New-York tribune., 1906-07-21
TOTHE EDITOR
SOCIALISM AND CHRISTIANITY.
Sermon on the Mount Advocated as a Sub
stitute for Modern Communistic Teachings.

To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir; Ny esteemed friend. J. G. Phelps Stokes.
has felt constrained to leave the ranks in which
many OF US are fighting for the common veal and
has Joined the Socialists in order as he says. more
successfully combat the 'capitaIist systen' and
It's resulting 'inescapable wage slavery" Now
how. may ask IS socialism. as now outlined by
the ao,e00 Socialist voters OF this country. e,
socialism without Christ IN Ito bring about the
reforms that Mr. Stokes so honestly believes n
Josh Billings once said: Before YOU can have
an honest horse you must have an honest
human race" And this can only be brought about
by the teachings OF Christ Jesus which ara ap-
plicable. Is no other religion. 70 all races and
conditions OF men. and to the regulating OF all
social problems Of to-day. Socialism is. as I be-
Ieve. too thoroughly permeatsd with atheism ard
gross materalism 70 be OF lasting service for the
wise reconstruction OF social. economic conditions
IN this country As Dr. Sickle says. the leaders
or the worlds 100000 Of Socialists have admitted
socialism Is not ideal but only step in the right
dlrectloni and IL this be SO. I'VE have need 70
guide Us in this tangle OF greed, graft and lax
soc!a4 conscience than socialism has 10 oIerT
M. Dawson, IN his Study In National Eficlen-
cy, speaking OF all the wonderful. humane. Scian-
Tor the benefit OF her toiling masses says: The
Social Democratic party has opposed some Of thsse
content; the lives upon il; it IS the most i'm
portant element in the paFtys material"
New York have heard Socialists say theirs was a
class fight" and they were glad when monopoiies
ground the people the hardest. for then would
come more diScontent. more hatred. and then re-
volt, fierce and bitter Now ]. for one want none
or this, neither do purpose TO follow any such
lmpracucable and unEighteOuS ideaiisEn- have
my dreams. want 10 put them into action, but
not by the way OF indOrsing socialism but 6y
working for social betterEnenC through the many
varied instrumentalties and channels Of Christian
organizaSions already at work In the field The
ethics OF Jesus says the Rev ". D. p. Bliss.
10 lead to and require, not competition or COM
bination, but cooperation. slowly and practically
to be worked out in the lives Of all men Of the
Why. indeed. should we not follow the gospel OF
Christ, and not that OF either Adam Smith or
Rousseau? Lack Of space forbids q fuller discus
sion OF this question here. close with this:
want TO see the state control the greedy corpora
0ons II has made. and TO protect every person IN
his access to the opportunities he should by right
nave 70 the use Of natural resources. believe N
the public ownership OF public utilities. but also
believe that economics, common sense, history and
humanity all prove that the Sermon the Mount.
and not the tenets and vagaries OF socialism, is
the true guide by which are TO elevate the
conInonW,ealth and make more hopeful the lives
OF the roilinS masses OF our people
JOSIAH c. PUMPELIY.
Summit n. J.. July Is lsO6.