The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1910-09-12
As to Hoodwinking CIergymerl

IN many papers, an article entitled
"Hoodwinking Clergymen," signed re
specially. e. w. Post, has arrestet
the writer's attention. The above ar
ticle was written supposedly as
warning to the church, ct al. But
careful reading OF the same will dis.
close the fact, that the purpose OF tht
writer was entirely a different one.
The article begins with the follow.
ing:
when small clique OF men put ur
a scheme to harness the clergy oil
America and induce the ministers to
In turn hitch up the members of the
churches, we should all take notice.
They couldn't harness the preach
ers in bad cause except by deceiv-
ing them.
ministers Of the gospel are essen.
TALLY and fundamentally honest but
like all men who work for the public
good. they are at times misled by false
statements.
Trust them when they have exact
truth to speak from.
Now for the story which should in
terest every one for we are all either
receivers OF wages or we pay to wage
earners and the freedom OF each in
dividuai Is at issue.
I'm various papers the following
statement has been printed. Read 1t
carefully at least twice:
"INTEREST IN LABOR SUNDAY.
Labor Sunday--the Sunday pre-
ceding Labor day-will be observed
generally this year and in future
years throughout the United States.
This because of the American Fedora
ton of Labor declaration for the OBJ
servance OF that day. The numerous
letters recently received at American
Federation of Labor headquarters
from ministers Is an assurance that
interest in the idea of giving special
attention to the cause of labor from
the pulpit one day in the twelve
months Is widespread. Our readers
are urged to try to bring about an I'M
derstanding in their respective dis
ftricts with representatives of the
church SO that ministers will make
addresses that may attract trade I'M
ionists to the churches in large num-
bers for the day. Ministers should
say what they think on the occasion !
in order that their trade union hear |
ers may put the right estimate as to |
where the church stands on the ques- |
tion of organization of labor. The |
= more the subject is discussed the bet
ter 1t viii be for labor. Union ethics
are sound.--American Federationist'
observe that Labor Union men
are urged to induce ministers to
make addresses that will attract trade
unionists to the churches for the day.
Ministers should say etc, and winds
up with Union ethics are sound OBJ
serve the hidden threat.
This is clipped from the American
Federationist, the organ Of Sam Com
pers. ct AL"
Now as to Harvesting the clergy
men to bad cause" Come unto
me, we heavy laden" This is the
message of the Saviour for nineteen
centuries to the heavy laden-and
who are the heavy laden? The poor!
And who are the poor? The wage
workers, organized or unorganized.
The men or women who have nothing
else to sell than their labor power.
They bear the burdens of society at
all times, in prosperity or in panics.
To them the clergy, who are the min
listers of this message today--to them
they should address themselves.
"A bad cause" / will here quote
what minister of the gospel has to
say He says in part: Among the
forces in society that challenges the
church today, none has become quite
so effective as the labor movement.
We need constantly to be reminded
that the church must save the people,
but some day the people are going
TO help save the church. When
Christ preached to men, He attracted
those from the middle class down
ward. Today the church seems to at
tract principally those from the mid
die class upward. We plant our
churches, as a rule, not where the
largest number of people live, but
where the church will receive the
largest financial support" (Rev.
Stoeltze.)
AT least once in the year the
Church of Christ Is called upon to
plant itself among the largest number
OF people. Butt Mr.. Post will say.
the American Federation of Labor is
not the whole working class. True
enough, but the A. F. of L. Is a factor
for the betterment of the workers. II |
has been instrumental in securing bet
81
we agree with Mr.. Gompers
or not, that matters very little, but
the fact remains that the A. F. of L. :
has been the agency for the better
ment OF the working classes.
Mr.. Post says further:
1--WE see here a demand on the min :
listers of God, that they endorse and
help build up the strike producing, I
boycotting and violent American Fed |
Grafton of Labor. I
'Think of the man Of God who I
teaches brotherly love being covertIy
ordered to praise and help get new (
members for an organization with a c
record for violence, crime and muir
der done by its members the like of K
which the world has never seen.
Think of the thousands of women s
made widows and the increasing thou t
sands of children left fatherless by the a
pistol, club, dynamite and boot heel of r
members Of this Labor Trust e
Anyone who recalls the countless S
murders done in the multitude of r
strikes In the past few years will Il
agree this is no exaggeration. a
Take just one as an illustration: t
There We're some thirty men muir Q
Tered and over 5000 bruised and I
naimed in the Chicago teamsters' t
strike" o
Apparently Mr.. Post sees only one
and boycotting agen-
y, but in fact there are. tWo,---I am n
eferring to employers using the I
blacklist system of keeping the more n
EMPLOYEES (what fhev call q