The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-07-03

to day, there Is no reason 10 suppose
that be would not hold the same posi-
ton, preach from the n OF the
streets, denounce the wealth-worship-
ping classes of our times, and draw
upon himself the bitter hatred OF the
press and the cold disdain of the church
he established.
The church of to day gives no v
dence of a genuine sympathy with the
labor movement, which is only another
phrase for the cause of the common
people against the oppression OF accu-
INFLATED wealth. Ispeak of the church
as an institution. I know that many
of it's individual members are filled
with compassion for the poor, that the
hospitals are built, that aims are given,
that charity funds are raised, and that
occasionally a special effort is made to
relieve distress. And what does it all
amount toG Simply the pouring of a
little balm on the surface, while the
cancer eats at the heart. You might
as well try to cure the smallpox by the
application of a court-plaster. After
centuries and centuries, the rich are
richer ar d the poor are poorer, and the
misery is keener than aver before.
What we want is not the relief of
paupers, but the conditions which pre-
vent their manufacture. What, now,
is the church doing to secure such con-
ditions9 Where are the pulpits with
preachers like Christ, denouncing the
oppreesors of the masses2 Where are
the preachers declaring to their wealthy
~pewholders that it is easier for the
camel to pass through the needles
eye' than for the rich man to enter the
kingdom of heaven7 Where are the
ministers who are denouncing the pro
cess by which the Carnegies and Rookie
fellers absorb from the common prod
uct countless millions and leave the
aching void of poverty9 The com
plant of labor is that the spirit of
Jesus is absent from the modern church.
1t looks quietly upon the wretchedness
of the people and makes NJ systematic
attempt to reach the real If
ever there was a time when a crusade
was needed, it is now. No holy sepul-
cher has fallen into the hands of inf
dels, but the privileged classes have
robbed the common people of their
liberties, and are rioting in luxury
while their victims starve.
But the church, as a church, will
make no var upon the predatory rich,
because it is a believer in the economi-
cal system which produces them, and
here we reach the idea I wish to make
clear: The church is not for labor and
can not be for labor SIMPLY because it
is a p~ensioner on the system from
which labor suffers. What do you ex-
pect labor to think of the church, when
in addition to its utter failure to do
something for the amelioration of the
condition of the ~toilers, it is rapidly
becoming one of the institutions of
wealth, exclusiveness and aristocracy2
The other day. according tothe papers,
Trinity church, New York, paid $780,
600 for a pair of doors, and in the
shadow of the place they adorn, the
weary, ragged, homeless searchers for
work freeze and starve! Christ did
not raise the barrier of wealth between
himself and the people. The imposing
temples with which you inclose your
religion r as sternly prohibitory as
iron bars. There is nc affinity between
a velvet cushion and apair of o~veralls;
no community of interest between satin
and calico. There is nothing so keenly
cruel as the patronizing air of the we'll
dressed man toward his intellectual
equal in less fortunate circumstances.
And do not forget that the laboring
people are becoming intellectual; they
think, they read, they rise in mental
culture. Our swiftly advancing civil
cation is leveling down all intellectual
lines, but strengthening those drawn
by wealth.
/ do not forget that the church
makes a pretense of reaching the low
ly and Of doing practical work for this
world. Perhaps the most notable Ok
ample of this is the work of DR.. Park
hurst, of New York-a gentleman who
is trying to cure social leprosy by tor
turing the unfortunate victims. If this
energetic disciple of Calvin would set
about baling out the Atlantic with a
teacup he would make better progress,
create less misery and secure nearly as
much free advertising. Besides such
work as that of DR.. Parkhurst, the