The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1895-05-13

w HhNo III ouF GpIhCOpNl CnUtcn IN
organization known rs tho Brother.
hood OF ST. Andrsw. Andrew was that
disciple Of our Lord who, whom ho had
found bis Saviour, went aud brought
his brother to Chrla,. That 10 aub.
stantlally tho work Of our Brother
hood-to bring men to Christ It Ia
nnde up oil men mostly young. thero-
fore full OF zeal, irodh enthusiasm and
aliyo 10 the'queations oil tho day. They
have no class distinctions. In tho
chapter connected with my church we
havo lawyers, doctors, manufacturers,
clorks, laboring men. This Is tho typo
Of all similar socie!ios. Onco a year
thoro Is national convention, at which
the difficulties in tho way OF thoir
work-tho spread OF tho Kingdom OF
God among men--arO discussed. Tho
alienation OF tho wage carners inevit.
ably came up for confederation, and as
tho conference In Warrington City last
October, it was given IN important
place on tho programme. There tho
problem was discussed by q bishop aud
rovsrend doctor OF the church; by
Mr.. w. Il Sterling, vice president Of
tho lllInoiH Steel Company, and by Mr..
Henry Lloyd, OF the Central labor
union. OF Boston, q manknown, at least
through his writings, to many among
you. have these speeches in pam
phlct form here, and will bo glad to
have you take and read them.
"Beiore that meeting had felt that
something ought 10 be dono to repre-
sent the church idea to the wage earn
era. Since that meeting, and after not
ing the profound impression made upon
Mr.. Lloyd, and tho aweeping away OF
his prejudiceH, ] have felt something
could bo done to reach tho same class OF
men in tho community in which 1.-Two,
and as man aud Clergyman was
bound to do 1t. 50 ! present to you to.
day tho church--an institution which
you largely ignore-aad which 10 yet
tho institution through which you aud
all mon can best secure that for which
they are struggling-and often so
blindly-a happier, better and more
prosperous aocial condition. The church
Is in the world as the leaven in tho
bread. and ii allowed to do go it will
surely leaven the whole mas.
oNOONDo SF ThEL uDILE%
"Now, your preiudicea agains. the
church take form like this-Ts ia q
social club for well.dressed men and
women Why, when man who works
with his hands joined my church his
companions said to him 'What do yon
20 there tor? They don't want the
likes OF US, that 10 only q place for the
rich
Other allegations against tho church
are:
"'The church is not in sympathy with
modern ideas OF with the struggles OF
the poor
"'It ia an Insurance company that
promises nothing TIL one Ia dead, and
it is not harps and crowns and golden
streets in another world We want, but
bread and butter now
1.-THE church has no word OF con-
demnation for the vices OF the rich, but
is swift to denounco the simple amuse-
ments and recreations OF the poor
II will not stop to controvert these
assertions in detail. There may be ex-
ceptional cases that have seemed to
Justify them, but tuken US whole they
are based upon an utter misapprehen-
sion OF the purpose aud spirit OF Chris.
tiauity as exhibited in the church to.
day.
"For what is tho church? An organ
ization founded by laboring mana
carpenter-assisted by twelve other
men likewise drawn from the laboring
class. These men the Loader instructed
in His principles and sent out TO found
societies, Establish au order OF minis.
tera who should succeed them, main..
tain the organ ization, teach the princi-
Piles OF the Founder, and tell the story
OF His birth, life, death, resurrection
and ascension TO heaven. And tho
organization has steadily grown. It has
gone everywhere, and it has made ad-
herents, touched tho hearts and
changed the lives OF men in every cline
and in every age where it has been pre-.
sented.
THE churches that dot your city to-
day represent tho ancient institution
founded in Palestine, and when one
breaks through the external envelope
OF forms aud looks into their constitu-
tions he finds there the root principles
proclaimed by tho Divine Founder.
These root principles are the father
hood OF God and the brotherhood OF
man revealed in His son, Jesus Christ,
who was at once son OF God and con Of
man.
THE BROTHERHOOD IDEA.
"The brotherhood idea is one OF the
essential features OF the Christian re-
ligion. Just as you will find your New
Testamouts full Of it. so you will find
that one OF tho main purposes OF the
church institution is to present to tho
world such an existing condition OF
society aud 10 promote among oil its
adherents righteousness. sympathy.
hrlpiulnoss, mutual iorbcarance and
love, which are the evidences OF such
brotherly relation.
"But you will tell mo that tho church
has in the past failod to manifest this
brotherhood idea clearly and that to-
day there are not tho evidences OF it
that you would like to see. Granted az
to tho past, but not rs TO the present.
Tho church, you must know, is not
like an engine and train wherc you can
fire up tho engine, raise steam, fill the
coaches, throw open the throttle and
send it flying smoothly along tho we'll
laid road-1ed to its destination. The
church is not mechanism OF that
kind, but is a society Of mon and women
with all tho Weaknesses that arc in
hersnt in human nature, controlled,
educated, and directed by tho influence
aud teaching OF the church. Naturally,
they do not always fulfill tho high ideal
OF thought aud practice which is pro-
fnsanl hv thrn hut thnv do nrcnn nliah