Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-12-08

|OTSaulZeU CnrlHLlaulLy as An aCL3Ck up
on the teachings of Jesus. Prof. Smaller
Mathews is well within the limits of
conservatism when he declares that
there is many a church which, in
point Of general altruism and of loyalty
to its professions of high purpose,
could not endure comparison with
the work Of some labor unions"
The passionate protest of the agita-
tors againts organized Christianity liz
significant chiefly because it articu
lates the dumb protest of the masses.
4 20 agltator is always the prophet of
dumb masses. The comomn people
heard Jesus gladly because he was
their spokesman, their voice. The
Christian church has been arraigned
at the bar of the conscience and in
telligence of the masses; weighed in
balance and found wanting. The aver
age workingman feels in his dumb
struggle what Theodore Parker telt
when he declared that If Christ could
return to earth he would have to fight
Christianity. He feels that the Church
is generally>a servitor of privilege and
oppression, that 1t stands as bulwark
against Justice. 1t was that cynical
hater Of democracy and liberty, the
English Prime Minister, Lord Mel
bourne, leader Of those assailed by
Daniel O'Connell as base, brutal and
bloody highs, who declared that the
church was the worlds last b1lWark
against Christianity and should there
fore be left alone.
The dream of universal peace, faith
in the coming OF time when wars
should cease, came not from the priest
hood but from the prophets. In all
lagos the organization of the forces of
religion has tended to narrow the re-
,ligious concept. And in all ages the
prophets, either from within or with
|out the Chucrh--but oftenest from
without struggled to correct the
tendency, denouncing the priests for
their reactionary influence and their
Jack of faith, and holding up the wider
ideal to the world. Not the priests,
but the prophets, In ancient Israel held
up the glorious ideal of a world re-
deemed from the curse of War and
given to the reign Of Peace.
And In our time the greatest force
comomn to all the great religions Of
the world is centered in a movement
which is outside Of synagogues, tenn
piles and churches. Fo rblind indeed
must one be to the tendencies of the
time who does not realize that the, in
Iternational Socialist movement is the
greatest force In the world today max
ling for universal peace among the ma
lions of the earth Let there be some
misunderstanding between two ma
tons concerning some question of
trade, some regulation of markets,
| jingoiSm at once becomes rampant in
the pulpits. As soon as the govern
ments declare war, in almost all the
IcHurches of Christendom, jingo-patriot-
ism takes the place OF faith in human
brotherhood and love of peace.
/ longer, and the battle flags
~ we're farled
/ In the Parliament of Man, the
I Federation of the World.
BY reason of the fact that it upites
peoples so diverse into one great fra
tefnal movement, and by reason Of the
profound faith in human brotherhood
which makes that possible and tends
/ to promote universal peace, the Social
fist movement of today must be looked
upon as spiritual factor Of profound
Significance In our modern life. But
these. great as they are. are by 10
means the only spiritual factors In
modern Socialism. Equally as vital rs
the wonderful manner IN which it
draws the ocean sundered fibers" of
humanity together, and the manner In
which it makes for peace among the
nations, is the hope and inspiration it
brings to the lives Of its adherents.
know Of no satisfying. inspiring and
|ennobllns hope eor Tie ~ khAt 4