Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1896-06-19
CALEDONIA, IND.
He Sees the Light.

The following address was delivered be-
fore the Congregational Church Association
by Rev. j. A. Bradley Of Caseyville, Ind.
Brethren: / see by your programme
that you expect me to deliver an address
before your association on the subject,
The Church and the Wori inginan. By
this presume you expect me to set forth,
The Nottingham, and The Working
MANS obligations to The Church Not
wishing to make statements unwarranted
by facts, have been looking up history,
and l am compelled to say in all candor and
truth fail to find anything recorded in his
tory that The Church has done for The
Nottingham that would in any way entitle
her to his confidence or respect. During
Labor long struggle for justice and liberty
THE Church has made no effort in his be-
half. During the long reign Of oppression
and tyranny in France, which eliminated
in bloody revolution, 1 fail to hear the
voice of The Church raised in defense of
The Nottingham. When four millions of
workingmen were held in cruel slavery in
the United States The Church not only
failed to do anything for their freedom, but
gave her sanction to the damnable custom.
Even ministers of The Church ownsd
their slaves and often treated them with in
human cruelty, and when such men as John
Brown championed their cause they met
with nothing but denunciations and bitter
old John Brown was crucified, The Church
wagged her head in assent and held the
clothes of those who threw the stones.
But while John Browns body lies mould
ering in the grave, his brave and noble
spirit goes marching on, and will ever live
to condemn The Church for her cowardice.
Coming closer home: During all the Labor
troubles Of late The Church has ever
Joined issue with organized tyrants and
helped to Cypress her beloved workingmen.
She is the allied friend of tyrants. She
sanctions and participates in oppression
She couutenances and practices usury. She
honors and praises organized thieves, who
steal their millions from honest toilers, and
accepts share of this same blood money.
While THE Church worships in costly
mansions her workingman is perishing in
his howell. While her Rev.s and D. D.
are dabbling in gambling stocks, pulling
political wires, drawing fat salaries and
faring sumptuously every day, the hellish
chains of slavery are being more tightly
drawn and welded around the neck OF The
Workingman, from whom THE Church
expects her financial and moral support.
No, The Church has no rightful claim
upon The Workingman.' Her day of grace
has passed. But there is one thing for
which am thankful; that though organ
lied thieves and The Church refuse THE
Workingman' fair and equal share of the
bounties of earth, they can not disinherit
him. ~
1t strikes us that the organized thieves
have already succeeded in disinheriting ''the
Workingman. Where is his inheritance?
Is it not already in the possession of those
'organized tyrants'' who have stripped
him of his means of subsistence and turned
him out an unwilling tramp on the high
ways of our commonwealth? His material
disinheritance is just now vastly Of more
concern to him than his spiritual Ed.