The Minneapolis journal., 1903-04-17
In Labor's Field.
CHURCH And LABOR
Objections Of Working Men to the
Church-Are They Being
Met? III ~. -
The Summer, Outdoor Meeting and
the Institutional Church as
an Answer. r.

Has the problem propounded by the
church, How shall we reach the working
elasses?" been solved? = ...-.
"A. G. cambridge, we'll known in labor
union circles in Minneapolis, gives below
reasons for the workingmans S lack of in
terest in affairs of the church Another
man, who has viewed the problem from
the side Of the workingmen, believes
workingmen do go to church, but assigns
reasons for their not going in larger num-
hers. Rev. Charles stelzle, former pastor
of Hope chapel of this city and now pastor
of an institutional church in st. Louis, in
4 lecture at Westminster Presbyterian
church last week, said the insti-
tutional church solved the problem and
aroused an interest among workingmen in
church work. Such church, he said,
gave room for those activities and ap-
pealed to those sides of mems lives which
have IN many places, indeed generally,
been met by other institutions such as
the lodge, ethical culture societies, sa-
looms, and, principally, by socialistic Or
ganlzat1ons. Mr.. Stelzle's own church
was felt by the workingmen to be so
friendly to their interests that even the
socialists In the vicinity had once asked
for the use Of the auditorium for meet
ing; tho their request had to be denied.
A Labor View.
Wages" from the workingman's stand
THAT large percentage of working
people do not go to church is, of course,
true; but the same is true of all other
classes IN any communicative business
class. the professional class, the idle rich
and the busy rich.
THE long hours Of labor that are the
rule among wage -earners is probably as
strong reason as any why they don't go
to church. A man or woman who works
ten or more hours a day mostly in ILL
ventilated and dirty rooms, Is not in men,
tai or physical condition to go to church
on the only day in the week that they be-
long to themselves, and it is not the best
way for them to spend the day, or any
part OF 1t. What they need is fresh air,
and when the temperature permits, they
feel more like spending their Sunday out
doors; and for this they are to be COM
mended not condemned. Two or three
years ago I read letter from a New
York business house, which said the con-
Germ had reduced working hours from ten
to nine hours, with the result that more
and better work was done per man than
under the ten-hour system. And it stands
to reason that this should be so. A man
or woman who works ten or more hours a
day at the same task day after day gets
brain fag and becomes too exhausted
physically to recuperate in time for the
next days work; and the result is gradual
and steady decline, and consequent de-
terlorat1on In quality and quantity Of
work. With the increase OF labor-saving
machinery this is becoming more true.
The moral to be drawn from this by min
listers and managers of churches is that
If they would like to have a larger per-
centage of working people in their audi
ences, let them do all they can to establish
shorter Workday-not more than eight
hours. They ought to be more than will
Ing to do this, because it is in the interest
OF civilization, better government and bet
ter society.
Pulpit Discussions.
"a prejudice against churches by work.
Ing people, that has some foundation for
1t. is the way labor questions are dis
cussed in the pulpit. Sometimes it Is
done In a patronizing way, as If the work.
Ing people were much In need Of minis
terial guidance; sometimes it is done in
vicious, offensive way, that Is sure to
create feeling OF resentment, as for in
stance the way in which Rev. DR.. Newell
Dwight Hills of Brooklyn roasted organ
ICED labor recently. Then some ministers
have such tender feeling for the non
union man. Rev. DR.. Hills, Of course, is
shining example Of this class. know a.
minister In this city whse equal in kind
would be hard to find, who always takes
the part of the non-union man when dis
cussing labor questions; and 1t is purely
because of his sympathetic nature that he
does it, for he considers the non-union
man the under dog. But the average
union man is not apt to take his talk in a
kindly spirit, just the same.
Cordial Welcome for One.
II will say in closing. that the feeling
that undoubtedly exists, that working peo-
pie are not wanted in our fine churches,
fc attended ooryiooc ",
our toniest churches, and although I can
not remember a word the minister said,
I can distinctly remember the courtesy
with which was treated and escorted to
the best pew in the house."
The Church Against Us.
II do not propose to answer this ques.
tion for, or in. the name of. organized Ia.
Dor, but only as an individual who has