The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-06


are deteriorated risks; and especially glad
that the closing OF the saloon on the Lords
day has peeG effected IN the great city
OF New York.
EDUCATION.
Among the greatest victories in the
Methodist Episcopal church have been
those achieved in the field of education.
insisting on gospel that teaches q lofti-
ness Of ideal for man which has elsewhere
found no higher expressions. and lnti-
mately relating the attainment OF those
ideals to human endeavor, the church WAS
logically compelled to give every one of Its
members the best possible means OF de-
velopment. Hence IT has founded schools
by the hundred, sometimes more than
could be maintained. just as Gods over
flowing eXuberance of life makes thou
sand seeds for every one that grows. No
one Of these schools has ever lived IN
vain. We owe very much of our p-es nnt
greatness to our oldest university founded
by Wilbur.
God sees no perfect individual nor per-
feet service of him that does not include
both mind and heart. He does not want
His church nor His heaven an asylum
for feeble-minded children. Our system
requiring that sermon be preached on
education every year. and collection
taken in both church ana Sunday school
II possible that every determined person
who exercises his free will in that direc-
tion may acquire liberal education. Bat
for the proper and needed development
of our schools we need at least $,@0.coO
in gifts every year.
CHRISTIAN CITIZENSHIP.
1t Is doubtless true that Christians seek
a better country, even heavenly. hut
1t is now the supreme duty Of every man
N n Ia hn R N puln SNft Nn
the Kingdoms of our God and of his Christ.
Onco It was supposed that patriot was a
warrior In the field ready to die for his
country. But men and women can be as
Christian life as in the fierce excitcments
of doubtful battle. The time has come
when every Christian should assume the
duties and bear the burdens and respon-
abilities Of true citizenship. This wonld
belongs to Christ. He made It, upho!ds
It. owns 1t, and will judge 1t. His purpose
in this world Is not merely the regenera-
ton of the state. The state Is as truly
divine as the church. Nay, the state Is
the designed outcome of the perfected
sionary of God In tho politics Of America
as In the forests Of Africa. Every man
owes 1t TO God and his country to be pos
scssed Of sound, unbribabie manhood,
OF personal Righteousness, and a perpet-
ual. persistent. aggressive activity, to
bring honesty into all dealings, justice be-
tween man and man and purity into poll
ties.
We count 1t among the auspicious signs
of the time that Christian men are able
to forego the allnrements Of gain and
even OF ease, and descend into the arena
of political life. Never has better work
been done for clean municipal admins
tration than in recent campaigns from one
side of the continent 10 the other. 1t has
not been done in the interest OF any party
nor through any party. but for the sake
of decency and right. Let the pulpit make
MANHOOD eminent, desire to gave ones
country supreme. and that intensest force
Will find its own way of working. Men
must be willing to serve on juries. work
on committees, for the public welfare. put
their standing and property In peril. and
defy the villiication of a corrupt press
in daring to enforce laws unpopular with
those who feel the halter draw. For the
country must be saved by the victories of
peace no less than by those of war. There
are certain things every church that ever
holds great gathering should utter ring
ing protests against them. Divorce has
been made so easy in some states that all
the sacred interests of the home are put In
peril. The churches should demand and
secure one national law to cover all states
alike.
But no follower of Him who is the Re-
to any one country. We see In Armenia
such atrocities as we never deemed possi-
BILE Of execution in this age. We are no
more appalled, at the ravage, rapine and
murder of q hundred thousand by the
Turks than at the apathy and inaction OF
the so-called civilized nations. Through
our whole history and national polity we
have complications. But We believe that
the whole diplomatic and moral power OF
our government should be put forth to
bring these gigantic wrongs to a sudden
end.
ARBITRATION.
For the settlement Of disputes between
different organizations of men, between
money. capital and labor-capital and be.
tween the different nations Of the earth
we believe that tho Spirit of our Savior
as get forth by our church, demands tina,
the great principle Of arbitration shall b.
tried to Its utmost, and that the vast ma
jorty Of disputes can be happily settled In
set an example to the world by decorous-
ly submitting to arbitration nearly fifty
occasions of differences with other ma
tlons.
CAPITAL AND LABOR
In the progress Of our liberties and the
widening of our development We have
come upon perils unknown In the earlier
rayed against each other with mutual
MISUNDERSTANDING. ripple has com.
of tho French revolution declaring that Gl
property is theft, that men may be as
much enslaved by law as by force: de.
prvcd of their rights by trusts and com
bincs as by arms In these mlsunde:.
standings. and 1t may be great wrongs
the church must not be silent. 1t Is he,
very nature. to defend and care for the
poor. Like her Master, the Spirit of the
Lord God Is upon her to preach the Cos.
pei to the poor. Peculiarly is this true OF
our church. 1t began it's ministry to the
wretched prisoners in Britain, continued
1t among the poor colliers, has always
sought the sorrOwing, wretched, wander
ing and lost. 1t has never pandered tc
the rich. nor been silent at injustice.
In this seething discussion concerning
the rights of property we think these posi-
tions are grounded on justice and right
erty by the legitimate means of activity
foresight, invention ana inheritance.
2-No man has a right to use his pos
sessions to oppress his fellow men.
of his own labor. In that respect he is 8
capitalist.
4-No man has right to use his labor te
oppress his fellow men.
5-Every free man has right to refuse
to work for another.
G-No man has right to prevent anothe,
from working when, and for whom III
will
Livery man is accountable to God TO,
the use of his time. labor and their out
All these fundamental\principle of pro
gress and personal development should b,
plainly taught by the pulpit. If the spiri
OF Christ be accepted and practiced by tn,
church. all unjust di:'ributions Of prop
erty therein will be remedied. This Is
Christian communism which reaches tn;
| hand OF sympathy and help from abov,
downward, rather than hand of violen,.
and murder from below upward. Tn,
| equality that Christianity teaches is ac
hn pu.11 70 n.
| highest places, even the heavenlies; no
| by dragging the lofty down.
| If managers Of business requiring va
| rious sorts of labor would take, whenev,
practical, the individual workingmen int,
! partnership by establishing scheme O
! proflt-sharing for all who are engaged II
, productive labor, then all occasions fo
, carelessness, wastefulness, strikes, VIC
, lence and heart-burnings would be avoid
| ed.
Hundreds Of great concerns 60 on sue
| cessfully year after year. by adoptin:
| Gods fundamental law Of social unit!