Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1905-08-12
RELIGION AND LABOR.

our attention has been called 10 de-
cson made by Judge Byington in the
district court at Iowa City, In refer
ence to the alleged Illegal exercise OF
the rights OF a benevolent institution.
The Amana society is corporation
which owns immense interests, chiefly
farm lands and factories II ls said 10
he the largest communlstic organization
IN existence, An action was brought to
dissolve the corporation on the ground
that the society exceeded It's rights, IN
owning and operating these interests,
as Il Is an institution for benevolent
purposes. The Judge dismissed the
action, much TO the chagrln OF the In
dlvlduals who endeavored to wreck the
society on the grounds mentioned.
The connection Of religious organiza-
TONS with secular affairs, particularly
relating to the labor question, and the
employment OF manual wage-earners
has been under consideration recently
by the Congregational church In Wis
oonsn, The National Council OF that
church year ago appointed commit
tee OF Ave 10 examine into the ques-
ton Of the union labor problem. and
they have recently made report,
From this It appears that the number
Of manual wage earners that U.s. me-
ohanics, mill and shop operatives, and
unskllled laborers In the various Pro-
testant churches Is very small, and as
growing smaller. In their concluding
recommendations the committee say;
"Recognlzng that the need and the
right to work are fundamental in hui
man society, and that much remains to
be done 70 establish Just relationships
I'm the Industrial order, we urge our
churches TO take a deeper interest in
the labor question and to get a more In
telligont understanding Of the aims OF
organized labor"
From the foregoing II appears that
there are other religious societies be-
sides the Church Of Jesus Christ OF Lat
ter-day Saints. that recognize a close
relation between religion and labor;
between the life present and the life to
come, Man. ordinarily speaking, must
work IN order to live, and It Is part OF
real religion to show him how TO live
and therefore how to labor Morality
and industry are closely associated. The
industrious are rarely criminal 1t is
the idler who tries to live on the toll
OF others, and who will steal when he
cannot successfully beg,
True religion inculcates our duty to
God in the present, and that embraces
things temporal as we'll as things spir-
itual The notion that religion consists
entirely OF devotional sentiment and
exercises. the culture and development
OF spiritual feeling apart from life du-
ties. labors. and enterprises and from
that which relates 10 the body and
earthly affairs, is different entirely
from the religion Of the Bible. Il II
neither Jewish nor Christian, II Is not
drawn from the old Testament or the
New II Is a philosophical heresy and
It has driven from the churches hosts
of common, working people who need
instruction IN matters 81 daily lie and
present conditions and those things
that affect the material as well as the
spiritual nature OF man.
Secular law, we believe, viii recognize
the right Of religious and benevolent
institutions 10 engage In such enter.
prises and pursuits as viii be for The
temporal benefit Of their adherents, az
well as to preach and sing and pray
and talk about the life 10 come The
future will surely be the outcome OF the
present and rs fruits win be those thai
grow from the planting Of today A re-
llgion that does not affect the body as
well as the spirit Of man lie luapplca.
bic TO time and belongs only to eternity
True religion will take men and womer
aud children as they are, and direc
them IN al things that pertain TO Their
welfare IN this world aa well as IN On,
world TO come.