The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-07
Tho Church and labor.


The publioprominenco to which women
have attained at this time was illustrated
last Tuesday evening by the appearance
Of three women as speakers at dinner Of
an association Of the very conservative
Episcopal Church. One OF them may be
said TO have been the chief speaker OF
the evening, though distinguished &C.
clesiastics OF that Church we're among
the orators.
This association, composed Of Eplsoo-
pal clergy and laity, Is for the advance
ment Of the interests Of labor and the
principles on which it is founded arc
thus stated in It's constitution:
Lns Of the essence Of the teachings Of JEsuS
cHRnr that GoD IL the Father Of al men. and that
eli men are brother.
-. GOD u the sole po0saSoT OF the earth and ita
fulnets. Man Il but the steward Of GODS bounues.
-. Labor being the exercise OF body. mind and
spirit In the broadening and elsvatlng Of human
NE II is the duty Of every man 20 labor diligently.
- Labor. as thus deemed. should be the standard
Of social worth.
- Wien the divtnely Intended opportunity 70
labor Is given 70 ell men. one great cause Of the
present widespread suffering and desutuuon will
Be removed
The Importance Of the association IN
the Episcopal Church is indicated by the
circumstance that about eighty Bishops
are among ito vice-presidents; but It
seems to derive It's impulse mainly from
feminine devotion and enthusiasm. The
secretary and organizer is a woman,
and on her seems to rest the main burden
Of pushing forward the enterprise. She
has a woman assistant who also Is fore
most In propagandist activity, and in
the executive and other committees are
eight other women.
The secretary, Miss KEYsER, reports
In the last number of the published organ
Of the association the incidents and re-
suits Of her trips through the Union TO
stir up interest in its mission. She has
delivered speeches on the subject in
many cities, with the countenance and
hearty encouragement Of Bishops and
other clergy. For example, she spoke
at a parish house In Chicago, and after
the Sunday evening service In a church
at st. Louis. At q meeting OF the Epis-
copal clergy Of the latter town over
which Bishop FUTILE presided she had
"a cordial welcome and aroused their
interest In the enterprise 20 which che
Is 80 ardently devoted She was also
cordially received at a meeting Of the
St. Louis Trade and Labor Union, was
given the platform and had among her
hearers Mother JONES, 90 conspicuous
in the Pennsylvania coal strike. So far
as we can discover from the organ Of
the association, Miss KETsER is the fore
most agent Of the enterprise In stirring
up clerical and lay interest In It's purposes
and in organizing 'workerS' OF all kinds
In accordance with its principles.
The call for the third annual conven-
ton Of the association, 10 be held In
Boston this week, is signed by two
women and two men, and at II capital
and organized labor, employers and
employees, will meet for the amicable
discussion Of all great industrial ques-
tons This week, also, the Church
! Congress Of the Episcopal Church will be
held in Brooklyn, and doubtless cognate
themes will there come under discussion,
though among the speakers announced
we see the names OF no women.
The organization Of an association
especially 70 further the interests Of labor
and the assignment Of the foremost part
in IL TO women are in fulflment Of the
purpose Of the Episcopal Church TO draw
% it the sympathy OF wage-earning
people. The inference 80 often made
that that Church is more peculiarly
attractive to the rich and fashionable
part Of society is much resented by it,
and with reason; for there is no other
which is more distinguished for be-
nevolent and philanthropio activities.
The machinery for that purpose in every
considerable parish in New York is great
and costly, and the efforts made to draw
in the less prosperous people Of the town
seem 10 have had a very considerable
measure Of success. At any rate, Of the
Churches outside OF the Roman Catho.
lie communion, the Episcopal is now
making the greatest gain. It's present
number Of communicates, about 90, OOO
is equal 10 more than a quarter OF
the whole Protestant church mem
bership in New York; yet 40 lately
as Tuesday an Episcopal clergyman,
preaching at Philadelphia, accused Epis-
oopal churches Of neglecting the poor
and thus broadening the breach between
them and organized Christianity. Prob
ably here in New York, however, the
aversion Of the poor 10 the Church, 90
far as It exists, and 10 the Episcopal
Church in particular, lie due to other
causes than such negleot-on the one
hand 10 religious indifference, and on
the other, 90 far as the Protestant
churches are concerned, 70 the pre-
pOnderance Of Roman Catholics in the
accessions - ohFistiahs to~the Popula-
tiop by Immigration and Of Jews apOpR