The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1910-05-24
STIRS CHURCHMEN
Pastor Says Church Has
Deserted the Poor.
STRONG WORD FOR LABOR
Rev. Charles Stetxls Declares Preach.
ers Should Talk Less Of Building
Up Church and More About
Building Up People.

that TIE religion OF the Protestant
church in America is today a religion
only for those who have moved up
town or who live in comfortable
homes" that the church has deserted
the poor in our great cities and that
God and man may hold the church re.
sponsiole II IL fafs TO apply itself to
the great social problem which con.
Germs the people IN the factories and
the tenements. Rev. Charles Sickle.
superintendent OF the department of
church and labor OF the Presbyterian
church. created a profound impression
upon 5000 hearers at the mass meet
ing OF the Presbyterian assembly. held
In the interests OF labor.
Rev. Or. Stelzle's address was as
follows:
When 10000 Industrial workers are
killed every year il means that there
is something wrong In our industrial
system. In some cases Il is nothing
short OF murder. The railways of
America alone kill nearly 1900 per
sons every year and injure l2O. 900. II
Is said that there are nearly always
5000 900 sick In our country. and the
pity OF Il is that most Of this illness
Is preventable.
The present working day. from a
physiological standpoint. is too long
II keeps a majority Of men and wo-
men in constant'state OF over-fatigue
and induces drunkenness and other
excess.
The real justification for a short
workdsy Is found in the interest of
the race. Il IS the business OF the
church to help remedy this situation.
We should talk less about building up
the church and more about building
up the people. The church is simply
means TO an end and not an end in
itself
AS a matter OF fact. however. the
church is deliberately deserving the
people In the most densely populated
sections OF the country The church
has long been saying that the gospel
II breaches IS universal gospel II
the church believes that its gospel Is
good for and adaptable TO every ma.
ton. why does II fee when the for
eigner comes in Shall II be con.
fessed that this gospel is good for the
foreigner only when Il is exploited
49, NAA1N a. - AOA tAfNAANt AOI MIN IN
land which is known as a Christian
country.
The church has been declaring for
many years that II alone holds the
solvent FOR the great social problem.
which concerns the people in the fac.
tories and the tenementts But Is the
church honestly ready to apply this
gospel 10 the social and economic con.
ditions OF the people? Il will not SUI.
fee to say that II the worklngman
would accept Jesus Christ the labor
question would be settled.
We have been declaring that the
gospel Is the power OF God unto sal
walton to every one that beiieveth. but
Il would appear from the action Of
the church that its power IS limited TO
those who have moved uptown or TO
the suburbs. to those who live in com.
Portable homes and adequately sup
port the church.
III the church sincerely believes
that its gospel Is the gospel simply
for a class and that class Is one
which already possesses most OF this
worlds good things. then It is justified
In deserving the poor in our great
cities But II must be prepared 10
explain away the statement that Jesus
himself alone came TO preach the Cos
pei to the poor.
In spite OF the fact that the mines
OF this country are the most easily
worked in the entire world. we kill a.
fara larger, proportion OF miners every
year than are killed In any other coun
try in the world.
Il recently heard a minister pray to-
the Lord at labor meeting that he
might save the lives OF the little chill
dren who are obliged TO work in the
glass factories. This is all very well.
but don't let US put II all up to the
Lord Let US put II up 10 the legisla-
ture. ! get tired Of this maudIin sym.
pathy on the part OF the church. which
is never followed by any action"