Perth Amboy evening news., 1905-09-05
LABOR TOPIC
FOR SERMON.
Rev. James NOrthrup Preached
on Interesting Sermon in
the Presbyterian Church.
THE RELIGIOUS FEATURE
General Movement in All Pres.
byterian Churches to Study
the Industrial Problems.

Presbyterian church at the recent
meeting at Winona Lake, Indiana, a
resolution was unanimously adopted
recommending that the Presbyterian
Home Mission Committee appoint
subcommittee for the purpose oi
making systematic study 6f the
labor problem in their respective To-
: calities.
-, Rev. James Northrup preached a
'EahpT Day sermon to large con-
gregatidnSin the Presbyterian church
Sunday Night.
About 500 pafnphlets had been dis
tributed among the factories and at
all places where laborers congregate
and hearty invitation extended to
the workingman and worllingwoman
to attended the service.
Following are extracts from Mr..
Northrup's sermon:
Workingmen ought to find the
general assembly resolution pleasant
reading. 1t may seem :, tardy recog-
milton of the importance of the labor
question, but it (tbe Presbyterian
is the first denomination to show It's
interest by organizing q department
of church and labor. think we may
congratulate ourselves that we live
in a time when and at n place where
one of the greatest problems of the
human race is to be seen on sucn a
large scale. Perth Amboy is destined
to see the greatest movements of
notNifol ond nnnr q upnnd SPl1n
This is stragetic point and our
influence will tell nightly upon the
whole problem.
Equality of opportunity is not
simply ground floor. it is the great
est sky-scraper yet, but the elevator
is running night and day and goes
from the bottom to the very top and
stops at every floor and the elevator
man has no favorites."
In regard to unions and strikes
Mr.. Northrup said:
"If the officers (of a combine)
cannot employ whom they please,
they are no longer in entire control
of their own business.
Capital says that it's proposition
rs tDSOlulCly llSHI bItiI IliC Cplt-
Trajectory or labor proposition is
relatively right so far as it does not
interfere with the inalienable right
of private capital enterprise. When
the principal of unionism comes in
conflict with individual liberty then
it must surrender.
1.-THE first of the resolution means
means an industrial civil war.
"What the law cannot do, in that
it is weak with contradition, relig-
ion, love can do Religion comes in
to help the state where her theories
nullify each other. Take anarchy,
for example The state is helpless
before men that are willing to take
the extreme penalty for their crime,
who reckon cody before the deed
and die willingly aftcrward What
can law and police do with such men
They can be held in check only by
the religious emotions and convic-
tions in the heart.
MANY an enthusiastic union man
has thought he ought to do violence
to non-union man that has taken
his place or, at any rate, intiridate
him or even destroy property of 9th
ers for the sake of the cause that he
felt was altogether right, and many
an employer has felt so confident of
the justice of his opinion that he
has used that stubborn ultimatum
Nothing to arbitrate,' and wanted
the militia to do violence to the
strikers or at any rate to intimidate
them.
"The moral side of the question is
more apparent at this point. Religion
ought to teach man that humanely
constructed statements are not alb
solute principles. Religion should
control the spirit of both sides; relig-
ion should urge arbitration. But
religion should not undertake to set
tie the economic question but rather
distinguish her sphere and speak au-
thoritively there, leaving the econom-
ic problem to economists to solve in
the spirit of religion. AS one man
but not butt in.
President ROoSeVelt, III the coal
strike, played distinctively relig-
ious role. He did not undertake to
solve the industrial and economic
problem, but he brought the two
sides together and induced them to
arbitrate.
And his even more brilliant action in
a different sphere in bringing the
Russo-Japanese war to close was
essentially a religious role. He has
become the great peacemaker. The
church should be more alert in per-
forming this function.
"Workingnlen make the most OF
your Sunday! And at this point you
are shoulder to shoulder with the
church. in favor of sabbath of rest
FigHt hafd for one day in seven: and
If that III 10 be of most good tofyou II
must be the same day for all lem