The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1893-08-24
ANAzARlNE AMONG Them.

The calm, complacent circles of
Chautauqua life were stirred to their
depths, yesterday, by the terrible ar
raignment of an avowed socialist, who
enunciated some of the doctrines found
reported In series of ancient epistles
called Matthew, Mark, Luke and John,
but which are little read and less re-
garGtu in the present fierce struggles OF
The working people for fair chance in
lie. It Is encouraging to note that the
81 eaker was warmly applauded by the
3 100 present, despite one man from the
f. fed churches of the east, who fare
srinptuously every day and hold their
nuoes when the elevated trans carry
u m through Five Points and the
Buwery Here are some readable ex-
II cts from the address:
we read in all the Sunday school
bo lis ana church literature that we
m It obey our masters and be con-
tel I'D to be hewers of wood and draw
ers ,e water, The workingman has
been forced to seek elsewhere than the
churches for the conditions he wants,
and he has got them. OF the thous-
ands of workingmen's papers which
come into my hands not one is edited
by church member. We have tried
to keep our children out of the mines
and workshops and keep them at home
and everywhere we run up against
churches as active antagonists.
The workingmen In the old country
are at least forced to see that the
church is against their interests. The
ministers contest them whenever there
is an issue. How is it herep came
here to escape the poverty of the old
country. Yesterday on my way out of
Chicago we passed 10000 unemployed
men at mass meeting around Colum-
bus monument. Was there preacher
In their midst? Not one.
You preachers are hired to preach
the Gospel, just as we are to work, and
If you preach the biting truth you are
bounced by your masters. Ii the
churches wish to occupy proper rela-
tions toward the workingmen the min.
listers must cease to be employees of our
masters. We are not speaking against
Christ, for there are no greater admir-.
ers of Christ than the workingmen
You ministers must come down and
preach Christ. The Protestant churches
are simply club houses at present for
the we'll fed class, while the working
men are on the outside.
The Protestant church as 1t stands
must drift further and further from the
workingman, and the ministers lose
their influence. The laboring class will
soon be divided into the followers OF
the Pope and antagonists. Preachers
will rise up from our midst and take
their stand with the lowly Nazarine
against those who hold the wealth Of
| the world in their hands. We work
ingmen organized can only say to you
ministers that we have no use for you
and to tell you to get out of our way
as we work out our own salvation.
We receive no comfort or aid from
the ministry. They stand solidly with
| our masters against us. We ask OF
them that they hold themselves aloof
| The whole representative class of the
| church stands against US This
estrangement is constantly widening
and fast developing in hate. The
Catholic church Is too farsighted tC
take that antagonistic position, but the
| Protestant church as a whole absolutely
| occupies the position of an antagonist
The workingman's heart is set on &C
| quiring knowledge, and hencs he wants
the museum and libraries open on Sun
day. The workingmen asked that thu
| Fair be opened on Sunday, and the
Christian ministers shut it. There /!
| no outlook for q change. The condi.
tion must grow and and intensity. W.
workingmen deal with. the church as {
human institution that must recognize
our wants. The environment of tn,
ministers of the Gospel are such tina
| they cannot be friends OF the working
men, They are but wage earnerS, anC
| have ceased to act as Christ did.