The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-17
FAGNANI PLEkSES UNION MEN.
MAKES 4 CONFESSION IN BEHALF
or THE CHURCH.
II Has Said "a LabOring Men: he Content
with Your Wages'-It should Have
said. Insist on Higher Wages"-Wild
Applause Evoked From The Audience.

Theoloeioal Seminary. one of the speakers
at a semi-religious meeting presided over
by Bishop Henry G. Potter last night at
Association Hall, Fulton and Bond streets.
Brooklyn, aroused union labor men to wild
applause by telling them that the Church
should confess its sins against the laboring
man.
The Church was guilty C. reaching sub
mission. contentment and cheerfulness to
the laborinG man, said DIR. Fagnani, under
conditions which made it practically i'm
possible for him TO be submissive, con-
tented and cheerful.
1T has been too often the champion OF
the status quo" declared DR.. Fagnani.
~The Church has said to the laboring man:
BE content with your wages 1t should
have-said, Insist on higher wages!'
The demonstration evoked by DR.. Fag-
nani's speech was unusual and surprising
for an assemblage Of the kind. His hearers
broke into noisy applause at every sentence
or so, clapping their hands, crying That's
rightl' and ~Amenl' Bishop Potter. seated
near DR.. Fagnani on the stage. appeared to
be somewhat surprised, although no made
no common on the speech.
The meeting was held under the direction
OF the Brooklyn Central Labor Union and
there was a large attendance from the
organizations which make up the central
body. 1t was held for the purpose OF giving
ohurchmen and labor leaders an opportunity
Of exchanging views as TO the relations OF
the Church and labor. Bishop Potter
opened the meeting with a short talk on
the brotherhood Of man. He told a little
story on himself.
Il crossed the North River with a friend
- a. =, CnI,pnhfn CnIlaUa nrnfQaanr nnA
day. said the Bishop. I'VE were deep in
conversation and continued our ak when
we got in the depot at Jersey City. Finally
1 had to run for my train, and when I got
TO the steps Of my car, l was blocked by a
woman on the steps.
Madame said I, I wish you would
either go up or down.
BE you the conductor7' she said, calmly.
III you be, l think you air the sassiest con-
ductor l ever see.' Laughter and APP
plause.
THAT should be a parable for all Of u.s."
said the Bishop. Il was rebuked justly,
and / took the time to tell the woman that
I was in a great hurry, that I had to make
the train to keep an important engagement
and that l was truly sorry for having Of
Tended her.
Bishop Potter then introduced DR..
Fagnani, who Immediately reused the
union labor men to enthusiastic applause.
He said that since the Church was a firm
believer in confession il should confess its
sins against the laboring man. Humility
should be the fundamental characteristic
Of the Christian spirit, he thought.
THE Church." said DIR. Fagnani, has
been all too prone to give its attentions to
the affairs Of the other world, aud has not
had the time or the interest to investigate,
as they deserve to be investigated, the
conditions on this planet and the problems
OF this life. Applause and cries OF -Amen.l
~The Church." continued DIR. Fagnani,
-~<iss learning that heaven and hell can
take care OF themselves. ~lApplause.l The
Church oonfesses to the laboring mar that
1t has been guilty of despising and ignoring
the science which studies the laws Of this
planet. 1t must confess, next, that it has
laid too much stress on the soul and not
clapping.l The Church has despised the
body, but the old English version Of the
Bible has fortunately been changed where
it speaks Of our vile bodies Our bodies
are not vile. They are the most perfect
m~echanisms in the world, clean and beauti-
full. ~[Applause.l The Church has lauded
men who starved their bodies and inflicted
needless pain upon them, thus thinking to
ADVANCE the welfare OF IDo SOUL.
Food, ralment, shelter and cleanliness
are religious questions. questions in which
w~orkingmen are most Interested. DE
monstrative applause.l The Church con-
fesses 10 having preached to laboring men
the duty of submission, contentment and
cheerfulness under conditions which made
it practically impossible for them TO- be
submissive, contented and cheerful. Jap
plause and cries OF Amen" The Church
has said TO the laboring man, BE content
ruith pour xuaOaa , Uhan IN ahnuId hQ va
said, Strive for higher wages Applause
and numerous ~Amens."l
"The God OF the Church is the God OF
70 progress, of o~verturning and OF revolu-
ton. t~Applause.l The Church Is not in
sistent enough on brotherliness, n in
many instances does not recognize the
democratic idea Of its Leader as clearly as
the laboring man. Applause. The Church
repents in dust and ashes. She confesses
that she has too often prejudiced the labor
ing man against religion and Christianity
by claiming that her attitude is Identical
with Christ's So the Church stands humbly
before the laboring man, saying, 'Mea
culpa,. mea culpa, maxima culPa; vii
the laboring man give her absolutionP ]
think he will. Applause The Church
in its inception was a grand labor move
ment. 1t caught the souls of the hopeless
the needy and the oppressed. Few OF tht
mobiles or the aristoorats favored it,
There was another outburst of applause
when DR.. Fagnani finished his speech.
Then Bishop Potter introduced Frank A.
Foster, president of the Massachusetts
Federation of Labor, who spoke in place
of Samuel Gompers, who could not attend.
Mr.. Foster attacked the newspapers in
discriminatory "for printing" he said.
accounts of men numbering each other,
running away with each others wives and
other sensational and scandalous matters,
totally overlooking the beautiful relations
that obtain between men, Loud APP
plause.l
He said he thought there was necessity
for discomfort in these days n that nc
progress was ever made without discomfort
He said that the laboring men should de.
mand as a right more pay and shorter hourS
and remarked that the expert figures oil
conservative Institutions" like the life in.
surance companies laughter and APP
plausel nave shown hat laboring men die
seven or eight years before their time
simply because of the hardships that are
imposed upon them. He attacked thC
Church speaking generally for not takinG
a stronger stand against child labor ano
said that 1t was labor unionism and not the
Church that had accomplished reforms in
that direction.
Mr.. Foster said the were
giving the people false ideas about labor
unions, telling them that the unions were
made up Of thugs and highwaymen, when
as a matter Of fact labor unions, he thought,
were pure and perfect things. fTremen-