Red Lodge picket. [volume] (Red Lodge, Mont.) 1889-1907, 1894-01-20
LABOR AND CHURCH.
WHY WoaKlNG:aEN DO NOT ATTEND
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.

Dr.. Coyle Of Oakland, in the third ser
non Of his series upon why Working
:nen Do Not Attend Church" declared
very plainly that the fanlt is not all witt
the worki1ig1nen, but lies largely will
the churches.
After quoting from the writings of sew
eral noted G;vines in regard to the failure
Of the working classes to attend ths
churches, DR.. Coyls sail:
1t was reading Of this kind, together
with my own observation, that led mt
to tako up this special work. But
wanted to learn not only from writer:
upon social questions, but from work
ingmen themselves. It seemed to lns
that it would be instructive and tend K
a better understanding Ill around TO ash
the workers to state their side of tax
case ana commit to writing their srccia
grievances and criticisms. tAccorains;y
I sent II letter to the president C eaef
Of the various labcr Organizations Lore
about.
Ireceivcd a large runbar OF replies
Most Of the answers were respectful, a.
of them were earnest, while il some
was sounGly lcctured.
In these letters--aiong certain MAJ
lincs-I find q remarkable and suggest
i've agreement. Fer example. WI; ,,o;;...
exception tne writers give 1t ;.,s tle;r
opinion that from two-th;rds 10 three
focrths Of workins1nen of al classes La
b..tually stay away from church From
al can learn this is Z very ccilserva.
tive estimate.
Ii reply to my second question, care
those who stay away hostile 10 the church
or simply indiifercnt:' most Of tho Writ
ers agree that about half .rc hostile and
half are Indifferent.
It is i'll answering tho last question,
"VVl hat i; the chief fault which working.
n1en fad witt, the church, that they are
most full and explicit.
''To begin with, woraingmen fn;l fault
with the doctrines CT tho church, says
the federated trades. ''-T7ho church
teaches ;..s q divine law that labor is !,
curse, and tt,at we must be content to
suffer under tho curse because an all
wise and loving Father placed it upon
ns, and the logical outcome OF this doc
trine is the degradation Ct the l;:bcrer'
/ cannot allow th"t to pass unchal-
leEgcl. The church teaches nothing
more clearly than that illeness is the
mother Of all evil, and labor one Of the
most fruitful sources Of blessing. Ier
tosiers. Jesus Christ was a carpenter;
his fist apostles were fishermen; r;.ul
WAS Il tent;nai.cr; Luther was 1t miner 3
soa; three fousths OF her preacher and
leaders today we1o reared among the
lowly.
Iadmit the condition OF i.bo. in Chris
tian lands is far from what it ought to
he, but it is far superior to that of labor
IL lands that are not Christian.
Dr.. Coyle declared that several of his
correspondents are right vino claimed
that the church neglects he second great
law Of tie kingdom, Thou shalt love
thy naishtor as tlyself."
Ec said, "Takiny her ali in I'll, there
is I'D has been 100 much OF the priest
and Levite and too little IF the good
G;s..1larit;.n i'll her work"
Ii regard to the further charge that
the church is allied with those who have
money and is subservient to them the
preacher quoted the following from the
reply sent him by the Longshorelnen'
union: The church *in!1s at CONNER
cii.l robbery and tells the robber he viii
be all right if he gives a portion of his
plumber to the Lord"
m commenting ON this para graph the
preacher said: Perhaps there is q grain
Of truth even here. 1t would he strane &C
if TIE church were wholly free from tie
manmcrism of tie age, but question
the statement that she will not tolerate
teachers who declare the whole truth
As a class the Leralls of the cross are
not towards, and their E.rs are not scaie d
by money IN the pews.
! am told again and again that church
members so not practice what they FRO
fess. that many of them are hypoc1ites
and scoundreis, and one writer even i'll
forms NE that he would rather deal with
g saloon keeper than q church member.
In the face of what SO often th1usta it.
self upon my attention I cannot deny
the justice of al this. 1t fills lie with
sorrow and humiliation to look at some
around me who bear the Christian name
1t would be comfort not to know that
they profess to he Christians. Yes, fel-
low Elen, there is counterfeit coin in the
church. We must admit it with sad
ness, but you ought to know that a
coun nterfeit is a copy of that which ia
genuine, and therefore all infallible proof
that the genuine exists.
In all the letters received from work
ingmen it is only just TO say that I found
not & syllable against Christ CT his gos-
pei. The grievance is against the church.
Ny correspondents have 10 fault to find
with Christianity of itself It is implied
that if the church were o1ly true to Je-
sus and his teachings there would be no
separation between her and the masses.
These communications have convinced
nc That what is needed ca both sides is
enlargement.
Workingmen need a larger acouaint-
ance with the church. Size is misjudsed,
misconslrr.ed and sometimes n,alisned
from lack of knowledge. On the other
hand, TIE church needs larger knowl-
edge Of the worl;ing1nen. She is far too
ignorant Of their condition and Of the
grievances under which they smart.
She needs more information as to their
hardships and sorrows. and until she
gets it her interest will be far below
what is requested by the gospel of
Christ. She needs larger agsressiveness.
1t is not enough for her to say Gomez
to scatter printed invitations to attend
her services, to have attractive music,
and attractive surroundings and
polite ushers. She must go out among
them and bring them in.-San Francisco
Examiner.
DAIRYMEN AND LREEDERa RS