The wageworker. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1904-????, 1905-06-23
THE RELATION BETWEEN THE
CHRISTIAN CHURCH AND THE
CAUSE OF LABOR

There is no doubt but what there
are men in the Christian church who
have too little sympathy with men of
toll. There is also no doubt that there
are laboring men who are very in
different toward the Christian church.
But my acquaintance with the
church and with laboring men induces
"estrangement" between the two is
blind and foolish error which ema-
mates from a few conspicuous church
men who are unsympathetic toward
! the men of toll and a few Materials
IT, men who have become bitter to-
ward organized Christianity.
Certain l am that the idea that the
Christian church is, on its side, eS-
tranged from the wOrkingmen does
that organization preca wrong. The
, Christian ministers especially are, al
most to man, in deep sympathy
! with men OF labor. If it happens that
| minister of the gospel unhesitatingly
! tries to shield organized labor against
, errors of judgment, 1T is evidence OF
the depth and thoughtfulness OF his
sympathy.
How can Christian ministers be
other than sympathetic? Nearly all
of them are the sons of workingmen.
Almost to a man they have gained
their education, and made their way
into their calling by the work of their
hands. They live in recollection of
hard boyhoods in wOrkingmen's
homes, of poverty and hardship be-
cause of the insufficient recompense
of their fathers toll to meet the needs
of huma-l life.
Their present condition in life is
that of the workingman. and the act
ual figures today show that the aver
age salaries of ministers are consid-
workmen.
How can the Christian church do
other than commit itself to the moral
cause of labor? It's founder and lead
ing personality was a carpenter and
the son of a carpenter; its great crea-
tive apostle and preacher was tent
maker; it's first disciples were the
fishermen of Galilee and the slaves
of Caesars household. It's origin thus
commits it to the workingman.
So does it's platform of principles
enunciated by it's supreme personality.
The articles of that platform are the
love of God and the love of neighbor
as of self; the fatherhood of God and
the brotherhood of man. Its rule is
not the rule of gold, but the Golden
Rule. Thus in it's ideal the Christian
church is committed to Christ, and
Christ commits it irrevocably to hui
manity.
How about it's constituency? The
idea that it is composed of ruthless
capitalists is wrong. 1t is so demo-
cratic and it's door opens so widely
that such do gain an entrance, but its
rank and file are the successors of
the carpenter, the fishermen and the
tentmaker.
My own particular church has in
it's membership only about half a
dozen employers of labor; the rest
are men and women of toll. Upon the
standing committee of that church sit
together in loving fraternity the con-
siderable employer of labor and the
labor man.
The churches of today, at least most
of the churches of today, are trying
to do more than express the ideal in
words. It's social conscience is rap
idly developing. 1t is a. rare pulpit
now that simply points men to far
off heaven for the alienation of hui
man ills.
1t recognizes the close relation be-
tween physical and spiritual better
ment; it recognizes the need of sufi-
cient wages and larger time, that men
may be permitted to seek the uplifting
of their intellectual, moral and spirit
ual natures. The finest gift to our
democracy was the bequest of the
Christian church. 1t is the public
school that today improves the con-
dition of the son above that of the
father-that public school which was
instituted by the Congregational
church of New England.
When all has been said, it is still
true that the church has not always
reached it's ideals. That is. in part,
because it's ideals are high. If it has
been neglectful in it's obligation to-
ward the workingman, let him not
separate himself from it in bitterness;
let him join it's fellowship and re-
store it to it's rightful sense of human
needs. The social aims of the labor
union and the church are one, if both
are dominated by high ideal of
manhood.
There is a magnificent chance for
church and union to work together in
the name of Christ, the love of God
and the brotherly service of men. The
church and the laboring men, in the
plan and thought of the Infinite, are
one. No man can do a greater injury
to humanity than to seek to rend
asunder what God and Christ have
thus joined together. Christ said of
such man: ut were better for
him that milestone were hanged
about his neck and he were cast into
the depths of the sea-
In this whole social situation the
Christian church and the men of la
Dor must stand together or both will
fall If the church loses it's sense of
humanity it goes down, for humanity
without religion would be better than
religion without humanity. If the