The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-05-09
CHURCH AND UN|0N|sM Z
OUGHT To M|RMONzE
First of a Series of Articles on
Charitable Work BY Rev.
Charles Sickle,

Many singing rebuke is admins
tered to the church by workingmen
who are absolutely unfamiliar with
the facts in the case: Let's confess
at the very outset, that the church.
like every other organization and in
stitution with high ideals and pur-
poses, is falling far short of what il
should be. because it is being so
largely directed by men and women
who are the possessors of consider
able human nature-and that should
explain great deal.
And, like some other organizations
labor unions included-the church is
doing many things which outsiders
know nothing about, and for which it
receives no credit.
For instance, a great deal is said
about the churchs lack Of interest in
the people when charity Is needed.
Two things are forgotten Or unknown
when this charge is made. In the first
place, it, is unquestionably better TO
have most philanthropic and charit-
able work upon large scale done by
experts who will really help and not
harm through their efforts. Because
this is true, the church is represented
in, and practically controls through,
it's membership, nearly every great
philanthropic movement of any"@conse-
quence which is scientifically helping
the poor-and the poor do need that
kind of help, in spite Of the jeers Of
those who do not give that kind or
any other kind of assistance Glance
down the listsSof officials who are re-
sponsible for the social and ameliora-
tive work in New York city, for ex-
ample, as 1t is given in the two-inch
thick directory Of Charities in that
city, and you will find this to be true
Practically all of the money which
goes into these hospitals. orphan asy-
lums, schools, clubs. and other charit-
able institutions, comes from church
people. Once in while the saloon
keeper, the politician or some other
individual or society, seeking ,noto-
riety, will hand out a small check in
behalf of the unemployed or the dis
tressed, and the impression goes out
among workingmen that these are the
only folks who are doing anything tn
help conditions, while others may
have, for years, been doing far more
substantial things-quietly. systematic
caolly and without very much publ
city.
Nor must the impression remain
undfsturbed that these enterprises are
supported mainly by the rich, who
have gotten their wealth by sweating
the poor Our churches and the insti.
tutions supported by them are sus-
tanned by the great middle and work
ing classes. There may be in the
church some who have made their
wealth dishonesty, or, at least,
through suspicious methods, but the
great exploiting class who should be
strongly. rebuked by all honest people,
are not In the church, as a class. For
instance. there is particular organ!-
cation in one church, which spends
annually for it's educa tional. social
and religious work, abodt one million
dollars. If every church contributing
over one thousand dollars a year to.
ward that fund should suddenly stop
It's contribution, It would have prac-
tically no. effect upon the million dol
lar fund. =.
The second fact to be remembered
is that the church actually does hello
the poor, directly and specifically
Naturally, it doesn't say very much
about this work, by pointing out the
people who have been assisted, and
indicating the amounts and the mate
rial which they hate received. The
church does not engage In charitable
work in this fashion. But every
church has board of officers or a
special committee to care for the poor.
These men and women never-really
SO rarely, that the word never is JUS
tifed-tell anybody who has been
helped.
That the church is doing nothing to
help the poor and the oppressed IN
the way Of charitable work should, in
all fairness be forever put out of the
minds Of workingmen.