The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-01-17
SERMON ON SOCIALISM.
Second of the Series by Rev. Dr.
 Shanley of DanbuFy.
Danbury News. Jan. 15.)

Danbury News, Jan. 15.)
 Rev. Walter J. -Shanley, LL.D., con- tinued his series of sermons on ''So- cialism" at the vesper service at St. Peters church Sunday evening. His subeict was: EHThe Social Order Be- fore the Protestant Revolution
 Dr. Shanley said in substance: I Morality is the basis of true civiliza- tfon. The best civilization in the his tory of the world, is the Christian civilization founded and diffused by L 6 Church of Christ. Christian morality demands such distribution of wealth crates the desire for riches; it teaches that wealth is not an end, but al means; that the superduities of wealth are the patrimony of the poor. The maxims of Christian morality are that ! men are brothers; labor is a duty for every one, having an ennobling and e evating effect; idleness is a vice; tall ents must be used, not left undevelop- ed, and must be used for the benefit of all
 "The Catholic church inculcated and nations which she established and formed, and these doctrines were the foundation on which the whole struc- ture of mediaeval society was con- structed.
 '"The church was the link between man and man, between class and class, between nation and nation. sShe stood | between the peasant and the lord, be- tween the workman and the master, preventing oppression and securing ! equity. She was the greatest charf- | table organization in the world, and is at present She founded institu- tions for every phase of human misery. ' Her work is not like modern philan- thropy, the noisy counterfeit of Chris has said Is like woman admiring | herself; charity Is mother with a child in her arms The church in= | cuIcated the precept of charity, which ? he-or ho lc0U If m
 and was the basis of all social unions, | whether agricultural. mechanical or
 commercial St. Thomas Aquinas, the | church'S greatest theologian, taught in | the thirteenth century that man should not consider his outward pos
 sessions as his own, but as common | to all, so as to share them without difficulty when others are in need {
 Three branches of industry, agrfcul- l ture, handfcraft and commercei which included al occupations in mediaeval l times, were dominated by religion and | ideal condition.
 Two principles prevailed among the farmers, one taken from the church law: No man belongs to another. and the other borrowed from the im- perial law: The people are God $, and the tribute is the emperors. At the close of the middle ages there was a | large number of landed peasant prop rietors. Tenant farmers held their leoses in perpetutty. The rents were small, often nominal. In Austria the
 
 annually in the employ of the prop rietor. These were frequently days of good cheer, of merriment and feasting, at which the tenants merely acknowl- edged the vested rights Of the land | lord. The peasants were we'll housed. well fed and fairly clad and farm hands were we'll paid. The dissolution 1 of conyents, monasteries and other ec- clesiastical institutions, sby the whole sale confiscation of church property threw the peasant class into a state
 flar7 -fe-r-7 monks who had been easy landlords
 were succeeded by selfish despots, who brought the peasantry to a pitiable state of serfdonl, as was evident in l Ireland in the eighteenth century, Trade guilds were an important part of mediaeval life, all of which yere guilds for every profession and trade; guilds of bakers, butchers, tai lors, cobblers. tanners, drapei's. hat ters, carpenters masons, linen-spinners, | wool weavers, jewellers and metal I workers and many others. There were | 30 GOO in England in the 18th century 80 in Cologne, 70 in Lubeck,- over 100 in Hamburg. The essential motive of the craft guilds was religious. They were under the special protection of popes and bishops, and enjoyed many spiritual privileges. One of h. pr h. cipal objects was to render their mem bers secure inStae independent earn ing of their living by means of a trade All craftsmen had to choose their
  another. A living principle with the craftsmen was that no man should be run out of business" by willy neigh bor. Wages were regulated. The master who neglected to pay his work men, was prevented from pursuing his work. The workman, who was insol mt or insubordinate was prevented from working till amends were made before the mayor and aldermen.
 'sSham .or deceit in work was severe ly punished The utmost vigilance was l zFv,1-z
 Iers and others. Food and other pro- visions were subjected to severe scru- tiny Every baker was obliged to place hts seal on his bread, and if he cheated in weight or material he was publicly ducIed in puddle of water. The craftsmen were not allowed to work at night. No artificial light was used at their work There were three classes of workmen, masters, journey men and apprentices.
 Apprenticeship was from two to only one apprentice and his son. Ex- ception was made for bakers and butchers. On signing the articles of the union or guild. the apprentice learned that 1t was intensely religious, that he must attend mass on Sundays and holy days. lead a moral Catholic ness and immortality. He learned that the guild supported its own chapel and priest to say early mass daily for them unique and uplifting. At the end of his apprenticeship, he appeared at the weekly meeting of the guild. and produced some object he had made. It must be useful and beautiful, and dif- fer from all similar work. It might - N'~~e. do0- knob. a tool a bit of framing or a specimen of f11ig-ee It $ judged by his elders, and is a proor hat he is gft to apply for work in fandon. Dublin, Toledo or Milan. Af- ter becoming d jous-neyrnan, the crafts nan m ght aspire to become a master For this, he was obliged to undergo a severe ordeal, under the supervision of com petent judges. and was obliged