The Point Pleasant register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, W. Va.) 1909-1939, 1910-02-16
THE CHURCH AND UNIONS.
Becoming cOlaborers In the Work Of
Uplifting Mankind.

Becoming colaborers In the Work Of
Uplifting Mankind.
Rev. Theodore S. Henderson. pastor
Of the Hanson Place Methodist church,
Brooklyn, talked on labor one recent
Sunday evening TO an audience largely
composed Of trades unlonists. sPresi-
dent James Toie Of typographical
union No. 6 presided and in his intro
ductory remarks said:
This meeting Is step in the right
direction-a step that should be hailed
with joy by the right thinking mem.
bers Of both the trades unions and the.
church. Too long has there been mis-
understanding on both sides. Some
members OF the church have believed
that trades unions represent all that
is bad in the world. They regard the
trades unionIsts as un-ChristianlIke,
seeking only selfish ends, to the detri-
ment OF all outside their ranks. using
illegal. immoral means to gain those
ends. On the other hand. many trades
unioniSts have regarded the church as
antagonistic to all their efforts to better
conditions. Both these classes are woe
fully wrong. AS a matter Of fact. both
the church and organized labor are
seeking practically the same ends-the-
betterment Of mankind.
II am glad to say that the breach.
between these two great forces for
good is closing up. The church is COM
ing to realize that the trades union
does good and that their former ideas
must be revised. OF course in times
past our methods may not have appeal
ed to the aesthetic ideas Of all. 1t can
not be said. either, that the church
has not been guilty at times Of ques-
tionable methods. Both are perhaps.
mistaken; both are improving.
'It is fact that today conditions
under which the members Of our union
perform their work are steadily i'm
proving. The hours have been short
ened and the wages properly adjusted.
The barbarous strike and the atrocious
lockout are almost things OF the past
They have been supplanted by arbi-
tration and the trade court.
Our union = typographical union
No. 6-does much for its members. 1t
maintains beds in five hospitals for
the sick, it has plots in five cemeteries
for the burial Of such Of its members
as die leaving no relatives. and it sees
that these burialS are conducted in a
decent. Christian-like manner, chap
lains OF various denominations being
appointed for the purpose. AS local
Of the International Typographical IN
ion it has established pension fund
established it, too. while many OF the
hiShbrows are still considering its ad-
visability-and under that fund a
member who has reached the age of
sixty and has been n member twenty
years is entitled to and does receive
weekly pension. and no questions are
asked OF anybody. The recipient
knows he is not receiving a Clarity,
but is getting what he has paid for. We
help 10 maintain the Union Printers
home at Colorado Springs, in which
the aged members are taken care Of
and at which place the fight against
the dread disease of consumption is
carried on in a scientific manner, pro-
ducinS wonderful results. The typo
graphical union is In the forefront Of
the movement to fight the white
plague. and thousands OF dollars are
being spent annually in this cause.
1T is no wonder. then. that organi-
zadons OF this character are receiving
the commentator OF broad minded
churchmen. l have met clerSymen Of
every denomination who are strong
advocates Of trades unlouism."