The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-22

Inc WOIkllE GtdSCCS -
ity of the Nation. There are all the LABOR
ers scattered throughout the length and
breadth of our land engaged in the actuaI
culture of the soil There are hundreds OF
thousands of all ages engaged in our manu-
features and in large workshops OF every
kind. There are the countless inhani'ah's
of the slums and poorer regions OF our
great cities. There can be no doubt that
there is a great deal of smoldering discoh-
tent in these classes OF workingmen ara
women and that they are. TO a certain eN-
tent. left untouched by the immediate mhu-
ence of the church.
Things. indeed. are not anything ike 80
grievous as they used TO be. for instance III
Egypt before the establishment OF EngHsh
influence i'm that country. Within living
memory bands who formerly toiled on the
banks Of the Nile could be heard singing
hour after hour. the same monotohous
strain:
They beat US, they beat us,
They starve us, they starVe us
But there's One above, there's one apoNe-
Although no such injustice exists III our
own country. it would be idle to deny mat
the state of things as regards our labOring
classes is not satisfactory. and our MUS
tration of this is the growth of socialistlc
movements WHICH, IL hN6hNNNN
become the germ OF dangerous revolutions
But apart from this, even If there were
widespread content with the existing con-
dition of things-which cannot be while the
habitations of the working classes are LETT
in their present condition of degradation
and unftness-it is clear that the church
has an immense and almost immeasurable
field of duty in endeavoring to reach ana
elevate them. Any one who will caretulIE
read the old Hebrew prophets Will see IN
how many instances they denounce the
selfish spirit of laissez-faire; the lack OF que
sense of our individual responsibility the
danger of being content with mere personal
responsibility and the sin of aloofness from
the interests OF the majority and OF uuiI
acuuiescence in the miseries which could
otherwise be remediable.
DANGEROUS INDIFFERENCE.
Those who have settled on their beds
and are terribly at ease on Mount Sion
are too apt TO look at dangers when may
threaten the future with a shrug OF the
shoulders and a selfish conviction thal
things will last my time but this. after
all, is only another form of the saying OF
the bad French King, "Apres mir lie
deluge." By the church We do not at all
mean the priests, or the clergy, or the ad-
neTeDlS u lulS " AAoN 49,
| ton. We mean the blessed company of
all faithful people; we mean all who in
sincerity profess and call themselves Chris
tians. Until the heart of the multitude CT
sincere believers is touched by the spirit OF
unsel6shness, which should lead us all to
subordinate our individual interests TO
those of the community, it is clear that we
have very imperfectly realized the meaning
of the lessons of which the Scriptures are
full The summary of duty as given I'm
Scripture, and especially in the teaching OF
our Lord Savior, Jesus Christ. is love TO
God and love to man, and also profession
of love to God must be unreal if il does not
| express itself in love TO man. He who
loveth not his brother, whom he hath seen,
how can he love God, whom he hath not
seen?"
The present serious problem with which
the church in these days has to deal con-
sists in the fact that she apparently is los
ing all hold on the working classes. Ii is
a fact terrible to think of that not 3 per
cent. of this class attend the religious serv-
ices in our churches and scarcely more than
1 per cent. ever kneel at the table of the
Lord. 1t is the duty of the church TO dis
cover the reason of this and then steadily
to set her face to regaining their allegiance.
w y NiOAAs los liz ~ az AOH0NA 80
power of attracting workingmen?
TIKI ANSWER.
1 think the answer may be found mainly
in the two following reasons:
First-Because the prayer book is not
suited to the needs and intellects of the
working classes. 1 have heard those who
labor i'm the poor parts of London often
declare that the services of the Church
of England are too stereotyped, monotonous
and long. The language of the prayer book
indeed is stately and beautiful, but il is
not the language spoken by the people or
understood by them, and If We are TO draw
the workingmen into our churches think
it absolutely necessary that the church
through convocation should simplify the
forms of service to be used in the poorer
parts of great cities.
Second-Because the curses of drink and
gambling provide greater attractions than
our public worship. 1t is not my purpose
in this paper TO discuss the drink question.
or the terrible and growing evil OF betting
and gambling. suffice to say that we
have in these the cankers that are eating
away the responsibility and uprightness
of the working class. These evils are i'm
poverishing the working mans higher ma
ture. making him indifferent to spiritual
things. Here again surely the church must
rouse herself TO fight against these evils
and unless she do so her influence will
permanently be lost.
Now, If we read any church paper. or the
ecclesiastical intelligence i'm the secular
newspapers. what are the questions on
which the greatest insistence is at present
placed? Are they not paltry and minute
points of difference about things of in
st.
the welfare of the great mass Of mankind?
Reams Of discussion are wasted on matters
of such trivial insignificance as the use Of
incense. or the exact definition Of medi-
seval superstitions; the holy sacrament.
which ought TO be the closest bond of
union between all Christians as incorporate
in the mystical body of Christ. is made