Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-11-05
Socialism,
aDd Religion

~ OC1AL1SM is an economic
~ system only, and as such has
no connection with any reli-
~ gious or irreligious creed or
idea. 1t fully recognizes the principle
that religion is q matter for each in
dividual's private judgment, and new
er inquiries into anyone's religious
belief
Socialism proposes merely to substi-
tute organized sOciety-that is, a re-
generated democratic state-for the
capitalist, as the owner of the land
and the machinery of production and
distribution, and the organizer of Ia
Dor, and to carry on production for
the use of all instead of for the profit
of the few Socialism being, therefore,
only an economic affair, does not con
Germ itselfwith religion, any more than
does free trade or protection, or the
gold standard, or free silver, 16 to l,
or any other economic system. 1t has
no more religious or irreligious char
acter than has the multiplication
table or comic sections.
There is, however, in Socialism moth
ing which is hostile to any kind of
religious creed, and especially is there
in it nothing contrary to the teach
ings of Jesus Christ, as told in the
Gospels Socialism advocates equality
of opportunity for all to work, and
would guarantee to each the full prod
uct of his toll 1t would take care of
young and old, and assure to women
economic equality with men. 1t is,
therefore, entirely in accord with the
principles of Christ, and is, in fact,
His teachings applied to industrial
affairs.
But the capitalist to-day dominates
the church as he dominates industry.
1t is he who for the most part pays
the salary Of the religious minister,
and the minister, being economically
dependent upon the capitalist is
obliged to take his principles from the
man who pays his salary. The result
is that the religion that is preached to-
day is heartless, cruel, and, Withal,
ridiculous Journalism, as far removed
as possible from the humane and gen
tie teachings of Christ. This formal
ism has wholly abandoned the ancient
tenets of Christianity, that all men
are brothers, and should treat each
other as such, the rich sharing freely,
and not grudgingly, their property
equally with the poor. Its preachers
totally ignore, or refine around, the
command which Christ gave to the
rich Young man: Sell what thou
hast and give it to the poor, and
come take up thy cross and follow me. y
On the contrary, modern capitalistic
religion has adopted the false and
cruel doctrine of the survival Of the
fittest, teaching that the strong must
in the course CREATURE crush the weak,
and that to interpOse to prevent this
result by any adequate means is toHy
in the face of Providence. AS cOn-fen-
sation to the poor for their misery
these capitalistic rehgionists tell them
that there are mansions III the skies
tor them, taking care always, how
ever, that the mansions on earth are
for the men who pay the salaries Of
the preachers. The pulpits are to-day
filed with the plant tools of the capt
talists, who, stealing the livery of
heaven to serve the devil in, by aCcus-
ing Socialism Of being irrcligious. and
immoral, eudcavor to prejudice tEelr
hearers against thc efforts of Tie Sc
cialists to bring to the rescue Of the
unemployed and underpaid masses
the power Of c-Eaa.zed society to cln-
ploy the workers cc-cFer1uv~ly, SO
that they can support themselves.
These capitalists hireEngs also hcrl
from their pup'ts dcnnclat.cns of