The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-01-26

Was u True Leader of La l'Or-lIN-
b"r Wants Justice Not Charity.
The Trades Assembly was addressed
last evening by Samuel ID Long, d. d..
of the FIRST Methodist Church.. There
was a good attendance of delegates
who heartily received Mr.. Long. His
theme was the Church. and the Work
ingman. He differed with many OF his
fellow preachers who were inclined to
believe that there was a breach between
the church and the workngman. The
delegates were highly pleased with his
address and he Was given a hearty
round Of applause at the conclusion
Mr. Long spoke as follows:
It gives me great pleasure to APP
pear before the Duluth Trades Assem-
bly, and discuss a question of such vital
interest as the Workingman's relation
to the church.
From my youth l have known as
much as falls to the lot of the average
man about the sorrows. strusSles anu
heart-aches of the working people.
The churches which | have served.
the cities where | have resided. have
taught me several things on this Ques-
ton, and among these stand out the
fact that the workingman is a friend of
the church. The majority of church
members in the United states are work.
ing men and their families. In pro-
proportion to their incomes they give
more money to build and support
churches than any other class: their
children fill our Sunday schools anu
>1,,., DC
and mothers are in womens societies
of the church and are devoted workers
for the salvation Of the lost
The men that have raised the cry that
the workingman is estranged from the
church, is an enemy to both. and is a
near relative of one who invented the
phrase masses and classes and is
also closely related to the one who
sowed tares among the wheat while
the good man slept. That the above
facts are true is complimentary to the
intelligence of the workingman.
notwithstanding the shortcomings
of the church and unchristlike acts of
individual churches, the Church of
Christ has been, and is now, the best
friend the workingman has ever known.
The founder of the church is the only
man born in this world who had the
privilege of choosing into what class Of
society he should be born, and he came
among the working people. When he
entered upon his mission he became the
first great labor leader the world had
known, and the words of Jesus fell on
the ears of the toiler and burden bear
er with untold joy, for it was then that
no ca "a q n on q n
had found champion and defender.
This friend himself had been work.
ingman carpenter of Nazareth, and
there had gathered about His home
and shop all the sorrows that have sur
rounded other workingmen, of that day
and this.
The spirit of Christ has been in the
church ever since. After the Day of
Pentecost, when men came into the
church by thousands, the disciples were
so filled with zeal for the cause that
they were determined to Danish pow
erty, so they undertook to have CON-
mon treasury. Their spirit was that of
the Master; their plan of procedure de-
cidedly human and it failed. We think
this has been true of the church ever
since; the spirit has been right in the
main; the administration in multitud-
inous cases unwise. The churcf
through all ages has been the friend OF
labor; the almoner of the poor; the
succor of the needy. True benevOlence
was born into this world with the ad-
vent of Christ. Charity of antiquity
was largely a scheme of obtaining merit
or a price II exemption from sickness
or death. The Talmud says, "he thai
does n.t open to the poor will open tt
the physician" The churches view o.
las is active benevolence, inspired ~
wellwishing and compassion. Sht
makes distinction between the la
boring man and the improvident. She
believes he does not need benevolenct
but justice, not charity but fair play
1t is not question of giving food an(
raiment, but fair days work and
fair days pay. She should stand a:
his champion before any power tina
would deny him this right.
Christ inspired the church with the
appreciation Of human life. When H,
was born into the world a good horse
brought more money in the markets O.
Rome than slave, and the spirit O.
the church has been, and is now
against everything that threatens life
development, even remotely. Whel
Christ spake, slaves were held in ever!
nation. Everywhere Christ has preach
ed slavery has been abolished. We ar
told Of commercial slaves whose con
dition is little, if any better now days
than the slaves of former times, but il
the fullness Of time Christ too will
abolish this. The seed has already bee
Sown.
In the midle ages when the king wa
simply a great baron and other baron
fortified their castles and made wa
on each other without his consent, tn
peasants were pressed into service O
one side or the other, and the only hop
for him was to put himself under tn
charge Of the church; and living o
church lands and under this protection
there was no power In christendor
strong enough to touch him. Whe
Christ established the church He CAV
to the world the greatest brotherhoo
that mankind has seen; greater, in til
sense Of largest; best, in the sense
has done more; most righteous, that