Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Benton County, Or.) 1900-1909, 1902-12-30
TIE CHURCRS AGENCY.

ican people today, ed, w
should say before the civil d
world sociological rather
than political. They are que@-
tions relating to the social cordi-
tions and relations of the people,
and for their right determination
they require the utmost activity
of every agency which tnay con-
tribute to that end.
Nowhere do we find greater
number of these questions group
ed together than in the conten-
tions between organized capital
and organized labor. Here,
where there should be no conten-
ton, where the interests of either
should measure the interests OF
the other, we find the mest bitter
contention, the most unrelentlng
display of selishness.
Into those troubles which we
usually denominate '1abor trou-
bles," have been injected others
which have no relation thereto
whatever. 1t is no easy work to
segregate these and to consider
each distinct element apart from
all the others, and then to apply
to each its own proper remedy.
Yet this is just what must be
done if the aggregation of trou-
bles is to receive intelligent cou-
sideration and efficient remedy.
Physical force cannot settle
these questions. The most it
can do is compel obedience to
the laws. The exertion of it is
not only right but frequently
necessary. Many are SO igno-
rant, so vicious and altogether so
lawless that physical force is the
only agency which it is possible,
in the first instance, to employ.
But the idea that there is no
other agency able to settle these
contentious is not to be enter
tanned for a moment. This would
be a condition hideous to contem.
plate and utterly at variance with
the genius of our institutions.
Our people will never tolerate
such conditions.
The ultimate and efficient
remedies are not found in the
domain of force but in that ot
education, enlightenment, moral
ity, Righteousness. Whatever
agencies work along these lines,
whether the schools, the pulpit
or the press, will contribute to
lust and r;ll>t, al1,iii1u al
.. those soci1 lr'
HOW so insgeGhe1l5fseQ( hent
1t is incumbent OF, each of these
agencies to put forth its utmos
eudeavors to bring about right
understanding and practical solu
tion of these disturbing differ
ences.
Rightfully, we believe. mer
look upon the organized Chris
tian church as the agent bes
qualified to solve the social prob
lens which now confront us
The church has always claimed
to be the repository of those
truths and moral precepts which
if embraced and practiced by
men, will destroy envy, jealousy,
hatred and selhshness and the
angry contentious which spring
from these. She claims that il
is an essential part of her mis-
sion to teach the .fatherhood O
God and the brotherhood of men,
and that her code of ethics is the
highest, purest and best known
to men. The mass of our peo-
pie admit these claims. Multi
tudes who are not identified with
any branch of the church look tc
the influence of her teachings
for escape from the social ills
which assail us. Not a few,
however, fear that in the effort
for material and numerical as.
tendency the basic elements Of
her real power and greatness
have been neglected, measurably
lost sight of. Surely it is not by
the grandeur of her temples, the
resonant harmony of powerful
organs and well-drilled choirs;
not by her beautiful lithurgies
and eloquent orations that she
must seek to gain the confidence
and attachment of the masses.
She must get away from these,
and go out into the lanes and by.
ways of life, bearing the mes
sages of love and the precepts Of
wisdom to the thousands of men
and women who are overbur-
dened with the tolls and sorrows
and temptations incident to
human existence. She must re.
buke arrogance, pride, extortion,
injustice whether existing within