The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-10-16
SOCIALIST BISHOP
SOUNDS 4 WARM ING
Laboring People Alienated
from Church, He Tells Con-
vention of Episcopalians

NEW YORK, oct i5.--Hishop
Franklin Spencer spalding, OF Utah,
who is a socialist, told his brother
bishops and the clerical and lay depu-
ties "a the general convention II the
Protestant Episcopal Church. AT a
mass meeting in the Cathedral to-
night. that the great mass of labor.ng
people are aheuated from the Church
because they believe that ii is sup
ported out OF the profits Of industry
and that gifts 10 the Church are made
possible through the plunderine of the
workiugmea.
lie told them that they "doped
themselves into a false satisfaction
that the general convention was a con-
ventIon Of capitalists. ana that while
the Church seemed wonderfully pros
porous. he doubted if Christ would
have been satisfied with form OF
activity which depends largely upon
the SITS OF the rich
Offerings Not solution.
II feel that generous offerings to the
Church as long as the Church is the
agent IF the rich VIII do little toward
solving the Industrial problem. Some
times ! am almost afraid larger sums
spent en- charity and organized re-
ligion may still further ALLEVIATE the
workers from the Church. These
greater gifts must come from the
profits the rent. the interest of the
rich and the class conscious workers
hate the SYSTEM which produces first
interest. profits and rent, and pays
wages with what il left"
Bishop Spaldiag said he was not
sure that the wage Garner would thank
him for pleading his cause, and quoted
Big Bin Haywood, who was heard to
say at IA meeting of workingmen:
/ Have nothing to do with the
preachers. They are all advocates of
darkness. surmise and superstition.
They have weakened every labor
movement they have been allowed to
enter"
After giving statistics to show how
little the workingman gets out of his
toll under the present Industrial sys-
tenn. Bishop Spalding said:
An Unholy Zeal
Tho enthusiasm which gives power
/ 10 the industrial movement Of the
present is in danger OF becoming an
unholy zeal. The philosophy of syudi-
calism makes this quite clear. In
spite OF attempts to justify 1t the pro-
gram of sabotage is one of craft and
immoral secrecy.
The Church must stand on solid
ground. She must not he ashamed to
learn the lesson that God teaches
that labor, not capital. is the basis OF
all value, and that men at their worst
are worth more than dollars at their
best. If the Church is to be a real
power in the twentieth century she
must cease to be merely the almoner
( of the rich and become the champion
of the poor
Bishop Lawrence, of Massachusetts,,
\ who presided at the meeting tonight,
i spoKr on 1.-THE Growth of the Social
Spirit In the Church" Dean Walter
I r. Sumner. of Chicago, spoke on THE
] Clergy and Social Service and Rath-
bone Gardner, one OF the lay depu-
ties from Rhode Island, spoke on
! THE I.aity and Social Service"
/ The radical change in Church gov
ernment and administration to which
the house of deputies subscribed on
Tuesday by It's resolution favoring the
/ formation OF provinces and the cleo
tion of bishop as Its executive head,
occupied the attention OF the house for
the greater part Of this morning. when
n noon came the section Of the proposed
canon was stu under discussion along
tContinned on Seventh rage.l