The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1906-04-28
MANY PREACHERS HAVE
INTEREST IN UNIONS
Over 100 Uergymen Are Fra
ternal Delegates To Central
Labor Unions.
Rev. Chas. Stelzle Defines DUTY
and Privilege of Preacher
In Movement.
(5y the Rev. Charles Steizle,)

10y Sno nov. O0aTieS StolZte.)
Chicago, April 26.-There are about
one hundred of them. in as many cities
earnest ministers Of the Gospel, who
are serving in this capacity.
Among the first to be appointed was
the Rev. Warren H. Wilson, of Brook
lyn, N. Y, who for something like a
year and half has been attending the
meetings Of the Central Labor union
in this city.
Sometime ago I asked him to tell
me what he considers the function Of
the fraternal delegate. In part he ans
wered me as follows:
THE delegate cannot by reason of
his membership In a union maize con-
verts. This is out of the question.
He is Of course not restrained from it;
but he is not in any way assisted to
1t by his place as a fraternal delegate.
What he can do is to express to labor
ing men, in their general parliament
Of labor in this locality the brother
ly interest in their problem felt by the
religious body which he represents.
This service is most important; for the
time has come when bodies Of men act
Independently of one another, and the
community has no longer one forum.
Men who are neighbors in person are
strangers in reality. Bodies of men
come to have group-opinions of one
another. II is the business Of the fra
ternal delegate to cultivate among
laboring men a cordial opinion of the
church.
"His presence in the union is also a
sort of publicity. He becomes a party
to what Is done; and serious thought
full leaders Of organized labor welcome
him, because his presence In their de-
liberations is an assurance to the pub
lie that things are not being planned
which are unworthy.
He should make 1t his practice to
speak we'll also Of the union, If it is
deserving Of praise and Of it's leaders;
and they will be found to be men, In
most places, better than the public
estimates Of them. So rar as he finds
a serious purpose among them, he
should give it credit in public utter
ance and in writing He should not
hesitate in the meetings Of the union to
protest, remembering the courtesies of
his position. against prop that are
unworthy. IS A
q wiln
always receive attention; and his fel-3
low workers in the union will be none
the worse for the knowledge of the ac-
tiVlties Of an earnest minister of re-
ligion.
"The central labor union is the labor
ing mans forum for the discussion Of
the interests of the poor. 1t corre-
spends to the charity gatherings Of the
rich and well-to-do; at which the same
interests are discussed, or at least the
state of the same people. Only in the
two cases the measures differ. Or
ganized labor would ameliorate the
condition, of the poor by enabling them
to attain a state of self-rescpecting
relf-support. Associated charity is the
way Of the rich, the employing class,
for the release of the problem of pow
erty. The labor union strives for the
solution OF that problem.
There is as much religion in one as
in the other. It is we'll for the meetings
Of charitible assemblies that the rep
resentatives of Christianity be pres
ent; and it is we'll that they be pres
ent at meetings of labor. It is a rare
opportunity to have five minutes a
week, in which to address men capable
of leadership, Of high devotion to i'm
material ideals, of faith or atheism,
Of intellectual and social leadership.
Few ministers address such a selected
audience.
"These central labor unions are to
their members meetings Of almost
religious value. They express the
idealism, the chivalry and the passion
of the present industrial contest. That
contest will be settled Alright only in
obedience to the true principles of the
religion of Jesus Christ"