helper: it is the man
who is clear i'll vision, wise III action,
and prudent in advice, who is to be
trusted. The church has made its er-
rors. It has not always been
wise in its dealings with the sons of toll.
done its duty. A just study of the
evangelists will prove past doubt that
we have no evils which are not to be
cured. The Truth is, truth is not popu-
lar. Men want praise for a party, or
an interest, for selfish plans ana mer-
cenary purposes. 1t is often pleasant
for toll to hear capital abused; and 1t is
as often pleasant for capital to listen to
censure OF workers. All of which is
wrong. We need to hear and under
stand that no man lives alone.
There is no way OF helping men
from outside equal to that which comes
from within. Christ knew that so He
helned them TO help themselves. He
did not give them cheap talk about OPP
preston. He made blind men see,
lame men walk, deaf men hear,
dead men live. 1t was not in
a strife about outward conditions
but rather in changed internal relations
that men found help i'll Christ. You
can set 1t down as true that you cannot
have clock tell accurate time if the
works are derauged. And So with men.
1t is not in changing law that all will
be changed; it is in starting where
Christ starts with man. Reform him.
All besides will reform itselt-law, lltera-
ture, art, song, work, wages, intemper-
ance and every i'll. The greatest radical
i'll the world was Christ, and His reforms
the Misunderstanding. What we want
Is not abuse of churches. No men are
improved by abuse. What we need in
daily life is more justice, more consider
alton, better work, proper pay, broader
sympathy. And the man who looks for
these without the religion Christ taught
is fated to find bitter disappointment"