The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1905-05-05
WHAT THE MINISTERS SAY

aims and methods. The minister be-
lieves that ideals are more important
than statutes; he believes that right
motives and helpful impulses are all
important in life. The working men
are seeking to bring about better con-
ditions for their wives and children,
| they are planning to make it possible
| for every person to have a true in
the ministry has dealt too exclusive
| ly with ideals and motives; it may
be that the ministers have not always
been interested in the realization of
these ideals and the actualizing of
these motives. And it may be that
the workingmen have some times In.
terpreted progress too much in terms
OF personal and material good; it may
be that they have not given full con-
sideration to the larger interests of
man and the higher welfare of socie-
ty. The workingmen need the ideal
element in life, that they may know
how to measure progress. And the
Christian minister needs to remember
that every effort in behalf of human
improvement is the translation into
deed of some article Of the Chris.
tian faith. This closer affiliation of
ministers and workingmen ought to
mean more real religion and a more
ideal working life.
And last of all this interchange of
ideas ought to mean more sympa-
thetic cooperation on the part of all
right thinking people. Too long, I
fear, the. churches have stood aloof
from the people; too long they have
been Indifferent to the aspirations of
men after larger freedom and a
truer life; too long they have allowed
themselves to be used by men of the
wealth-possessing and power-holding
class against the poor and more de-
pendent classes. This has been de-
nial of their divine Lord and a crime
against humanity. And 1 for one
have no desire to excuse or deny
the charge of delinquency that may
be filed. But this state of things is
forever passing away, and it has
largely passed in this country. And
too long the workingmen have failed
to distinguish between the religion OF
Christ and the religion of the church \
es; too often they have indulged in
indiscriminate and wholesale denun-
citation of all ministers; too often they
have made light of the religious hopes
and aspirations of men and have
treated these as empty sentiments.
For myself l have no use for rel
ligion that does not stir a man to
more heroic efforts in behalf of his
less privileged brothers. For myself |
have little hope of great success in |
any movement that is not motived |
and inspired by the vision of the ideal
and the higher interests of man. That |
is, a real religion is social in it's scope
and sphere and real reform is re-
ligious in it's ideals and aims.
Thus out of this affiliation of min |
listers and workingmen there should |
come a better understanding of one
another's aims and purposes. There |
should be more real and manly re-
spect for one another's thought and
plans. There should be unfolded as |
time goes by many project for the |
betterment of the community in its |
educational. its Industrial, it's social,
it's political, it's religious life. There |
should be less friction in the social |
world between employers and en-
ployes, for the ministers who are in |
a position to understand the demands
OF all parties, may be enabled to act |
as mediators in many labor disputes |
And there should be growing sense
OF human brotherhood as men learn
to respect the simple manhood in one
another and to take thought for the |
things of social peace.
This action OF the Central Labor
Union and the Minister'S Association
will, l believe, in the years to come
appear as one OF the most significant
events in our city's life. AS one who
has long been in fullest sympathy with
working men in their efforts to ele-
vate labor and to create better condi-
tions in society, 1 rejoice in this
promise of the coming day of human
brotherhood. Yours most sincerely,
SAMUEL Y. BATTEN.