The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-09-02
RELATIONSHIP OF LABOR TO
THE CHURCH-REv. MR.. CHAPMAN.

The relationship between the great mass
of laboring people and the church was
the subject of a special sermon last night
by the Rev. William Young Chapman, in
the Roseyille Presbyterian Church. The
church was crowded with returned vaca-
~tionists, whose bronzed faces were In
striking contrast with the summer gowns.
The text of the sermon was from Eccle-
siastes $50, What profit hath he that work
eth in that wherein he laboreth? ?" Several
delegations from labor organizations were
present.
THE first thing to be fairly and fully
realized and acknowledged is that there
is a disagreement, at least a dissatisfac-
ton on the part Of labor toward the
church." said the minister. THE
great mass of laborlng men are
not in the church, and there is a pro-
nounced sentiment. amounting even to
hatred, on the part Of many leaders OF
thought in labor circles. This fact is
obvious enough in the concern of the
church itself. Such topics as How snail
the Church Reach the Masses" and How
to Win the Laboring Glass to the
Church.. and the fact that there has been
organized a department In the church con-
corning this matter, are proofs enough that
the church Is conscious OF some degree or
failure"
The pastor continued: 80 here we
are today. in the language of the
street, up against It, Labor has
got Itself together on one size anu has w
veloped an Immense amount of self-con-
seriousness, has become awake to Its con-
dition and its rights, and has set about
with its hard, strong hands TO secure what
it believes Is its own, and has come to the
conclusion that the church Is at least not
in hearty sympathy with 1t. That thought
being entertained, however, rightly OF
wrongly, has developed into an animus
which at times amounts to virulence.
'There are thousands of churches In
country districts and many in cities COM
posed almost entirely of working people,
and to such this criticism must seem quite
~unfounded. But we can easily think OF
churches that co seem to justify this opln-
ion. Think of a church, for example,
located in a fashionable metropolitan dis
trict attended for a few weeks during the
winter months by a small company OF
fashionable people who spend their tine
and their great wealth in seeking their own
pleasure or comforts. Such a CHURCH IS
not likely to appeal to the son OF
toll. 1t Is perfectly obvious TO us tnat
this sort of church is not the prevailing
sort, and yet they are generally dominated
by that class of men with which labor Is
more Immediately concerned. the capital,
istie class. The question OF atain deu
positive opinions. 1t Is the magnate's
church and the magnate spirit in many
churches that has caused this prejudice.
faults. 1t is perhaps only natural
that. on account of the immense cost of
maintaining n modern church, the rich
man is specially welcome, and not too
many questions are asked. Let-us con-
fess that perhaps sometimes the man or
toll whose contributions to the church must
be small. is not so likely to get the glad
hand" Let us be ashamed of every In
stance of class distinction In the church.
1--WE must honestly confess that labor has
a grievance; that there is some reason for
prejudice. and even some excuse for SEEM
ing severity. When labor looks at the
vast accumulation of wealth In piles, and
sees and reads of the reckless indulgence
In Injuries which are made possible by his
hand and incessant toll, ] say as least he
would not he human II labor did not raise
the question of the text, What profit hath
he that worketh in that wherein he labor
eth?'"