Norwich bulletin., 1913-10-23
REV. c. H. RICKETTS, SPEAKS
 AT RADIATOR PLANT. Explains His Purpose in Y. M. C. A.. Shop Talk Series.

The first of the winters shop talks under the auspices of the Y. M. c. A
 was held at the plant of the Richmond 1 Radiator company Wednesday, tho
 speaker being Rev. Charles H. Rick etts. Vocal selections by Mrs. L. o Potter, accompanied by Miss Kramer were appreciated. In behalf of the employees William Fitzgerald welcomed
 Rev. MT. Ricketts and said that al were glad that the latter was to speak at the shop again this winter.
 Rev. MT. Ricketts said in part: As it is altogether likely that new l men have come into these works since we closed these talks last spring, il
 may be well for me to say for their i benefit just what the aim is and what it is not. I don't want anybody tC look upon me here as Q preacher. do not come here with that elaborate
 preparation that we have a right to
 expect in the pulpit. I am not a Iec-
 turer who comes to berate you for any
 mistakes or fOllies or misdeed that you may be guilty of I am alive to the fact that this is a workshop and not a. missionary station. My brother man, earnest, intensive and red blood ed, is here, getting his living l. too. am earnest intensive, red d-blooded, struggling in another department of the workshop with problems that bring us into a closer identity of interests than, perhaps you think I do not come then with a sermon or lecture, but simply to give a short talk as man to man on some practical vital theme.
 For Moral illumination.
 When I enter wonder door each week l must cOnfe as ray of light. If I fail to make this place morally lumi- nous, at least in some degree you may put this whole business down as dismal failure. What this world of ours needs today as much as any thing, both in the workshop and out of 1t, is not more creeds, either polit- ical or religious but an illumination of those creeds in our active living. The great call today is for sunshine, because there is some dark corner in everybodys' heart. I have had the heart of kindly interest turn it's warm white light upon my own heart and drive away many shadows. It is therefore my duty to pass it on to some other brother. Will you open your hearts to that single ray of white solar light that I may bring into the foundry? By this time you must have learned that I have no concealed de- sign in coming here. As my own heart has caught.,-I trust, something of the splendor of our elder brother, I just simply want to reflect it on you.
 The Church and the Shop.
 come here as brother and a Ifelnd to nave sort or heart to heart talk as men having so many things in common Men, I come here to give you the cordial greeting of your brothers outside the workshop Take my word for it. there is no icy barrier today between the American workshop and the American church, or between the labor in the workshop and the outside trades and professions. I will admit there has been indifferences arising from mutual misunderstood ings but as we know each other bet ter we are beginning to see the es- sential oneness of our common toll. The man who directs the >destinies of a nation, the man who directs the destinies of a great industrial splant, are one with the man whose hands furnish the product that lies at the basis of both industrial and national wealth The branches of labor form an organism that is controlled by organic law.
 This. then, is my object here. to bring a little light in my heart from the outlying world into this workshop To come here as a brother and friend for plain talk as man to man. And as a result, perhaps. we may both see the way little cleared as we journey side by side along this great highway of our common humanity