Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1913-10-20
AND MARYLAND GAZETTE
OILS. MD. MONDAY. OCTOBER 20, 1913
Christian Socialism an Absolute Con-
tradiclion.
lAReply to "A Christian soeialist"l
Communicated

false. 1t is wrong for him to say
that the agnostieism and atheism Of
its leaders has nothing to do with
the movement, because the utter de.
structiOn of Christianity is essential
even to an attempt at putting the
system into operation. Jefferson 5
skepticism or lngersoll's infidelity
truly had nothing to do with their
political parties, because politics and
religion in this country are separate.
But religion and Socialism are not
sepsrable here or anywhere else.
Consequently hi; comparison does not
possibly hold.
1t ought to be brought home very
forcibly that Socialism rests on prin-
ciples diametrically opposed to Chris
tianity, and hence the term Chris
tian Socialist" is contradiction. If
you believe in the tie commandments
you are no Socialist; il. you deny
them you are no Christian. If one
processes to be a Socialist, he must
certainly embrace the principles laid
down by the founders and leaders of
the moveme Mt, just as a Christian
must follow the teachings of Christ.
From the ten quotations gave in
your Thursdays issue it is quite
evident that, es Dietztn German
Socialist) says: Socialism and
Christianity differ from each other as
day does from night" (Philosophi-
cal Essays, p. 1927, Who will deny
that Engels, the twin-father with
Mark in founding Socialism, declares
to the world that religion must be
banished before Socialism can make
progress. And even if Engels, or
Marx, or Bebel, or Herve, or Blach-
ford, or any other Socialist, had not
told us so, we would soon discover
that Socialism postulates total di-
orce from Christianity.
This, however, many Socialists
try to conceal. The report Of the Ma
tional Conve ntion of the Socialistic
party assembled at Chicago, May,
1908, pre- sents striking example of
Socialistic insincerity. Although the
trend of the proce edings was pro-
uouncedly atheistic and agnostic, yet
clause regarding religion was placed
in the platform with the express pur-
pose # misleading pr ,spective men,
bers. One of che delegates, Mr.
Ernest Tnte rmann, Socialist author,
declared that he believed it nonsensi-
cal to urge men to become atheists
before they had become Socialists.
He argued openly that they would
become atheists soon enough once
they had joined the movement. In
the same convention, Mr.. Morris Hill
quit, (at present conducting a con-
troversy on Socialism with Father
Ryan in Everybody's Magazine
after declaring that SO per cent. of
the party were agnostics, carefully
worded the clause "The Socialist
party is primarily an economic and
political movement. 1t is not con-
cerned with religious belief, +"
Whereupon another delegate, Mr..
Van der PosteL, took the floor and
denounced this make believe. "
CAS- long as we are too cowardly to
express what we believe" he ex-
claimed, 1--WE. should be silent en-
tirely." He then challenged the
assembly: Is there a man who
will dare to say that religion is not
social question:" There was no
one to take up the gauntlet.
Let US say nothing" he contin
ued, cor say the truth. To spread
forth to the world that religion is the
individuals affair, and that reli zion
has no part in the subsection of the
human race, we lie when we say it. -
The report says that great applause
followed. Mr.. Strickland, Comrade
from Indiana, closed his argument on
economic determinism with the
words: How dare you then say Tin
the platform) that we have nothing
to do with religion?" Mr.. Arthur
M. Lewis objected also to the decep-
tion, and deemed it more honorable
to throw off the mask and declare
the true attitude of Socialism against
Christianity. "lt we must speak, I"
he said, 81 propose that we shall go
before this country with the truth
and not with lie." The entire pro-
ceedings of this convention are given
in the Chicago "Daily Socialist. -
See also article entitled "The Incon-
sistency of Christian Socialism" in
the National Civic Federation Re-
view, November 15, 1903.
1t must be apparent, therefore, to
every inte lligent reader that Social
ism cannot be the economic express
sion of Christianity, as "A Christian
Socialist declared in your issue of
Saturday evening. If Hillquit assures
US that SO per cent. of those in the
movement are atheists or agnostics.
and Marx declares atheism as its
Iundati IN. how can the movement
in any sense be Christian?
In your issue of Tuesday evening.
my friend, "A Christian Socialist. .
declared, in the words of the plat
form, that Socialism had nothing
whatever to do with religion; now
be bold, on Saturday evening he says
it has great deal to do with relig.
ion; in fact SO ocialism is the eco.
nomic expression of Christianity. .
What marvellous change has come
over himself or the movement in So
few daysl If boys could comprehend
it, they would certainly say "That':
going some. .
F. L. Kennel, c. SIS. R.,
I