Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1908-05-25
Address by DR.. stelsle of Department
Of Church and Labor.
CHURCH Is LABoR's CHAMPION
Strong Argument Why Working Men
Should Be Christians.
HUMAN SIDE OF RELIGION
Speaker, who Was Formerly n Union
Machinist, says Neglect of This
Fnctor Caused Labor to Drift
Away from Church.

KANSAS CITY, May A.-Presbyterian
evangelism among laboring men was the
theme Of the addresses delivered at a great
mass meeting for men at Convention hall
today. by Rev. Charles stelzle, superin-
tendent OF the Presbyterian department OF
church and labor, and John B. Lennon,
treasurer Of the American Federation OF
Labor Rev stelzle mailed personal In
vilation to every union labor man in the
city. nonunion men were also especially in
vi,ed and magnificent audience greeted
the speakers.
Rev. Sickle, who was himself formerly
a union machinist organized the depart
ment os church and labor iu the Presby-
terian church and he devotes his energy
to the work ~ organlzlng the church and
the workers Of the. world closer together.
This department Is rapidly becoming one
Of the big things of the Presbyterian
church and It is a potent agency in enlist
ing men in the service of the church,
work which Is also one of the greatest
functions OF the Presbyterian Brotherhood.
Rev. stslzles address was a comprehen-
sve discussion Of the relation Of Christi
anity to the iaboring man and strong
argument in support OF the position that
laborng men should be Christians.
square Deal Most Important.
Taking the subject Christ Labor's
Champion" Rev. stelzle spoke as follows:
The most Important thing about the
labor question is to give the other fellow
a square deal. In order TO do this we need
a labor vision. The average workingman
is too close TO the labor question to un-
derstand 1t. This s also true Of the av-
erage employer. There are thousands OF
men being deluded by the vain hope that
If they can abolish the labor union they
will solve the labor question. II every
labor union in existence were to be wiped
out today the labor question would still be
present However. the labor union has
come to stay. 1t is simply a question of
whether IL will be a good unionism or
had unionism Like every great social
movement 1t is pulling through its period
of hysteria.
socialism. communism and anarchism
are fundamentally moral problems. Before
any one OF them can Do successfully in
trodueed. II ever II seems wise to intro
duee them, there must first OF all be
radical change in the naturally selfish
hearts of men. 1t is because that Christ
dealt with the labor question IN this way
that His power Is growing as never pc
fore. Infidels may scoff at the arguments
of Christian scholars. but the life Of Christ
has stunned them from the first century
even down to the twentieth. 7
Attitude of Social RefOrmen
IF ever there was need for social re-
form IL is found today among the heather.
But your social reformer is not going to
them TO try to help them. He waits un-
II, Christian missionaries have sacrificed
their lives so that his life may be made
safe and then he builds upon the founda-
tions which they have laid. Then he Is
quite ready to denounce the church for
l.. foHH rf ha
people Meanwhile he finds II more
profitable TO live in even a 'so-called'
Christian land.
''The date on every letter that you write
and the observance OF every Sabbath day
are worldwide acknowledgements of tho
power Of Christ calling attention to the
two greatest facts in Christian history,
the birth of Christ and His resurrection.
He is today King of the civilized world.
He is the court OF last appeal. Nobody
thinks of going back of His decision
Isn't 1t a great thing TO have such
man as labor's champion? Other men
have been put forward representatives
of labor but those who needed their mes
sage most of all paid no attention to
them Here is a man TO whom every
body will listen. He is today sending
forth a challenge to workinBmen, daring
them 70 accept Him as their leader. If
they do they are sure TO win. for Christ
is sure to win. and what He says to work
ingmen He is saying to the employers
of workingmen. He is challenging them
10 introduce His principles in their busi-
ness life and into their dealings with
their employees"
First Church to Act.
Mr. Lennon said:
The Presbyterian church, represented
in the conference now being held in Kan
sas city is the first church organization
that has officially recognized the press
ing and ever-growing Importance OF tho
labor movement by establishing a depart
ment in their church 20 bring about a
better understanding between the organ
ized church and organized labor. 1 say
the organised church, because while there
may be possibly some individual Chris
tians who are not in the church. they are
of no force or potency in the world. and
If they save themselves they certainly are
doing nothing TO save anybody else.
speak Of organized labor because Il Is
the only labor in a position TO give ex-
preston to its protest against unjust
conditions or impositions that are placed
on the shoulders OF labor by the employ
OF the world. The unorganized work
ingman or workingwoman is OF no more
force for moral uplift than the dumb
driven cattle. Therefore. whatever Of CO.
operation there may be between the
church and labor for human uplift OF
the wage-working classes, IL must neces-
Garily be between tho organized church
and organized labor. for IL cannot be be-
tween anyone else and bring any results.
The whgeworkers. seeing no interest man
ifested In the church in the human side
Of the religious question in the aues-
tion Of bread and butter and decent
living have naturally drifted away from
the church TO a great extent, and I am
constrained 20 believe that they are not
going back in large numbers until the
" church viii emphasize just as strongly
n the human side Of the religion OF Jesus
Christ as they do the spiritual side"
Mr.. Lennon. after reeiting the progress of