The San Francisco call., 1904-07-19
LABOR PAPERS
ARE ARRAICNED
Rev. N. King Sees Selfish
ness and Vindictiyeness
in Workingman'S Journals
ENEMIES OF THE CHURCH
Blames Organizations for
the Non-Attendance of
Wage Farmers at Worship

To-day the newspapers have more
to do with molding the thought of
workingmen than perhaps all other
influences combined" declared the
Rev. N. A. King of Oakland, yester-
day morning, at meeting of the
Methodist Ministers Association, at
Epworth Hall. Mr.. King said in part:
This is day of unions from the bootblacls
up. Every union has a stated time for it's
meetings, which are usually held on Sunday,
and In these meetings long pent-up feelings
are given vent and voice.
1t is here that the members declare that
capital must be crushed and that the employer
of labor is the hard taskmaster. 1t is here
that the sentiment IS created and fostered that
the church is allied to capital.
Recently in Union Square, New York City,
one of the foremost representatives OF organ
lied labor in the United States a man of ma
tional reputation poured out a lava stream
OF vituperation against the church and its min
listers, both Protestant and Roman Catholic.
The Young Mems Christian Association was
called that scab institution" and Cooper
Institute was said TO do good in a week
than all the New York churches in a year.
declared, represented the spirit Of true
brotherhood more in a single issue than the
Christian ministers, parasites Of society, could
do in age with their hired mouthings."
These utterances were Justify cheered by the
large crowd of workingmen
In conversation with the worhingmen have
learned much regarding their grievances and
their prejudioes. They do not appreciate the
fact that those outside of their own ranks who
are seeking to make secure the rights Of labor
are Christian men and clergymen.
Hand in hand with the labor unions go the
come even closer to the lives of workingmen
than the daily press. All who have read these
sheets Will appreciate their vindictiveness.
selhshness and narrowness without further
comment
Fraternal organizations have their part also
in the estrangement Of workingmen from the
ohm (vnvfc4 Man dIxy A.
religion of their order is good enough for them.
The saloon is the greatest enemy of the
church. It is here that labor problems are
talked and political schemes Matched out.
These are some OF the conditions among
woridngmen to-day. My words, however but
family describe their condition or their atti-
tude toward the church, the members of which
they generally characterize ''kd-glove
aristocracy'' and 'pusillanimous skinhints.''
Men misjudge the church because they do
not know it. Much Of the preaching of to-day
is too far heavenword for the workingman;
the high-hown music, with passages which
display the skill Of trained choirs and pro-
fessional singers, does not appeal to the
by this class of men is in the way Of amuse
ment. they watch the leader practice
desarte he cuts the air with his baton.
In the matter of remedy ought to re-
member that in trying to help men 1t can
best be done by replacing the things they
ought not to have with things they NAV have
salvation and upbuilding. 1t would seem suf-
fciently clear that our methods have been
are the sources OF power. We are concerned
not with aristocracies but with the people, and
when we say the people rule that ID ans that
mere numbers rule.
Religion energized and applied is the great
est uplifting power known among the ethical
and sociological influences Of modern life. Re-
ligion is to the modern malaria of city what
sunshine Is 70 the poisonous mists of marshes
Religion is more than an emotional, spiritual
matter It is also a cold-blooded civic propo-
sition based upon vital principles that count
for good citizenship.
After giving her valuable services
as general secretary to the Occidental
Board of the Presbyterian church for
fifteen years, Mrs. L. A Kelley has
resigned the position and was yester-
day elected vice president of the
organization.
The usual weekly meeting of the
Presbyterian Ministers Association
was held yesterday at Presbyterian
House. Sacramento street. A paper
on 1.-The Friendless" was read, and an
able plea for unfortunate humanity
made by the Rev. Edward A. Freden-
hagen. The same clergyman also
spoke before the Congregational Min
isters' Association.