The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-08-17
THE MONEY PROBLEM.
REV. THOS. DIXON, JR.. ON COM
MUNISM AND SOCIALISM.
A Problem That Can Only Be Settled
by the Organization of Society Upon
Something That ApprOximates Its
True Christian Basis.

Communism and Socialism" This
is the subject Of the sixth sermon of
the series ON the " Financial Problem,'
by Rev. Thos. Dixon, Jr. The text
chosen was Matthew XIV, Is, And
unto one he gave five talents. to
another two, to another one; to each
according to his several ability"
Standing before the great problem
of money, we ask ourselves the ques-
ton, What will be its ultimate solu-
ton?
1t is not a question that can be set
tied by manipulation of gold STAN
dard or silver standard or greenback
standard of the mechanism of exchange
is very small part of the commercial
problem. The commercial problem is
the problem Of the organization of
human society. 1t is a problem that
can never be settled until the question
of the organization of society is settled
upon something that approxiInates its
true Christian basis.
Hence the tremendous agitation Of
the last decade in social theories OF
the world.
There have arisen various schools
Of social reform through the past CEN
fury which have felt and felt the seri
Gus import of this problem. The
French and German socialists of the
last century have laid the foundations
for the deepest thinking upon this
problem, and that thinking is bearing
fruit to-day in the active organization
of society.
There are two schools of reformers
who claim the field-the one destruc-
tive, the other constructive. The word
socialist has grown to have a danger
Gus meaning to the conservative
members of society because Of the
wild lunatics who are in reality an
archists and who have masqueraded
as socialists.
A socialist is simply one who be-
lieves in better social order than the
present; who believes in the reorgani-
zation Of society ur IN a basis of fra
ternal cooperation rather than the
present basis of cold blooded war.
Socialism has also been confused
with certain theories of communism
that were proclaimed within the past
SO years and that to-day have loud
mouthed advocates in every country.
This school'of communism is in reality
a school of anarchists. who have caused
a reaction from true social reform that
has been most lamentable and has set
back the progress Of the race practi-
cally a generation.
Christianity is system of socialism.
Jesus Christ was the first great socialist
Of the world. The work of Christi
| anity is the construction of new
| kingdom on the remains of the old. 1t
| is the building Of new heaven and a
| new earth. 1t is this constructive
socialism that must give to human
| society the true answer for it's present
ills.
division of property on a per capita
| basis is in reality a scheme of madmen
and anarchists and has nothing to do
with true social reform. Christianity
| has nothing in common with the ideal
Of dead equality in the distribution OF
property. Such scheme enforced
would be the destruction of society
rot its construction. And it's destruc.
ton is not the aim of Christianity save
as the preparation for construction
| Our text has given us the true princi
pie of Christian socialism as contrasted
with the spurious ideal of an equa
communistic division Of property. Il
is equal ability and responsibility, ant
reward in proportion to ability.
The ideal of pure communism en-
forced could only result in the destruc
ton to humanity
First-Because it is immoral.
1t is contrary to Gods law. The
Bible support of communism is appar
ent, not real. The New Testament
gives us accounts of cooperative com
munities of Christians. Each man
did not claim his possessions as sacred
to his own use. He put his property
in common, subject to the use of hi.
necessitous brother. The right an(
title of property he always maintained
The Bible condemnation of a deaC
level communism is real, full, over
whelming. We have the parable o
the talents. God distinctly declare:
to us that one man has five talents, an
other one. To one man is given 81
many pounds, to another so many, t.
another so many, and each man is re.
quired to give an account of the talen
he does possess; to account for them il
proportion to his possession. Thu
judgment pronounced by the Bible i
this judgment in proportion to man.
deserts. Those who are guilty ofmucl
are punished with many stripes; thos,
who are guilty of little are punished
with few.
There are the greatest and the loves
even in the kingdom Of heaven. Ii
the organization of this ideal world
around the very throne of God, Their
is recognized the inequality of the in
diyidual, an inequality that arises from
unequal distribution Of powers. Eacl
man is equally responsible is t.
say, each man is responsible to tn
; full limit of his talent.
Second-Pure communism is I'm
natural.
| 1t is contrary to the decree of nature
which is but another expression of tn
voice of God. Nature abhors uniyersa
equality. Men are not equal. The,
were not born equal. There is nothin
in nature that leads us to believe tina
nature would permit equality in he
creations. There are no two wave
just equal in force, in character. TIL
followers have their character, thei
dissimilarity. Every stream has it
individuality, every leaf its own char
acter. No two leaves are alike. n
two human faces are alike. No tw
human bodies are alike. Notwo huma
minds are alike. There are no tw
. mountains just alike in the world. \
two mountains are just equal in heigh,
, There are hills, there are valleys, Their
are higher hills, there are grand noun
tain ranges, there are smaller noun
tains.
In leaf and flower, in bud and bios
som, in bird and fish, in mountain an
| anN n1oir oP