Norwich bulletin., 1910-10-18
The Methodist Labor Policy.

The Methodist Labor Policy.
Mr.. Editor: Permit me to thank
you for the editorial on the "Cause
of Labor in last Saturdays edition
of The Bulletin Everything that can
bring about a true union of all parts
of society in cooperation for univer-
sal human betterment is to be COM
mended. Usually / have found you
accurate in your representation of the
Christian church touching its rela-
ton to live questions However. in
the editorial above mentioned you
have unwttingly overlooked certain
facts which | am sure you will be
pleased to have placed before your
many readers. Your first paragraph
SAYS: Should the Congregational
church of America be the first great
religious body in the world to use its
Influence in the interests of labor it
is likely to win a popular favor which
has fallen to the lot of no other de-
nniration for the congregational
church with its long and splendid his
tory and would not think of trying
TO pluck one leaf from its well earned
laurels. But in the interet Of truth
YOU will permit me to remind you
that to the strong Presbyterian de-
nomination belongs the honor OF lead
ing off in the organized effort to
bridge the so-called chasm between
the churches and laboring people.
This they did several years ago. They
formed a Depa rtment of Church and
Labor, and placed at it's head that ex
pert on such questions. the Rev.
Charles Stelzle, who had long been
wage Garner in the largest machine
shop of New York city, and hence can
see these problems from the laborer's
viewpoint In May, 1908. the Metho-
dist Episcopal church, at it's general
conference, held in Baltimore, took
special and cordial action upon Social
Problems and put the denomination
on record in unmistakeable terms, in
cluGing these ringing words: I'VE
cordially declare our fraterna1 interest
in the aspirations of the laboring
classes and our desire to assist them
in the rightin gof every wrong and
the attainment of their highest well
being. We recognize that the funda-
mental purposes of the labor move
ment are essentially ethical and there
fore should command the support of
Christian men" Further, the declara-
ton of principles you publish in your
editorial that were to be endorsed by
the triennial council in Boston last
week, is found almost word for word
in our discipline published over two
years ago. Further. these principles
formulated, if l am correctly Informed
by Rev. DIR. North, a Methodist minis
ter of New York city, who has given
much study and much labor to these
matterS-theSe same principles were
adopted December 10, 1908, by the
Federal Council of the Churches of
Christ in America, including thirty
three of the leading Protestant de-
nominations This great federation of
nearly all Protestant bodies appointed
a commission on the church and so
cial service and made DR.. North it's
chaidman and DR.. Sickle its secretary
Thus it appears the Professionalism in
its united action. nearly two years
ago went on record as being profound
~ interested in the labor movement.
Our ministers throughout the republic
were requested to preach on these top
les, Labor Sunday. Thousands of them
did SO. Choosing a more favorable
date September IS Iast-I preached on
The Church and Laboring People
Needful to Each Other The Bulletin
generously published the sermon in
fun the following Monday. That SER
mon contained almost the same decla-
ration of principles found in your edi-
toria. Hence you see that while our
churches may not have done all they
should have done for laboring people,
they have not been Indifferent to their
truest welfare. We want wage earn
ers to know that in the deepest sense
they have no better friends than Chris
tan people. In time this will be DEM
onstrated cordially
MAHIAS S. KAUFMAN.
Norwich, Oct. II, 1910.