St. Paul daily globe., 1896-04-27
WAS THE WORKINGMAN,S
FRIEND.
FIRST IN ALL THE SCHOOLS
OF PHILOSOPHY TO ESPOUsE THE
PREVIOUSLY DEsPISED RANKS
OF LABOR.
IT'S SABBATH CRUsADEs YET
A Token of It's Sincerity In the Pro.
lection of Those Who Must
Work.

In point Of size, 1t was not an inspiring au-
dience that Rev. Watson B. Millard addressed
at the Plymouth Congregational church yes
terday afternoon. 1t was the first of a series
OF three sermons, or lectures, rather, that Mr..
Millard is giving with view to explaining
the relation of the church and the working
people, in hopes of aiding in the bringing
about OF closer alliance between these two
forces
About month ago platform meeting was
held In the church one Sunday afternoon, at
which some of the leading spirits In the local
labor organizations made addresses. They set
forth the attitude Of the workingman to the
church, and commented upon the Difference
paid the wealthy by the churches and their
ministers as compared with that accorded the
common herd. They also criticised the min
listers for lack Of interest in matters that have
long been the subject of agitation among the
labor organizations, whereas an active inter-
est was taken in matters affecting the well
fare Of the business element.
These and other similar reasons were given
as the principal ones that tended to widen the
breach between the workingmen and the
churches, and few days ago it was an
nounced that Mr. Millard would at the serv-
ice yesterday, reply to the arguments that had
been made on that occasion. But he did not
nor had he intended to do so. On the con-
trary, he expressed approval of what had been
said, and explained that the announcement
that he was to make a reply had not come
from him.
pof0 ooip ii
read verses Is to 49, Math xiv; the first eight
verses of James ", and verses IA to %, Reye-
lations ill.,; but spoke from no text. He began
by expressing disappointment at the small at
tendance, there being less than seventy-ave
persons present, and most Of these were
women Scarcely half a dozen men, aside
from few organized workingmen, were in
the church.
Mr.. Millard said he could not understand
| why the workingmen were not as ready to
hear what the church had to say through its
minister as they were to listen to their repre-
sentatives on the former occasion. He had no
| intention Of replying to what had been said
| then, for he was heartily in accord with 1t.
What he wished to do was to state the posi-
| ton Of the church. The whole subject could
not to be discussed in one discourse; so for this
/
| OF the workingmen to the church.
He congratulated the workingmen on the
1 progress that has been made within a COM
paratively short space of time. Workingmen
sometimes overlooked this fact. They were
disposed to look too steadily on the dark
side. The church has helped the working
| man, and the church needs the workingman
that she may help him more, and the work.
| ingman needs the church. 1t was not a
question whether the church was going to
live or die, whether there are not other in
stitutions quite as good as the church in the
uplifting Of humanity. The church is only
what 1t Is made.
Many people refuse to NEEDLE with politics
because of their corruption, but no one would
assume that the people could get along with
out government. Just so with the church.
If the church is not what 1t should be, those
who find fault should come into it, imbibe
the spirit Of Christ and assist In correcting
where it has been led into error.
The history Of the church does not belle
the principles of the church. Every step for
the uplifting Of humanity has been a step OF
the church He quoted from Plato Aristotle
and other philosophers to show that they all
locked down on the poor and lowly. and con-
s1dered workingman unfit for recogni-
ton among men. But Christ taught i,,s,
the reverse He taught that labor was noble
an ennobling, and that the workingman was
the embodiment of the spirit of holiness.
Replying to the criticisms that had beer
onered because the church had not taken 9
definite stand in favor Of this, that and thf
other reform. Mr.. M1Ilard said the church
Is conservative institution. It is the meet
ing ground on which meet men of all shade.
OF political and economic opinions TIL.
church was severly denounced by Wendell
Phillips and William Lloyd Garrison because
II naa not taken stand In favor of the
aooitlon OF slavery But the church is 8
great organization, and organizations can no
take stand on such questions as readily q.
progressive individuals. Then there wer,
questions on which the expediency and ms
uce Oh taking stand were very uuestionahl.
the question of prohibition, for instance.
he was not saying that there was nj
ground FOR the criticisms offered bv th
WorKingmen. He believed there was som
ground for them, but the only wav in ,Ubicl
the interests of the workingmen can h
brought to the front In the churches Is h,
.n. Workngmen coming into the churche
aho forcing them to the front Minister
are not an tnvulnerable class. They hay
their limitations. But their purpose is good
ana IL the workingmen will just come into tn
so tnat association may be cult
'ated' tney Will find the ministers ready f.
iend helping hand to whatever will promot
the real interests of labor,
Inc Lhlng tha%- was necessary was the de
yelepment of more character. In bis re
cent speech at Chicago Bob IngersoIl ex
pressed great truth when he said that tn
problems affecting the interests of empIoye
, and employe could never be solved until man
KIND has reached higher civilization, Wba
Mr.. Ingersoll meant was that there must h
mere character in employer and employe
In short, he meant that there must be NOR
of the spirit Of true religion
Another thing urged by Mr. MiIlard wa
the observance Of the Sabbath. He had bee
informed that some trade unions hold thei
meetings on Sundays. This should be avoid
ed The Sabbath should be devoted to re
ligious exercises and the home. The ONLY ex
cuse for desecrating the day by performing
{ any kind Of work was to prevent indiyidua
suffering. He also called attention to tn
danger Of workingmen accepting too readil
the teachings of European atheists an
anarchists. Another thing of vital impor
tance was the observance of the laws Il
conclusion. he prayed that the time may We
come when the government of the Unite
, States will be in fact what it is in name
, government of the people, by the peopl
and for the people, and when in ever
church the rich and poor will receive euua
. recognition.
The opening prayer was delivered by Rev
| S. E. Fish, of South Dakota. Mr.. MilIar
announced that the subject of his discours
at the meeting week from next Sunda
afternoon will be The Contented," and tina
for the following Sunday, sThe Discomfort