The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-03-05
Strong Paper Read Before the Minis
terial Association
OF INTEREST TO LABOR
EST. Colby Has a Plan Which the
ministers Regard With Favor
For the Publication of a
- Church Reviewin Butte.

Naper, IN the interests of all the churches,
which was unanimously endorsed and tho
following resolution adopted:
Resolved, That the Butte Ministerial associa.
ton approve the plan of the Church Rerietr, as
outlined by L. L. Colby. and that as individual
pastors We promise to circulate the paper and
furnish the news from our respective congrega-
Rev. Mr.. Ireland, an evangelist of the
Christian church, was present and was in
troduced.
The following paper on "Christianity
and Labor was read by Rev. /. Newton
Roberts ind approved after general DIS
custom:
The science OF society, like all other sciences,
MASSIVE tree, branching INTO ali directions N0 In
thls paper propose 10 deal only with one
branch. .ylz; christianity and Labor"
my ideas as TO what mean by Christianity and
labor 1t now becomes my duty TO apply
Christianity 10 labor.
use these words OF Jesus, the incarnation Of
whose life and principles Christianity is. not
because they are in the strict sense OF the word
Christian maxim, ashough we might consider
them SO without violating any eXegetical law.
You remember that they were spoken by
Jesus us Il reason why His disciples, while on
house, to remain therein and enioy s 0n hospi
tally. eating and drinking. For The laborer is
worthy of his hire.
l use these words, however, because In them
mud principl that If it were only recognized
and lived by our 10Th century Christians, every
Threatening cloud that darkens the horizon OF
labor would quickly vanish and every element
OF discomfort and discord would speedily pass
away.
The principle is this: The fact that our
brother -man earns his daily bread by manual
labor, or as the scriptures expresses il, 'eat his
bread in the sweat of his face" does not de-
grade INN, neither docs It make him subject to
his fellow TO be treated by him either as II des-
titute OF any rights or as an object OF charity.
He is worthy OF his hire,
AnAr hat a 4 h.,t. T. 10
lated amount of money mutually agreed upon
by employer and employe? or is IL a certain
amount of money any. labor organization has
sanctioned, and forced an employer TO pay an
employe? Ii is neither the one, nor the other.
IL is rather the right share OF the production
OF the labor which man performs.
His hire sthe equitable and Just proportion
or share OF the products OF his own labor. No
more, no less
history OF prices (lssj) ! quote from tie
Homtitte RertetC. February number.
lie shows that steam power az that time in
creased 1000 horse power weekly, and was then
five and half times throughout the world
what 1t had been In 1850: from 1870 to 1885 it
nearly doubled. No other country does so large
as Great Britain. Yet the United States
possesses absolutely more steam power
go,oIo'q@, .horsesl tnan any other country.
power OF these two countries gives them q de.
clded advantage over other lands. Comparing
Americans arc eqna to ~ French or termans.
Is Austrians, 40 Spanisrds, 50 Italians or es
Portuguese, even though the foreigners in ques-
ton be rs intelligent as our people" This is an
instance of circumstances altering cases. 1.-The
average cost OF food Is IS cents day in Great
Britain, u cents n the United states and 10
cents on the continent per inhabitant.
American operatives have to pay only 80 per
cent. OF their earnings for food. while the aver
cent. on the Continent. inc American iaboPer
is favorably situated compared with those OF
other countries, yet owing 10 the great increase
Constantly decreasing QUANTITY 'h Bfitish onef.
atives as a rule earn in wages about 80 per cent
OF the value OF the manufactures which they
produce but in the United States the workman
gets only is per cent, although in other re-
spects he is better off than his English brother
Inc relative share that labor earns in the
United States Is declining, as we sse from the
census returns; but 1t must be remembered that
machinery plays such transcendental part in
America that we must always expect labor to
form apparently small ratio. The per cent of
the value of products which went to wages in
the United states was: 1850, % 5; 1860, 2l.2;
wages in Europe, in round numbers, average
so per cent in the United states is per cent. OF
the manufactured goods" The product per
cent since 1850, while wages have risen only 40
per cent All this refers to the conditions as
they existed in 1885. q
have quoted the foregoing to show the i'm
mensity and the completely of our problem
What are the conditions existing to-day? am
not in position TO state. But we NAV reason
ably infer from what happened in the past. that
instead of being better they are very much
worse
Now then, the question arises, whether 1t is
equitable and just, looking at things OF course
in the light emanating from the Gospel OF |
Christian sociology, that all the benefit resulting
from the utilization OF natural forces and the
suits of Inventive genius should be monopoliZed |
by class-the employers. Is the laborer to be |
entirely shut out?
lie is now shut out we are forced TO admit. |
and the watchmen called OF God have held thei- |
peace.
l think that the laborer has as much right to |
his share as the employer has. and further |
think that Christianity teaches this.
The fact that the church has severely left 1
things alone, allowing without once protesting
he strong 70 rob the weak is no proof to the 1
It proves, rather, that il has not /
lived up TO tho principles OF genuine Chris
anity. and has not obcyed the law Of Christ,
Is supreme head.
You remember the great strike known as the
Homestead strike. What occasioned that
trke was simply this: Carnegie, the great
the builder OF halls and libra
les, caused notices To be posted In the mills TO
he ellec. that after certain date wages would |
De reduced all the way from Is TO 10 per cent.
ana tile reason advanced for so doing was that
wing 10 the great improvement, in machinery, |
he men were producing much more than they
we're, and hence iE was nothing but lust and
Ugh: they should work for less wages
IL was marvellous how Christian people and
EDUCATORS fOcxcd to Ca neyle's sids denounc-
ne in terms most bitter the men who had the
Iudscity TO stand for that " hich they believed
o be their rights. In their opinion might was
he winning side. believing that nothing sue |
eeGs like success. They prostituted them
ewes and the church they represented.
christianity teaches that might is not ALWAYS |
Ight. and II also teaches THAI the workman is |
Untitled TO fair and equitable share OF the pro- !
uctS Of his labor. Inere are two things /
hink that should occupy tile attention OF the |
hurch to-day and / am convinced that IL the
hurch will only DO is dnty respecting these
wo things Il viii 90 . long way toward the solu-
ION OF the labor pTob.em
First. let the church emphasize the dignity Of
lbor; and. second, give due prominence 10 the |
ruth that all men are brothers children OF the
ne great father. God. and the work is done.
Dignity OF labor. tn fourth commandment |
D the decdiTlp Is frequently misunderstood
nd misrepresented as dealing only with tie
Uestion OF rest. SIS inculcaiing the sanctiiy OF
Orship and the beauty Of sahbatic peace IL
oeS 10 this. Of course. But u does more IL
$50 sets forth The sanctty OF toll and the beauty
Z holy acsIyity. In fscr, the central idea OF it
tie universal necessity for labor. and /. Is |
cary sets forth the divine purpose OF SIX DAYS
ac.ly - As OF a seventh day OF rest. | be inye
hat God iS ~ mar men when they toll As when
icy ray. snt We may honor CariSt a. much
gd CONNIE monte him as truly when pursuing