The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1908-08-08
Says Socialism Means CoNectivs
Ownership of Land and all =
Public Utilities.
THEORY OF COLLECTIVISM
WRONG IN PRINCIPLE
Passage at Arms Between the
Doctor and the Editor of
Miners Magazine.

VIII be Of interest to Duluth readers,
as the Doctor Robert Coyle referred
to therein Is a brother Of the popular
pastor Of the First Presbyterian church
Of this city.
From the Miners Magazine.
Rev. DR.. Robert Coyle, high-priced
minister who presides in the pulpit Of
the Central Presbyterian church at
Denver, Colorado, delivered a sermon
a short time ago taking for his sub
ject, "Christianity and Socialism," The
professor Of theology and biblical lore.
seemed to discover that the subject
of Socialism was engaging the giant
minds of the nation, and the clerical
gentleman of Denver, who furnishes
entertainment for fashionable con-
gregation, concluded that he would not
he behind his contemporaries in throw
ing the light of his mentality upon
doctrines that mean the industrial lib
Grafton Of humanity. DR.. Coyle is no
ordinary preacher. He is recognized
as pillar in the Presbyterian church
and his ability is rewarded with a
salary that makes it possible for this
humble disciple Of Christ to visit the
historic cities of the Old World and
then return to America and reap a
harvest on the lecture platform, telling
his hearers Of what he has seen in the
once famous cities Of Greece and Italy.
Socialism end Christianity. -
DR.. Coyle, speaking on Socialism
and Christianity" gave expression to
the following sentiment:
In general it may be said that
Socialism In its organized and econ
on1ic sense means a collective owner
ship of the land and OF all public
utilities: II, insists that the state
.@t.e,.a.f~ be q as1nd exist
for the good of ell; THAT all capital
and all the instruments and means Of
production and distribution should bo
in the hands Of the state; that the
state should assume control Of all in
dustry and trade, and that as a neces-
sary result the state should assign
men their duties and apportion their
rewards. Thus Socialism stands at the
opposite pole from anarchism. The
one would magnify law immensely,
enlarge the scope of it's operations, and
carry it into all the social and indus
trial life of man. The other would
abrogate all law and have done with
all legislation and put an end to all
government.
THE friends and advocates of So
cialis1n feel that organized Christianity
as represented by the church is indif-
ferent when it should be active. They
construe what seems to them its su-
pineness to mean that it is in league
with the wealthy as against the poor.
They eulog1ze tho Carpenter of Nazar-
eth, but with rare exceptions they have
no use for the religion that bears His
name.
IF the charges made by the So
cialists are true then we are disloyal
to. Christ, false to the principles of
the Gospel, and deserve all their scorn.
commercial and industrial methods so
Is to make our program possible and
a perfect society will have come
If the scheme of Socialism were
given trial we should not lack for
food, shelter and clothing, but the
right of the individual to think and
act for himself would be lost.
THE state would be king, and the
most despotic Of all beings can con-
ceive no tyranny so much to be dread
ed as the theory Of collectivism. On
the whole, therefore, am glad that
Socialism as the ultimate end and goal
of society, is only a dream, and I can
but think that If ever that dream were
to become a reality it would be a
calamity and would turn the world
w r "a jrto 4I1 p$offo Il
should never allow Socialism, which
Is SO largely anti Christian, to outdo
1t In concern for humanity. The peo-
pie who are down should be the Chris
tians special care
socialists and the laborine masses
in general complain that in all their
efforts to assist the workineman. thev
have had to stand alone and f1rht
alone so far as the church ia con-
cerned. Perhaps their complaints are
too extreme
y Miners Magazines' Reply.
DR.. Coyle in his sermon has shown
more honesty than the majority of
ministers who are combating the ris-
ing; tide of Socialism. He has NOT
1ndulged in such exaggerated misrep-
resentat1on as other prelates of the
church, who feel that the more fren-
zied their denunciations are against
Socialism a1sH the more pleased will be the
privileged class who frequently make
generous donations to seminartes and
churches. J..
But Coyle"' has taken q firm stand
againsb Socialism without giving a
logical reason for his position. J.,
There is an old saying and exper-
fence and observation has .vouched for
its truth that 'he who is not with
you is against YOU The church as
II isS constituted today Is not ii, sym,
Continued on page 6.)