Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1900-12-17

cnuTcn OF ldDOIluS union 10 SeLLle tue
difficulties or harmonic the relations,
between labor and capital. The object
Of the church was to civilize and Chris
tianize the whole world, and if this
was to be accomplished they should
study the conditions of the people and
learn their needs. His idea was that
the church should try more to elevate
the human family. AS the laboring
class needed to be lifted up, he thought
the church should show more interest
as at present they were not doing their
duty to harmonic these conditions be-
tween man and man.
If the conditions of labor or capitol
were wrong the church should say So.
No one wants to antagonize the church
for it is good. Professional and mer-
camille men cater to it. Politicians al
ways want to know what position the
church has taken on the questions be-
fore the public, and they also cater to
them. All these people know the pow
er and. influence of the church, and
why should not laboring men have this
assistance? Newspapers are afraid to
criticize any church. Why? Because
all believe that the church is an in
spired institution. Christ, its founder,
stood for all classes and used His work
to harmonic all conditions of man
kind. Ministers gave vent to all their
opinions except on the labor question.
Charles w. James, president of the
union, was in the negative. He stated
that he felt embarrassed and was not
able to handle the question, but al
ways was glad to say good word for
the church, and had it not been for
cation, as it gave him his first step in
that direction. He had been working
in rolling mill since he was nine
years old. Mr.. James eulOgiZed the
church. He said workingmen COM
plain and find fault with the church
and many other conditions, but what
they needed was more Christians at
their head; that not one-third belonged
to church and had no faith in it, and
that the same feeling existed in the
unions He dwelt much on the faith
that mankind should have in each
other; he also cited the late Wheeling
street car strike, when the laboring
classes did not have faith in this
union. He spoke of the man who
makes 81 a day and spends ten cents
for what he does not need, which is
five per cent, of his wages. and advised
more economy Union should take
more interest in churches. If we were
members there would be less trouble.
as it was the duty of all to attend
church and advance Christianity; and
all should lean on the arm of our Sa-
vior.
He spoke of the constitutions of the
different unions, and said that all were
good But if one of it's members did
wrong they should not condemn the
union, and the same applied to the
churches. Mere fault in ourselves
should lift up each other. At this
point he quoted considerable scripture
in support Of his position, also men
tioning the work of John D. Rockefel-
Ter, who had given SO much to
churches and had announced that he
was a Christian. This man was a cap
italist and employed thousands of
men. He said the churches were
working to save two million souls this
year and that he hopes the delegates
to the union would be of that num-
Der.
Mr.. Lewis in reply, made an eloquent
talk and ridiculed the idea of John
D. Rockefeller being set up as an ex-
ample He gave his millions, and
then received it back from the people.
Capital gives its millions for educa-
ton and an advertisement for them
selves, but soon raise the price of their
products and make the money back.
He spoke of the church as an insti-
tuition of learning, but cited many ex-
listing evils concerning labor that not
a hand for their benefit had been
raised. One example was the thous
ands of young boys under twelve
years of age working in the coal mines
in Pennsylvania. He said that the
churches had taken no notice Of this
great evil.
Mr. Lewis also took up the cause of
clerks and workmen in mercantile
houses, sweat shops and other places
of employment; but the church had
said nothing Mr. Lewis took up many
of the questions confronting the labor
ing men and handled them well. In
closing, he assured those present that
he was not against the churches, but
that the laboring people wanted their
help He also made a motion that
the ministers present speak, which car
ried unanimously.
Rev White of the Second Christian