The Mankato free press., 1894-04-06
5 Christianity SOC|AL|ST|C
The Social Science Club DeyOtes An
Evening To Its Consideration.
An Able Paper, Followed by an In
teresting and Spirited Discussion.

n Iuc dUCcHudllCo dU Une Social Scl-
nee Club last evening was the largest
If the present club year, and the
neeting was one of the best. The pa
ber on the subject SIS Christianity
|Pocialistic?" was read by Rev. L. w.
Peattie, and was an able, thoughtful
kaper, covering all the various phases
4 the subject. While we would like
b reproduce it in full, time and space
orbid. The following, however, is
he substance of his remarks:
1t may seem to some that my theme
Pads us into very undesirable and
.Intiquated arena, viz: eccleSiaStic pol
5micS. But | trust not. 1t does
eem to me if we watch closely the
inc of thought suggested by our sub
|ect, we will simply discern that the
|heme is eminently one appropriate
or club whose purpose is the discus
ion of social and economic questions.
Tor is not socialism in the air every
|Fhere? And is not christianity a
f1ighty power in the world? Does
hot socialism aim at the betterment
Il mans condition on earth? And is
lot christianity ushered into this
World with the announcement of
Fpeace on earth, to men of good will?"
S not socialism ever telling us things
re aUrOng and need to be regulated?
S it anything more than what nine
''een centuries of cgOSpel work has
Ieen telling the race? "All have
inned, and ''ye must be born again?"
He then referred to the spread of
hristianity over the earth, and that
+ now numbered within it's ranks one
Durth of the earth's population;
Commented on what it has done for
| han in the way of government and
|yerything which the most advanced
utilization has given us for the care
f those who are unable to take care
themselves, and also that christi
nifty aims at something better than
he the best earthly consideration,
'Thich feature he dismissed as not rev.
liant to the case in hand. He further
aid:
Everybody may not, in fact every
Ody does not, believe christianity
inns at mans betterment. Even some
dvOcateS of socialism are died set
gainSt christianity, and will have
zone of it. But that the spirit, pur-
ose and trend of christianity has
cen for the betterment of mans
arthly condition, any one who hon
silly studies the facts must unques-
onably cOncede.
He then considered the question that
christianity and socialism both aim
It the betterment of mans temporal
Ondition, if they were practically the
me, and whether christianity could
Incorporate the teachings of modern
I)cialiSm, and still be christianity?
n order to obtain a clear answer to
lis problem there were two questions
onS which must be answered: "First,
hat is christianity; and second, what
socialism," Christianity, he said,
as not churchianity. 1t is not an
rganization, but an organism. 1t is
OF a distinct body of men however
treat in dignity and number, bound
lDgether by creed, rites and govern
hent, but rather body of principles
lnunciated by the lips and illustrated
ly the life of Christ. A church cen
ers creed. Christianity revolves
bout a person, and that person is
lhrist."
| He then commented at some length
Is to the working of christianity and
j1e church, that they were not always
Inc and the same thing, that the
3nurch is often as barren of christian
ly as Sahara's desert of fertility; that
Christianity is ever recognized not as
but as the organism
4 hose living power and influence
hakes itself felt in human words and
feeds. 1t has often made itself felt
Inside of the church. "It is con-
tned," he said, ''to no organization,
fad is dependent in it's progress on no
Ecclesiastical form, method, or way"
Ne did not wish to be misunderstood
Is referring to any certain form or
5lethOd of christianity, but to it's es-
i,ntial element. Bad men creep into
Inc church, but no one thinks of call
Ing them christians. Briefly then,
Ie said, Christianity first seeks mans
1irthly good, andlsecond it seeks mans
flture good. In the discussion of the
ivening the second question would
I0t enter. After some further con-
liberation of the relation of christian
fly to mans earthly good, he passed
n to the question of socialism.
To search out a definition therefor,
ge said, was hard and difficult task.
hey ranged all the way from the
flarchiSm of Herr. Most, to the ma
}onalism Of Edward Bellamy. He
Iloted socialism as defined by the
tie ChaS. Bradlaugh and Prof. Ely,
tld found them wide apart. When
9he reads Prof. Elys book on ''Social-
Inn and Christianity" he unhesitat-
Ugly says, "Why, yes! Christianity is
|pcialistic. But on reading Groun-
End's book, ''The Cooperative Com
tonwealth," he discovers many "ele-
IentS which are at war with the