The sun., 1893-08-19
A Socialist and the Church.

Last Wednesday a Chicago Socialist spoke
at Chautauqua on the attitude OF the
workingmen toward the Churches" He
divided the workingmen into three classes.
SO far as religion goes: those who are dom
mated by the Church and fear it. those
Indifferent to it. and those hostile to 1t.
Such u classification is no more applica-
BILE to workingmen specifically than to the
population generally. Religious belief. re-
ligious Indifference. and opposition to the
Church prevail everywhere In civilization
though infldelity is probably much more fire.
quent proportionately among the rich than
among the poor. Neither is there any reason
why the attitude Of the workingmen to the
Church should be Influenced by the circum-
stance that they work for daily wages, ex-
cept that. with less material and temporal
prosperity, the promises OF rich spiritual
compensations in the life to come. which
religion offers. may bring to them more
consolation than they have for those whose
earthly existence Is more prosperous.
Religion says that wealth or poverty,
luxury OF hardship here is q transitory con-
dition OF no essential Importance: and that
the only riches really worth possessing or
obtaining are the spiritual treasures of
eternal value and permanence.
Hence. when this Socialist assailed the
Church on the ground that the clergy do
better his condition." he made an utterly
unjustifable attack. The Church exists
solely for the purpose OF bettering the con-
dition Of the workingman and every other
man. 1t is founded on that theory only.
It's whole efforts are expended to that
end. and to that end exclusively 1t is not
working for any selfish advantage to itself
or to any party. but for the good of all man
kind. which good. according to its belief.
depends on the acceptance by all OF the
conditions OF salvation that 1t lays down
as imposed by GOD Himself.
II the theory OF the Church is sound there
Is no way OF betterng the workingman's
condition except it's way. and he can get as
sistance to that end from the Church only
He cannot better himself, according TO its
teaching, unless he betters himself spiritu-
ally. and fits himself for citizenship In
heaven; and whether man Is rich or poor
the same necessity rests on him. 1t does
not measure wealth or poverty by earthly
standards. but by the everlasting standards
man society. it teaches. is disobedience to
the law of GOD. and the only cure for them
Is obedience to that law That remedy it
seeks to apply by cultlvating in men the
love Of GOD. as essential to their peace here
and eternal happiness hereafter.
The socalistic lecturer at Chautauqua
maligned the best friend the workingman
has. He assaled the one institution which
Is organized and conducted for preserving
and propagating tho Christian doctrine of
the brotherhood Of humanity. and which
Is solely and unremittingly occupied in the
effort to elevate the race. AS matter of
individual opinion. he might have denied
the efficacy OF the means employed by the
Church, but he could not truthfully deny
that the Church Is laborng to improve the
of the workingmen in the only
way In which. according to its belief. the
Improvement can come. The Church is for
no other purpose than to make men better. |