The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1909-02-13
THE EARLY CHURCH
A.. |. AND u. IT'S SOCIALISM OCH Isl |
Economic Conditions n Vogue
Then Differed Materially
From the Present.
Primitive system Proved q Com
plete Failure and Was Soon,
- >"~ Discontinued.
(By Rev. Charles Stelzle.)


: The economic system in vogue In
the early church, az narrated; in the
latter part OF the fourth chapter o;
up by many earnest reformers as the
ideal toward which the church in the
2Cth century should aspire. We have
been told that the condition existing
during this period was that which
Christ himself advocated, because it
was inaugurated by men who were
very close to him. It should be re-
membered, however, that while Peter
and the rest OF the disciples may have
been inspired in the writing Of their
epistles, they were not infalli1ble in
the matter Of teaching political econ
ony, and it probably was not their
purpose to do 80.
A. Form Of CommiSsion.
the matter OF teaching political ecan-
early church is advocated by the So
eialist, who forgets or who knew that
the system was not one for which
socialism is today contending, but
that it was really a form Of COM
munism. Tho present-iay advocates
OF the socialism in force in the church
of Jerusalem should be reminded of
several important facts.
First, the whole scheme was purely
a voluntary system. NO man was
compelled to give UP anything that ne
desired to retain.
Second, it was limited to members
Of the church, to those who 'believed''
and were Of zone heart and SOUL
This would surely have given the plan
good foundation, If there was In it
the possibility Of success.
Third, it was probably inaugurated
merely as temporary expedient be-
cause the early Christians believed
that Christ was soon to return and
that with his coming there would come
the lend Of the world and great
change in the social order.
Fourth, the result OF the plan was
such that it pauperlzed the Jerusalem
church and made it great burden
upon the weak churches elsewhere
The apostles were often called upon ia
take up Special offerings for the
church at Jerusalem.
Fifth, the plan was a complete fail
lure and was soon discontinued.
The Communion Table.
Some socialist writer's insist that
there we're common tables through
out the early Christian church, but
what was thus referred to Is undoubt-
edly what we know today as the com.
mupnion table, service which was
made much more Of by tne early
Christians than is the practice In our
time
That there was great generosity
during this period is very true. II
was this spirit which made a marked
impression upon the enemies Of the
church. But the generosity Of the
Jerusalem church in this particular
was In many respects a. great blunder
There was not enough regard for the
fundamental principles of social Life
upon which society must permanent
~ rest. The spirit Of brotherhood
manifested was admirable, but the
practice as a permanent principle wat
such that no community could today
long survive as progressive force In
human society, were it to adopt the
economic system which failed so COM
pletely even under the favorable con-
dit1ons found among these devoted
Christian men and women.
Was Not Socialism.
AS already intimated, the plan II
operation was not socialism at all, bu
form Of communism. The amazing
thing is that many socialists will per-
sist in saying that the early churc:
was actually socialistic in it's teaching
and practice. But whether one calls
it socialism Or Communism, it is quit
evident that the entire scheme wa
! non-effective even under the mos
| favorable circumstances. It created
Ian Ananias whose name has gon'
down in history as the synonym fol
liar. Even the comparatively idea
conditions and spirit by which thi'
man was surrounded, did not MAKE
him the highly moral being which
socialists declare must come out O.
such an environment.
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