Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-01-21

You again are made to say that The
Christian church had too long been
wrangling about theologies and not paid
sufficient attention to the temporal con-
ditions OF the race" The church be-
lieved in fraternity or the brotherhood
of man. but hitherto this belief had only
been theoretical. 1t was in the prac-
teal denial of these fraternal equalities
that the troubles exist" II this state
ment. be true as charged in the indict-
ment and / will not question it. yet is it
only one Of the older forms of pecavity-
Ages ago it was said OF very similar
class. This people draw near to me
with their lips. but their hearts are far
from me-" Albeit, the earlier ages of
the Christian church, according to my
reading. though at times rent by wrang-
ling and controversy. were the golden
seasons of her sweetest charities.
Even in the middle ages, and those
by some still designated as the dark
ages" controversies in church and state
were rife enough; wrangling and con-
troversy most fiercely ragged at times.
but. singular enough. these were times
when the nearest approaches were
made to equality among all classes,
and Christian charity and benevolence
were unbounded. The church of Eng
land, prior 10 the times of the Reform
astical authority of Rome, attained to
the highest pre-eminence in all these
respects, and the yet undivided church
in the matters of equality and fratern
ity realized her grandest triumphs. |
do, indeed, give you great credit for
the originality and peculiar force of the
general argument, and would rejoice
had there been on some points little
more explicitness touching some of the
evils complained Of But we have fire.
quently heard it stated that in no one
department of the social fabric, looking
at it from your point of observation. are
so many and grievous inequities TO be
found as among protestant ministers
themselves. Without holding ourself
committed to the truth or falsehood of
this charge, and until the question of
accuracy or iHaccuracy is sufficiently
settled, We cannot expect any such class
Of persons, If SO delinquent, TO manifest
any undue degree of zeal in a move
ment promising SO great reform in the
interest of other classes of the people.
The very positions OF so many of that
special class in church or state must
operate as veritable estoppel to any
sch action. |
Ia what protestant church. may |
ask. could you find a rule of law pre-
vailing such as the one so openly stated |
IN the last paragraph of your magnifi-
cent discourse? In this you are made
20 say. This equality is an ethical one,
he equality of the children of a father. |
each of whom might differ from the
other in ability and character. and yet |
De entitled to an equality at the faith
sr's board. 1t was an equality which
would not discourage in any respect the
exertions OF superior ability, but at the
same time would not deny to the weak
er brothers an equal opportunity"
Fhis reasoning looks to us very
much like the polity which SO univers-
ally obtained in apostolic times. but SO
mike the rules of polity and practice
which obtain in the much-vaunted
century, unless We are ex-
,eedingly mistaken. That such should
De the case. If really true in our day,
be looked upon otherwise than
rs a great misfortune in the opinion of
many of the best of people among Us.
They point you to the fact that in
Jhurch as well as state the solitary few
would seem to possess the lions share
1f the best things of this life, while
he great body of working ministers. and
n not q few instances, perhaps the
,ery best learned, have to be content
With the rnerest allowance, comparative
y speaking. Is there any justice or
equity in all of this. not to speak of
Christ and his oft asserted principles
of love? II we are an apostolic people,
,ught we not to move within apostolic
ines? Upon what principle, or by
What authority. are we authorized to
,all upon laymen or capitalists for
more approved system and one OF lar
rer equities for the laboring classes of
,ur people, who, indeed, are largely in
he majority, while the church, which
h0uld be light to all men, is charg-
d, do not say justly so, with putting
Ter own light under the bushel?''
To a Christian. whether clerical or
ay. but especially a churchman, the
rospels of Jesus ought to be regarded /;
S the best and purest system of equity
md ethical dealing among men. But |
yhere in all that blessed volume can /