The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-09-02
TALK ON CHURCH
AND LAbORER
Rev. Charles McIntire Says
Christianity Is One of Three
Great Remedial Schemes.
LABOR SUNDAY RECOGNIZED
WORkINGMEN ENDORSE NEW
IDEA AND AID 1T.

Yesterday was Labor day Sunday at the
Presbyterian church in this and other cit
les. The pastors of the local Presbyterian
churches took up the question of the con-
nection between the church and the work
ingmen and discussed il in its various
phases AT the Westminster Presbyterian
chufch Rev Charles Curtis McIntire had
me Following, in part. to say on the
Church and the LabOrer."
he growing Importance of the place
OF the workingman in American society
is evidenced by several circumstances and
customs, national and local. of late but
by none more potently than the national
observance of Labor day. This day now
concerns all classes OF men. The capitalist
the educator, the business and educa-
uona1 men alike stop for q day to enter
into the interests of his brother, the wage
Garner, and trust more and more to
show the reality of the fundamental
principles of the essential brotherhood of
man.
THE Protestant church is becoming di-
rectly concerned with the conditions and
problems of the labOrer. The denomna-
ton TO which I belong two years ago
created new and separate division of
church activity called The Department
of Church and Labor, for the purpose of
making a systematic study of the labor
problem. In accord with this a new day,
Labor Day Sunday, has been included in
| the religious calendar. This new move
of the church has been strongly Endorsed
which recommended the central labor
bodies throughout the country to coop
crate with this department of the church
in order that the church and the public
at large might have a more intelligent
conception of the conditions and aspira-
lions of the workingman-
The church's Interest.
THE church is interested in the work
ingmen not because it might increase its
numbers for the mere show of growth
which statistics might indicate to the
outside world, such display would at best
be sham.
Nor is the church especially interested
in you because of self-defense. She en-
tertains no fear Of any social revolution
which shall overthrow her power or usurp
her rightful place in the moral and spfT-
itual forces of the world; she is linked
with an everlasting kingdom.
Nor is the church directly concerned
about you because OF self preservation.
True, there are not so many men in the
active work OF the church as we wish.
The fault is not with Christianity. 1t IS
in the church either in its failure to pro-
claim its distinctive message TO the WOrl
or in the unresponsiveness found in men.
Or the failure may be due to both the
church and the men, We want more men
in our churches. No man ever quite flnds
himself or is at his best until he Is ready
to go into the church The special ap-
peal to the workingman has its source
far deeper than any OF these Superflclal
reasons Christianity appeals to the
working man. Some Of her greatest lead
ers were day laborers. Christ was car
penter David a shepherd, Amos plow-
man, Peter q fisherman, Paul q tentma-
ker. And il is through the influence of
Christianity that the condition of the Ia
boring man today is superior to that OF
the ROYALTY of England 400 years ago.
Make him progressive, an indlVldual
thinker and q man who believes life is
worth while Yet conditions are by no
means ideal. There are three great soclai
| schemes to remedy present evil situations.
Socialism I'm its highest sense, embracing
| the collection of possessions, democracy
of the toilers and equality of opportunity,
is one Anarchism in its deepest slgIlIl-
| canoe is another.
without a change in heart and character
| of men each assume solidarity OF hu-
I man character which is as yet unat-
| tanned The third scheme or remedy 1or
| the social ills of today is that OF CHRIS
esTbe successor of Chief Arthur Of the
| brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers mas
/ said that the labor problem would never
| he settled until the principles that are
! taught by Jesus Christ are applied 10
/ human society. 49,, eooio+y
| Before you can have an ldeaI soe re-. J
| Won must have an ideal humanity. Inc
| 99mnbasis is in the character of the indl-
| vidual. -,-..--.-,,,, +o5av
| 'aTbe question of the workingman touay
/ &c that of religion. Let both the employer
| and the employed alike come into per
/ sonaI relation to Christ. the great cnar-
/ octer and let him infuse the dynamic
! 81 his life into their lives and the socia!
| ideal of the race will be realized.