The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1909-09-23
THE CHURCH
AND LABOR
Regular Weekly Letter by the Rev,
Charles Stelzle-An Interesting
and Instructive Article.

iHere may De many points OF differ
ence between the church and labor as
to specific aims and methods. bur there
are enough points of agreement and a
sufficient number of fundamental prin-
ciples for which both stand, to warrant
church and labor in uniting for the
purpose of carrying out common pro-
gram
Church and labor should be sympa-
thetic one toward the other, first. be
cause of their common mistakes. Both
organizations have been controlled by
men and women who were very human
and therefore fallibIe. There are still
occasions when a criticism one of the
other is juscifabe But this criticism
should be sympathetic, because it will
no doubt be discovered that the critic
has been guilty OF the same offense.
Church and labor may cooperate be
cause they both believe in the salvation
of society, although they may not agree
in every particular to how this saliva
rion is to be accomplished. No one can
successfully deny that the influence of
church has extended infinitely beyond the
comparatively narrow limits of its own
institutions and organizations. \ city
without a church would present a hope
less situation. The unconscious influence
OF Christianity cannot be measured. The
principles OF the church have so permeat-
ed society, that the great mass OF men
have come TO accept them matter Of
course. But even more significant IS the
positive influence OF the church upon so
ciety. However Ineffective il may be in
some respects, the church may we'll be
proud OF its history in the matter Of So
cial reform. The labor movement, II it
counts for anything at ALL must be con
sidered as a social movement. In a very
, important sense, the individual is abso-
lutely lost in it. There is no term that is
more frequently employed to express the
significance of this movement than - the
solidarity of the working class"
Church and labor may cooperate be
cause they both believe in the emancipa-
tion of the individual They both depand
/ that a man shall rise up and be counted
as one. There was a time, when nothing
was quite so cheap as human life Even
today, many large employers OF labor
consider it cheaper to run the risk OF
killing their employees and paying the
slight indemnity than to go to the ex-
pense of Introducing safety appliances.
! Labor has long been fighting for the rec
| ognition of the value OF the Individual
human life. 1t has insisted that a man
/ IS of more value than a machine The
ancient philosophers declared that 4 pur
chased slave is better than hired one.
and in accordance with this principle.
they compelled half the world TO live be
hind prison bars They insisted that the
workingman has no soul Then came
Jesus Christ He showed the world now
highly God values the individual. And
the church has ever since advocared this
principle.
| Church and labor may cooperate be.
cause they both believe in the care of the
| human body. Il would not be very diff
cult to produce proof texts from scrip
ture in order to indicate that the Bible
teaches this doctrine. Ye are -he TEN
pies of the Holy Ghost was the state
ment of the New Testament writer when
he argued for bodily cleanliness. Labor
! is trying to secure higher wages, and
shorter hours in order that living condi
cions may be improved In such matters
as sanitary reform in tenement houses
and factories. in the securing Of suitable
social and recreative certers for the peo
pie, and in every other particular that N
iuences the physical conditions Of The
ulasses. church and labor nay present {
united front
Church and labor may cooperate BE-
cause they are both aiming at the &c
vela2-lent Of the human soul One take:
It for granted that the church : work !.
soul Development L must not be assum
ed. however that the labor movement !:
simply bread and butter question I
: more than that. ard always has been
The trades unions have not only raise>
the standard OF living. they have not onI,
/. improved the morale OF the worke-s- ou
they have given them aspirations an,
ideals which are influencing the soul If
Of the masses