Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-09-16
SOCIALIST MINISTER'S.

90 T "
4 Nv ISL ministers representing "a re-
ligious denominations in this country,
q and three in Canada, declaring their
adherence to the object OF the Miii-
listers Socialist conference
The object Is declared to be to per-
sncate churches denominations ana
other religious institutions with the
Social Message Of the Biblei' to show
I that Socialism is the economic ex-
preston of the religious life; to end
the class struggle by establishing IN
d,1strial democracy and to hasten the
reign OF justice and brotherhood tt upon
earth.
4 TIE signers OF the Manifesto declare
their belief to be that the present So
cial system, based as 1t is upon the SIN
Il If coyetousness makes the ethical Ire
as inculcated by religion impractlca-
HE: and should give place to soelal
system founded on the Golden Ruie,
and the Royal Law of the Kingdom
II ~ cod; Thou shalt love thy neigh.
Dor as thyself.' which, realized suhoet
I The co-operative commonwealth q
Socialism will create an environment
favorable to the practice OF rel1gious
life.''
This is possibly, one OF the most
remarkable statements OF falth eSera
signed by American clergymen. ~
says without qualification that under
& the present social system the ethical
4 lie al inc,llcated by religion Is Is In
possible. What an indictment OF So
cicty! And the churches And Pc
cause the ministers believe this they
fl,rpe with utmost .earnestness thar their
brethren in the ministry, and the peo-
BILE in ali churches search tho Scrip
lures and study the philosophy Of Sos
At cia1isn1, that they may see IL that pc
lief be not indeed Gods very truth
one hundred and sixty-one ministers
are not many out OF a total of 159,503
when As the number of ministers IN
Il this country, according to the statistics t's
&of Dr.. H. * Carroll. Secretary Rev.
John u. Long, D. d., Of Brooklyn,
states that he has the ma mes Of nearly
ten times that number who are in
hearty accord with the signers of the
Manifesto But even ten times fl6l,
on, 1910, Is a small number out Of the
grand total. But the very fact that
ministers all over the country are rec
" ognizing the necessity of u reconstruc-
lion of the social structure in the in
# terest of the morality taught in the
Scriptures is a wonderful Ylndication
of the testimony OF the Prophet Joseph
concerning his mission to the world.
sis He, TOO, taught the necessity of a re-
turn to tho Golden rule and tho
Royal law, of the Kingdom OF God,
and because he taught this, lie was
z martyred. Furthermore, because the
B I.atter-qay Saints, enlightened from on
3 High, have tried to show the world
the way out from temporal bondage as
well az to eternal exaltation, tho powers
of hell have been arrayed against them
and they have been driven and perse-
cutcd: they have partaken literally of
#st the fate of4all pioneers in the work for
reform and progress. But the truth
is inyincible. Our Savior saw in the
respect paid to Him by some Greeks
s who had come to Jerusalem, a forecast
OF the glorious future when He was to
draw all men" unto Him. (John H.:
32.) And for the Same reason faith
may see, in the present movements in
n the world for equality, brotherhood, and
4 Justiceain temporal affairs, the faint
I daWnlng OF the Mllenntal day which
the martyred Prophet proclaimed with
s2sa voice that reverberated to all parts
~ Of the Garth.
We have progressed SO far that
thinking men and women admit, arst
) tfatsco-operation inits widest applica-
ton is, in all proba bility. at some flu
ture time, destined to replace the
present system of individual effort
with It's competition and oppression:
secondly, that cooperative social sys-
tenn demands the very highest standard
of both moral and intellectual educa-
ton, and that, under the low standards
OF the present system, few members of
The community are qualified to do
i their part honestly and faithfully in
life's work Education, then, is the
present need; not only enlightenment
as to the advantages Of a new system
over the old, but training in truth, JUS
tice, morality, without which no social
system can be a success.
CLOSE, THE ssDISPRJ(,T, 5#a