The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1907-11-14
QUITS HIS PULPIT
TO Be A SOCIALIST.
REV. HARVEY DEE BROWN, KENO.
SHA, LEAVES BAPTIST MIN
ISTRY WORK.
FORMER MILWAUKEE MAN
Scores Church in Farewell Sermon for
Its Inactivity IN Teaching Faith
Among Wo'kingmen.

kENOSHA, Wis, Nov. Ill Spe-
cial. REV. Harvey Dee Brown, Phi. D.,
for the last three years pastor of the
First Baptist church in this city, in his
pulpit yesterday announced that he had
become IA convert to Socialism and that
in consideration of his new belief he
had thought it necessary for him to
sever his connection with the ministry
which he had served for fifteen years.
DR.. Brown gave Il remarkable state
ment in which he ararigned the church
for its inactivity in teaching the Christ
life among the laboring people and de-
cIared that TO him George ID. Heron
was man of divine inspiration.
Dr. P"own was former pastor of a
Milwaukee church.
Pastor Arraigns Church.
The reason why the church has lost
power to help and inspire the Masses
said Rev. Brown, lis that it has never
mastered the principles of economic jus
tee ana undertaken the establishment of
that justice in life When conventional
Christianity does undertake to deal with
the economic life of men, it does SO
rom point of view which is unethical
and unchIlstIan, not TO say athelstlc. 1t
speaks from a point of view of a belief
III justliiabic individual selhshnesS-a
JuStlhabie control OF one man by another
through economic power; JustlhaDc
sur.cIt OF plenty on the part of a few
ana on poverty and need on the part OF
many; JuStihable taking from labor
ri as large a share of its product as
economic power can grasp; Jusuhable
progress based upon the destruction OF
amman lie upon child labor, ano com
merclal WARS, a Jusuhahle >aburdu auon
Ji the spiritual To- the matcrial-u short
It speaks as believing in Il JUStiuabie
social denial of what Jesus taught III
The Sermon ON the Auuut and reversal
III one pt the ruling principles OF MS
Ate-thc love of neighbOr as ones self.
Sjin Believes in Christ.
1T Is not 4 lack of nor hostility to
religion. itS,lf--the real religion of
Jesus spirit aud couScIuUsuess-Wh lch IS
turning the working class from the
church. it is the old and morally out
Grown indivduaIistlc world assumptions
udcr which the church without rCaiA-
ng its biiuuuesS is seeking to teach rem
-.uu Let her teach the spirit and hero
.sm aud love OF Jesus under the new
World-Conceptions Of the Socialist mind
# the working class ana her power VIII
,etun.
The vision Of the need of the social
md economic world and the failure OF
,Ur conventional religion TO touch the
problem las come to he Il permanent
conviction OF my Afe. / believe fully in
me spiritual and moral realities of life
IS seen in their highest in Jesus Christ.
ANA because | do believe SO strongly IN
them. | cannot believe that there is any
ching permanent in the principles which
dominate our common economic life. l
would withdraw none Of the things which
| have been trying to establish IN the
lives Of those to whom it has been my
good fortune and happiness to minister
Turing the last fifteen years, l shall
always he lHboring, according to my
light. to establish these things, though it
he by other and newer ways. Any move
ucut anon" men which harhors the de-
Iihoratc purpose of bringing the economic
world to n new birth Of justice and equal
opportunity seems to me to be more d.
rrcrly doing the work OF humanity and
If Christ.
Il am uncertain what opportunity or
form of public service may open to me in
aiyidually. but Of this | am resolved:
that will accept work of no people rs
unto whom ! may not express
my full heart and hopes being true to my
mind and soul rs to God