The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-22

The division of sentiment in Protes-
tant churches however caused greater
mischief than in Roman Catholic or
ganizations. This is due partly to the
greater independence Of the individual
member and partly to the fact that the
management of these churches rests in
the hands of the laty. A prominent
Sunday school teacher and chorister
was, at the inception of the strike,
sworn in as a deputy. Immediately his
choir vanished, and his class said to the
superintendent, Give us another
teacher; we won't have a scab to teach
us" Another teacher in a Sunday
school Joined the Citizens alliance, and
on the following Sabbath not one of the
young men he taught was present A
deacon, trustee and Sunday school
worker-the best man the church con-
tained-refused to respond to the I'M
ions call to quit work, and at once his
fellow members asked for his resigna-
tion from all offices. The man has not
been near the church since. In July
one of the churches Of Luzerne county
held children's exercises The chorister
was working every day, and many of
the children who took part belonged to
foremen who worked. The union fac
ton in the organization planned to hiss
every one who sang or recited whose
relatives were working. The chorister
absented himself and so did many Of
the children rather than disgrace the
sanctuary on the Sabbath evening.
The male members of another church
at the close of a prayer-meeting were
discussing the question of the strike,
when a dispute arose and fisticuffs
were averted only by the prudent re-
parture of one of the debaters, who
thought it was time to go home. A
Sunday-school which numbered three
hundred and fifty before the strike can
hardly now muster one hundred and
fifty. The prime cause Of the decrease
is the division of opinion concerning
the strike. One church is known as the
''scab" church, and on recent Sunday
morning only three men were in the
congregation.
But division of opinion in the church
and congregation is not the only mis-
chief inflicted by the strike upon our
religious organizations. No class Of
professional men have suffered more in
this struggle than the pastors Their
salaries at best are but small in these
coal fields, but they were reduced to
half during the months of the strike
Take a few examples: One who got
sixty dollars a month was reduced to
twenty five dollars. Another receiving
siXty-five dollars was cut to thirty dol
lars. Anot her found his income re-
duced from seventy dollars to thirty
five dollars; another from one hundred
dollars to forty dollars This was gen.
eral throughout the coal fields, and
I notwithstanding this cut of fifty per
cent. in the salaries Of pastors, they
have, with very rare exceptions, stood
by their charges and in quiet way
conforted and helped their people.
So stubborn and costly a. struggle
also meant sacrifice in thousands of
homes, and when men fear hunger and
nakedness it is weli-nigh impossible to
get their attention to spiritual reali-
ties. When an army Of one hundred
and forty thousand strong ceases to
produce, want soon invades their
ranks, and the intensity of the struggle
to keep the wolf from the door leaves
little energy or inclination for religious
activities. The strike absorbed all
thought. Mems minds were concentra-
ted on the materialistic side of life. 1t
was the contest of giant forces, and all
centered in the economic interests of
man. Any society which for months in
succession is absorbed in questions Of
material amelioration will find its spir-
itual interests largely neglected. Our
churches showed this in smaller con-
gregations, diminished Sunday schools
and fewer attendants upon the week.
day prayer services. The paralysis
which seized our commercial interests
invaded also the religious life and
months must pass before our churches