New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-11-10
VOPKTNGNEN AND RELIGION.

A recent issue OF The Outlook contiin'u az
article by Frank NJ Goodchild that throws ligh'
on the question how far American workingmeh
support religion. The figures he gives derive
their value from the fact that they are taken
from the most recent reports OF the united H'''e'
Labor Rureau ard the Labor Bureaus OF some
~ tho States The United States report tells
how Job families of workngmen spent iie''
incomes Taking the three items OF TOBACCO III
toxicants and religion, 1t Is shown that HIGH
expenditure for intoxicans always means Il ~"
outlay for religion and though the tables
do not show It. doubtless, also, low
outlay for books and other means or educauoh
and culture Not without good reason, there
fore have the Churches always antagonized me
saloon: for Just in proportion as the saloon hour
isbes will the Churches decline lf the nSlres
uaro ot hand we have no doubt whatever tE''
thav would show increased contributions 10 the
Churches from the workingmen Of this city since
tho saloons have been closed on sunday. we
arc confident moreover that should the saloons
of This CITY he reduced one-half as Mayor Strong
suogests the Churches would regain their hold
on many workin ymen who are now alenateu
from them. 1t is the testimony OF Oa'hoi"
nr,ests that no one influence does as much as
the saloon In recruiting tlt uih! VI ""''
lies whose loss the Church deplores
But Mr. Goodchild's figures suggest o'n'r
facts Strangely enough, the outlay for religion
and tobacco keeps at about the same hgureS,
but the circumstance, probably, has no speciai
Significance More Interesting Is the PROOF 'na'
neople of small incomes give relatively more 10
religion than people Of wealth. The l13 per cent
that the workngmen Of the country contribute
70 religion makes a far bigger hole in their week
IL waee than the rich make in their incomes by
tho,r larger contributions All things considered,
workngmen measure up in this respect quite as
well as people In the higher walks OK HE. 10
give 10 the Church at all they must exercise SELF
denial. which is not the case with the rlch' ana
though. as Mr.. Goodchild shows, they spehd
about three times AZ much FOR intoXlcan's anu
tobacco as for religion. they are in this respect
only following the example OF their richer fei-
low-ctizens Indeed, they make better snow
ing relatively; for there are few well-to-do nam
,los that do not spend much more than per
cont for luxuries We shall be reminded that
the experience Of free churches. where they have
boon tried. shows workingmen to be poor con-
tributors. But that argument proves too much:
for II has been found in free churches that many
well-todo people shirk their duty entirely and
give nothing at all. Workingmen are just like
other peope in the matter Of religion. III they
believe In It. they are as ready as anybody else
70 support II with their means. The trouble to-
dov Is that so many workingmen, for one reason
or another are drifting away from the Churches.
Rut that Is TOO large a subject TO enter upon here.
II Is 10 be noted, however that Of the work
inpmen who contribute TO religion Roman Catho-
lies are much more liberal than Protestans.
Tho Irish workingmen also are more liberal than
American workingmen. But perhaps TINS IS
largely because the Irish are Roman Ca'hohcs
while the Americans embraced In the table are
mainly Protestants.
Looking at the question in the large. without
any reference 10 statistics, II seems TO us that
the Churches still derive their chief strength
from the working people using the term In
broad sense TO include all who work for wages
mr. an income 1t Us this class which has con-
stitutpd the bone and sinew OF the Churches In
thc past. and does so still. And, therefore, no
more important question can come before the
Churches to-day than that Of bringing back
again into the told Of the Church the rapidly
Increasing multitude of working people who
have become either Indifferent or hostile TO the
appeals Of religion.