Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-30
WORK OF THE CHURCH
ITS RELATION TO LABOR UNIONS
DEFINED

Rev. DIR. John Lee Allison preached a SER
mon yesterday evening in the Gunton-Tem-
pie Memorial Presbyterian Church the
subject of the relation of the church to
labor unions and took as ll.s text Proverbs,
xxii:2
He said IN part:
THE place of the church in relation to all
social and economic questions is well de-
fined, While its duty is to bear witness to
the truth and declare the message of the
gospel as the fundamental law of human
society, it must ever be found in the fore
front of the battle for social Righteousness.
1t must find that its duty is to transform
this world into the kingdom of heaven and
realize the fatherhood of God and the
brotherhood of man.
The relation. then, of the church to the
labor-union movement becomes a vital queS-
ton, for labor in its organized capacity has
much In common with the church in improv-
ing the condition of the toiling masses.
Some labor writers are inclined to look
upon religion as unnecessary in the busy
church for trade union and labor guild
meetings. and speak disparagingy of
Christianity. There is a notion current
that the church is composed of a capitals
tic class. but in spite of religious alarmists
and social pessimists this is not the case
If capital rules the church. what is the rea-
son? The answer is plainly that the nom
capitalistic classes have divorced them
selves from the church and make effort
to rule it.
THE church today is open to all and
needs the laboring classes. but that is not
all. the laboring classes must have the
church and its influence in solving the
great questions of life-economic, moral
and spiritual.
ut would be WELL then, for labor unions
to consider carefully the source from which
fOi nata a n of l.
ity, justice and freedom of conscience.
When the Bible became the property of the
common people there was a marked i'm
provement in the condition of the working
man. 1t states clearly that the Lord is no
respecter of persons the laborer is worthy
of his hire and that the rich and poor meet
together, the Lord is the maker Of them all.
Martin Luther's Position.
Martin Luther became the head and
front of the labor movement when he gave
the open Bible and by protesting against
special privileges he inspired the desire in
every true man to protest when oppressed
THE church has no patience with the
pretudices which exist between classes
There should be no hostility between en-
p1oyer and employe, between capitalist and
wage-earner. for, as Ruskin says, Govern
ment and cooperation in all things the
laws of life, but anarchy and competition
the laws of death
The church then looks upon the world
a whole and recognizes the solidarity of
humanity. Humanity Is an organism con-
sisting of parts which exist and work each
for all and all for each. 1t possesses cor
related parts, many in one, but one of many,
each member having distinct function and
called to do its own special work And out
of these conditions grow mutual dependence
and intelligent cooperation.
THE church comes to the laborer and de-
sires that the relation between it and all
ho
helpful. 1t joins common cause with all
Who desire in lawful limits to help the
toiler in his struggle for better things and
reach spirit of practical brotherhood.
The day is Fastening when the spirit Of
sympathy, brotherhood and love shall tri
umph over hate, envy and malice, but the
mind Of Jesus the great lover Of mankind
must be realized in all and each regard his
neighbor as brother.
"a visitor to the battlefield of Bull Run
tells us how he there wild rose
thrusting up its head through the top of the
broken Union drum. which sounded the last
charge in that dread battle, and a cunning
scarlet verbena peeping out Of a fragment
of an exploded shell, in which strange pot it
was planted. Peace growing out of war,
beauty out of defOrmity. Even shall the
beautiful and pure spring up out of the
horrid and dreadful things that transpire in
this changing but ever advancing world"