Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-08-03
Powderly's Opinion of Christ.

In answer to your request to express.
an opinion on Jesus Christ, let me say
that lam not tpresnmptuouse enough to
suppose that any one cares what that
opinion may be. give my views in
answer to your inquiry, and in doing
so will have nothing to say regarding
the divinity OF Christ, for | Judge that
you desire an expression as to His
the people.
Christ was right. He spoke for the
poor, worked for the poor and died
for the poor. He went to the bottom
of the questions of land, money and
labor; was a lover OF equality and
fraternity; believed that no one man
was better than his brother man. He
combated evils as he found them.
His efforts were directed against
money changers or bankers of his day,
against the crafty few who stole the
land from the many, and, if there were
railways at that time, would have
been demanding that the rights of the
people be respected by their presidents
and directors. Christ scourged the
money-changer because he saw that
the practices of that character were
calculated to enslave the poor and
gather the wealth in the hands OF the
few. He denounced the grabbing OF
land because he saw in that practice,
next to the currency question, the
most important problem OF that dar.
He inaugurated a crusade .ss.i.-sU the
twin robbers of land and finance and
so aroused the people that the over
throw OF these usurpers was threat
ened. They united and though they
did not have the aid OF a servile, mon.
opoly-enslaved press at that time,
they succeeded in making many OF
those whom he labored to serve be-
lieve that he was a monster, and they
did the work of the monopolists il.
crucifying their best friend. Many
! condemn them for it, but / do not.
They were poor, ignorant, easily de-
ceived and as consequence did not
discover their error until it was too
late, the deed was done, their enslave-
ment certainty and monopoly tri-
umphed just as it does today. Christ
( founded Christianity, and, if Chris
/ tianity means anything, it means that
/ for which Christ died should be prac-
\ ticed on earth by men and women.
! Churches were founded in his name,
/ but in name only. Ii Christ were to
visit this earth now and on Sunday
morning enter one of the fashionable
churches dedicated to his honor and
glory, he would be given a seat near
the door or up in the gallery, where he
could hear his disciple apologizing for
the mortal sins of the rich and de-
nouneing the trivial omissions OF the
poor. He would hear his own minis
ter preach exactly the reverse OF what
he taught when on earth. He would
leave that editice, that house of God
to denounce it and it's teachings, To
denounce the system upheld by the
church and its minister. He would
attack our political system because o.
its rottenness, our railway system be
cause OF its menace to the liberties o.
the poor, our system of finance as the
most adroit swindle OF the centuries
our land system as being just as bad
as when he died, and he would be cru
Gifted in the public press, that mouldel
of public opinion, with more diaboli
cal hate and fury than when he wal
on the cross. He would find the trib,
OF Judas strong and numerous, tn,
descendants of those whose raised tn,
cross and nailed him to it he woult
find In charge OF the political machin