The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-11-25
WILLIAMS CR|TIC|zEI::.s|i. 4.
ST e. !! Makes REPLY
LABOR COMMISSIONERS SAYS
CHURCHES ARE FOR THE RICH.
Rev. Charles Stelzle Says ;, Churches
Are Made Up Of the Poor People
Debate on Whether Christ Was a
Socialist and What Socialism Repre-
sents.

| SentS.
Rev. Charles Stelzle, fraternal dele
gate to the American Federation of
Labor meeting from the board Of home
missions of the Presbyterian church.
and himself especially working, to draw
church, takes exception to Mr.. Will.
iams' statements. He denies that the
rich run the churches, and asserts that
most church members are poor people
Mr.. Stelzle is even caustic in his crit
cism of the points made by Mr.. Will
Jams. He writes as follows:
"Do rich rascals run the church
Mr.. Williams seems to think so. As
a matter of fact there are more than
seventeen million Protestant church
members in this country. Of Roman
Catholics there are nine millions more.
Surely they are not all of the employ
wealthy.
"Sometimes the rich control the
churches in which they are in the ma
jority, or where they have been placed
in official position by the members of
the church, but it does not always fol-
low that because a man is rich he is
hard hearted and cruel. Furthermore,
the poor man who has the necessary
qualifications is usually given the
place he deserves in the church, be-
cause the church is as ready to avail
herself Of a, good man as is the mer-
chant and the manufacturer.
cit is admitted that some hard
hearted employers are in the church.
They have come in because Of the good
company they will get into. But they
are not the church. They are the
parasites in the church. they might
better be out Of it, so far as the good
they do is concerned. But some
body says, they are the men who sup
port the church This is not true. Our
churches and great charities are sup
small means.
"When rich man gives $4,000 to
a church the newspapers all over the
country advertise it, and the impress
sion has gotten out that the church is
supported mainly by $4,000 donations.
IF our ministers are not preaching
the things which Mr.. Williams de,
clares are being ignored, will he kind
ly tell US what he has heard them
! preach? There has rarely been time
in the history Of the church when the
call to service has been so clearly
sounded. And, there has rarely been
time when that call met with so
ready response. Worldwide missions,
which reach down to the lowest depths
OF sin and degradation, and lift up to
a place OF power and purity, stand as
a challenge to the critic of the church.
NO other organization is today doing
| more than the church in this direction.
The success of the labor movement
IS due to the fact that Christianity
blazed the way. It needed the mis-
sslonary OF the cross: it needed Chris
pare the foundation.
Mr.. Williams declares that Christ g
admonltlon to the rich young ruler to
sell all that thou hast. give it to the
poor, and follow me- applies to every
person who would become a. true fol-
lower of the meek and lowly Jesus. ,
TO come in the right spirit you must
come, poor in person, etc. he further
insists. He then adds that were a
doctrine he would lose his puipit in IN
less than a manth.
~ really believe that Mr. Williams
himself would be the first to declare
such preacher an unbalanced fanatic.
but did not Christ teach this doc
ttrine to the, churchg No; he taught
1T to single individual whose wealth
stood in the way of his following the
|
m,and! to- be observed by every would
be. Christian. The communism which
existed for brief period in the early
church was purely a voluntary ar
rangement. It did not apply to all
christians, nor to any Of them all the
time. There really is such a thing as
communism Of sense in the church
l. An Old Question.
3tIt is raising an old question to ask
if the workingman will be. welcomed
In the church. Professor Wycoff Of
Princeton university, who some wears
ago tramped it as workingman. tells
us that he was almost invariably given
hearty reception in the churches
which he attended. Last Sunday morn
be the wealthiest church in Minneap-
oils. Scattered turnout the audience.
and occupying some Of the best seats
recognized quite few delegates Who
are attending the convention of the
American Federation of Labor. -"
~ have observed that the preacher
who trims the truth does not long hold
the respect of his congregation,
whether they be rich or poor. Some
tempt to fire shot which is too big
down; His views are not wei BAL BAL
anced. He is weak in his general
makeup. And he goes down; not be-
cause he has fred the big shot-for
others have done it and brought down
the, enemy-but because he could not
make good on his general proposition.
He will then declare that he is down
and out because he dared to tell the
truth, when really, he lis out because
he could not tell enough truth. :, :,
| Christ a Socialist. - r.. :. r., j. ID.
'tMr. Williams tells us that Christ
was "a practical socialist It is
difficult to understand just what that
means, because the word socialism;
implies so. many things.
T. = Almost every social reformer
claims Jesus Christ as the champion of
his. particular social system, and he
criticizes the church because It does not
boldly proclaim his particular theory.
It has not yet been proven that any
particular social theory, in its prac-
teal application. will bring about the
Egolden age for which all good men are
longing Furthermore, the advocates
of these systems are not clear in their
own minds yas to Just what they want,
or how their schemes will work out.
Is it not folly, then, to ask the church