The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-04-27
NOT BY BREAD ALONE;
REV. CHARLES STELzLE
Economic Question Not the
Only One to Determine
Human Destiny.

The economic Interpretation of his
tory completely satisfies the, man
whose God is his belly" and who has
forgotten. that Christ once said to. the
tempter, Man does not live by bread
alone"
It is unquestionably true that history
has been greatly infpenced by econ
onaic considerations, especially during
the earlier periods when almost the
only occupation Of man was that that
of getting a living. To- large ex-
tent, that is the chief occupation of
multitudes today. But there are few
who would admit that life means to
them nothing more than this. If all
that men had to live for were the
securing Of enough meat to keep body
and soul together, and a house in
which to shelter the body, this would
be a sad, sorry world, and it might be
better to permit the soul to depart.
Important as the economic influence
may be, there are other and still more
important forces in life which deter
mine the destiny of the human race.
The Great Teacher once asked, us
not the life more than meat. and the
body than raiment?" These meat and
raiment-are simply a means to an
end, and not an end in themselves.
Men desire economic goods for the
sake of life, not life for the sake of
the means Of life. Men have hequent-
ly sacrificed their economic interests
because Of the great passions. Wars
have been waged, which, while they
may have had an economic origin,
were really concerned about other is
sues, some of which were worthy, but
many Of which were not. The history
of religion cannot be explained by
economic principles. The story of con-
quest has not always had a materialis-
tic basis Morals and ethics have had
much to do with the rise and fall of
nations. One can see this fact being
worked out in the nations Of our own
generation. The economic interpreted
ton Of history explains many OF the
phenomena in the life Of mankind, but
it is by no means an all inclusive inter-
probation There are so many factors
in human nature which are left out
of consideration in such an interpreted
ton, that it cannot be accepted as a
basis upon which to prophecy the ulti-
mate destiny of human society.
Much less is it safe to make the
deduction that a certain economic the
DRY, as yet untried, will meet all the
needs Of metaphysical, social and
religious-when even its value as an
economic system is disputed. If it
were true that the Interpretation Of
history is economic, it by no means
follows that the future must be based
upon the same factors which governed
the past. New and unknown quantities
are constantly being introduced, which
are surely determining the character
of the days to come There is no
mountain peak which, climbing, gives
us an outlook as to where we are
marching. That we are making pro-
gress no one will dispute. And to in
sist, after a very superficial study,
upon the introduction of an artificial
and an unnatural social and economic
system-that or no other-may hinder
the forward movement of all humanity.
Far better is it to take advantage Of
every opportunity which presents it.
self, to improve the human race, leav-
ing the matter of the final system or
systems to care for themselves. For,
as we prepare men for that milleniel
dawn, the sooner will Its glow be seen
upon the horizon.