The daily sentinel., 1912-01-23


dress il aS follows:
The charge has not infrequently
been made that the Christian Minis
try and Churches do not take the in
terest in the social problems as relat-
ed to labor and poverty which the i'm
portance of these questions demands.
Il has been intimated that the rea-
sons for this alledged attitude are to
be found in the subserviency of min
listers and churches to capitalistic in
fluence-in sort, 1t is the lack of cOu-
rage on their part to meet a great
moral issue for fear of the results
that might come to position and in
come from a consistent and radical
attitude. Perhaps, more than any
others, socialists have INDUCED in
this criticism. In addresses recently
delivered before this Ministerial Ali
ance by representative socialists OF
this city, they have considered them
selves called on to exhort the minis
ters to adopt what they choose to call
a closer and fuller adherance to the
teachings of Christ than has been the
custom. To all of this, the writer
protests. The libraries of the minis
ters and laymen indicate that they
ARE students of this question. The
current periodical literature of the
churches gives large attention to all
of these issues. The lectures and
discussions at the conventions, insti-
tCtes and assemblies conducted by
the Christian people show that they
are awake to the Importance of these
matters. The officially authorized
cards in several of the denominations
to systematise literature and educate
their people in social problems and
eryice, which boards are officered by
specialists, give further proof that t
is not Indifference that has called
forth this criticism.
In my Judgment, the charge
amounts simply to this; Only small
number of the influential ministers
and laymen of the churches are soc
iallsts, therefore, the conclusion has
been reached without knowledge of
the real facts in the case, that they
have not carefully investigated the
subject. My Judgment again offered
is that after an unbiased and thor
oughly sane study of the whole mat
ter. the ministers and laymen have
generally reached the conclusion that
socialism in many of its cardinal fea-
lures is neither tenable or desirable,
that it does not solve the socal proh-
lem. that is adoption would but ag-
gravate the conditions in society and
that ii has no real grounds for claira
to support from the standpoint of the
teachings of Christ Hence, we claim
that the ministers and laymen are not
socialists from lack OF courage
knowledge and conviction but because
courage, knowledge and conviction
lead them to reject many OF the lead
ing positions of socialism.
However, | am content to let 9TH
er ministers and the laymen speak
for themselves. This general view oi
socialism stated above makes IL i'm
| possible for this writer to be s0cal-
list. | am perfectly free to state more
fully my position and the reason.
therefor, which l will now undertake
to do.
| have long since reached the con.
clusion that the thinking socialist.
are largely idealists. They are wide
awake day-dreamers. They find, a.
We all do, certain conditions in sicietN
| a. Unjust anu hthNt are tNl
and with the best of motives the,
have set about seeking remedy
They have dreamed out a UtopiaI
scheme as unnatural and impossibl,
as Sir Thomas More's romance of tn,
early sixteenth century or nearly "a
unreasonable as would be the at
tempt to establish heavenly condi
tions on this earth in this day o
grace. They have adopted an idea
that wholly subverts the present or
der of society, is founded on neitheI
the scriptures or the observations o.
teachings of experience, an idea tina
would require the radical reconstruc
tion of human nature but impotentll
faces this situation without providing
any means or method for the accom-
plshment of this reconstruction.
AS we have heard or read the soc
ialistic appeal, it has seemed to us tC
be in the main on ARGUMENTUM
AID PoPULUM, an appeal to the pass.
ions of men. If you tell men that
they are much abused class and dc