The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-01-26
Mr.. Thayer Hands CIergymen
His Much Mooted Question.
DISCUSSION is INTERESTING.
chow Can our Competitive Business
System Be ReconsiIed With the
Teachings of Jesus?"

GLOW Can Our Competitive Business
System Be Reconcilcd With the Teach
ings of jesus"
This question, which has agitated the
mind of Mr.. Thayer, a local socialist,
was discussed by the Mankato Minis
terial association at the meeting Mon
day This question was once given
ventilation before a public meeting, sew
eral well known business men participat-
ing in the discussion, but the outcome
did not please Mr.. Thayer, so he put it
up to the clergymen to answer the
query.
Mr.. Thayer opened the argument bat
terry by declaring that religion is it.
self one of the greatest of our business
institutions, and il is conducted like all
other business institutions. All business
is competitive, and therefore necessar-
lily covetous. The great enemy of re-
ligion-he owned the whole world in the
time of Christ; he is the ruler of the
business world; he is the God of this
world who has blinded the business
world; he is transformed into an angel
of light, and he is deceiving all but the
elect; he is making the business men
believe they are Christians, when they
are not Those who constitute and sup
port our competitive system are the chill
dren of disobedience. The preachers and
teachers of the country are not teach
ing all the commandments of Christ;
hence they are also the children of dis
obedience.
POked Sunday Some.
Sunday and the other preachers do
not teach men to love their neighbor
as self; to forgive The debtors debt; to
sell all and give 1t to the poor. Sunday
does not demand these of his converts;
yet, if they do not do this, they will 60
to Sundays hell; but. under our present
system, no man can obey these COM
mandments. God wants his will and
purpose of love done down here Sunday
and the preachers say believer Jesus
says obey Here again satan has de-
ceived the world. Will we submit to
this tyranny of satan, or will we adopt
a system by which men can obey Christ?
Will anyone say that our business is
based upon the law of love? The bust
ness world has no promise in the Chris
settle these matters, if we do not settle
them now. The reason our church pews
are empty is that we are not preach
ing the gospel of love-"
Rev. Heermance of the Congregational
church was impressed with the profound
ness of the question, and it is one which
ought to be discussed. 1t ought to be
settled in the light of the teaching and
spirit of Jesus. He denied fatty Mr..
Thayer's contention, and affirmed that
one MAY be successful business man
and be a Christian. He also criticised
Mr.. Thayer's literal Interpretation of
some of the sayings of Jesus.
The Aim of Jesus
"Jesus did not aim to reform the bust
ness system. His purpose was to put
a new spirit in men, and through this
to correct what needs correction in our
social institutions. He did not legislate
on social questions. Jesus great inter
est was in character; this private owner
ship of property will promote" declared
Rev. Heermance.
Rev. +. M. Martinson of the Baptist
church maintained that call business
men are not children of disobedience.
Many business men manage their bust
ness on Christian principles. All bust
ness is not covetousness. All things de-
pend upon the spirit of the man and
not of the system.P
A. C. Gran endorsed Mr. Heermance's
views, and believed all wrong will be
corrected by men of the right spirit.
Should Be More Chummy.
At this point Mr.. Thayer said that
1.-THE laborer is neighbor of the capt.
talist, but is he treated as such? Our
competitive system is out of date"
Rev. e. A. Orr agreed substantially
with Mr.. Heermance's criticism, but
went on to say that s'our social insti
buttons, including religious institutions,
are only relatively perfect. For example.
denominational Christianity is natural
and necessary phase of the development
of the Christian church, but it is not an
eternal phase. 1t is already back num-
Der, and we are praying for something
better. Our present commercial system
is very imperfect. 1t is utterly selfish
and unchristian in spirit, but Mr.. Thay-
er's use of the Scriptures is antiquated,
and his claim that one cannot be a.
Christian under our business system is