Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-10-08

with all thy mind does not strike Us
as strange. 1t is natural liat the SUI
preme Being of the universe should re-
quire of us, His creatures an uncondi-
tional and unlimited homage; but
listen!-The second commandment is
like unto it-of the same nature; Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself-and
ON these two commandments-on these
two equally-hang all of the law ana
the prophets This is all certainly
true.
Our Religion
does emphatically teach the social side
of our religious duty. And Christian
ity is the only solution for social prob
lens. Therefore, since we live in an age
when special attention is being paid to
the science of sociology and especially
to many great social questions, and
since our religion is equally as much
a system Of sociology as theology, the
church should be fully awake to her re-
sponsibility and opportunity.
But when such men as Mr.. Ely ac-
cuse the church as having done COM
p%aratively little and next to nothing
with the Second Commandment, which
in its elaboration becomes social science
or sociology, / must disagree with
them and join issue. We do not claim
that the church has done all she might
have done; we shall discuss this later
on. But / do claim that all which has
been done to make men equal and free
politically and socially, and all which
has been done to better the condition
of the laboring classes, is the result Of
the influence and teachings of the
church in her endeayors to preach the
gospel to every creature And, every
thing considered, a great deal has been
done to obey the Second Command
ment. This will also be considered
later on.
Judging from the past, we should
not be surprised that some men, both
within and without the church, should
be unjustly severe in their criticism of
the church at this time. In periods
when there is a transition Of thought
and activity in society, there are men
who are inclined to lay the responsible
ity Of all bad things upon the church,
Because certain evils exist in society
and even in the lives of some church
members, these unreasonable people
abuse the church and discard it; de-
clare it not of God, recreant, and a
Babylon to be come out of. There are
people who expect the church to do
everything, while such beings as them
selves stand aloof and do nothing but
criticise and find fault. And because
the church has not been able to keep
far enough ahead of the wicked world
to prevent every form of social wrong
in the political and industrial world,
and at the same time defend the truth
against the attacks of infidels, carry on
her mission work, and her works Of
~fbenevolence and charity, SO critics are
so unfair as to accuse her of having
done nothing. 1t is a common thing
for men who ride hobbies to act as
though the mighty organization of the
church should give it's undivided atten-
tion to their peculiar reform, however
good
The Proposed Reform
may be. They forget that many other
people who have reforms of equal inn
portance make the same demand of the
church. They forget that it takes time
to wheel this %ponderous organization
into line on any question. The church
is duly bound to do all 1t can for every
good cause. No one will deny that.
But how unreasonable it is to expect
the church to take up and push to sue
cess every possible line Of reform,
charity and b%enevolence and do it right
away, and at the same time maintain
the vast work she has already under
taken.
AT times labor leaders are loud in
their condemnation of the church be-
cause she does not Immediately take
up every grievance and even oppression
of the workingmen and engage in a
desperate struggle in their behalf. And
because this is not done they accuse
ministers and church people as being
cowardly, afraid of the money power,
out Of sympathy with the poor laborer,
etc. Now, this is all wrong. l am bold
to say that the best friends which the
laboring classes have to-day are the
church people, and it is my purpose in
this discussion to show that the
church has lone a great deal for our
laboring people. But before WI enter
into this subject, there are some points
which should De made plain.
Some times We hear men talking
about having reverence for religion and
for Christ, but they will have nothing
to do with the church Some radical