The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-11-30
Christian Society Must Face
Problem of Unemployed
Mr.. Cooper Tells Church
Endorses Ordances
City Employment
Jones Resolution Should Be
Adopted. Urges Pastor of
Central Church In Sermon
On Unemployment

Declaring that there are eight or
ten thousand men in Richmond with
out work to do because Of the break :
down of private enterprise. and that
society has no right to allow such a
condition to exist, Rev. w A. Cooper,
pastor of Central Methodist Church,
last night strongly endorsed the Jones
ordinance for municipal employment
OF the idle.
The city Of Richmond has much
work 10 be DONE said Mr.. Cooper.
she lis the householder that needs
laborers 10 work in her vineyard.
broad Street ia to he tunneiled. new
streets in the annexed territory are
10 he graded, and the departments
need men to extend the water and gas
mains, II is an honor to us that oae
OF our own citizens has introduced an
ordinance 10 meet this need and to
ia this work. 1t s commended by
tho Mayor. and trust will soon DC
passed.
l. Sacred Fund.
''fSut would warn my friends on
the Administrative Board that this II
To be administered as a most sacred
fund and ia the name of Jesus Christ
our Divine Lord That L ix for the
tFittHA IN FfttH bfrAs W NO AIRS }iiSbdbN
and fathers. and who are in need of
ths temporary aid. The ordinance is
right. /, is just. j, is Christian and
humane and the Council ought ia
clear TIE way, as for an emergency
measure"
Dividing .hc unemployed into three
classes and touching but briefly Oh
thar of the unemployablc and tina. 81
the detectives, the preacher said:
.In the third class | would put the
able ard willing workers who are tenn
porAr!iy otii Of employment These
are they. for whom plead. They arc
good men. They love their wives ard
children. They are good mocha MICS,
hat willing to do laborers' work, and
iaaoreIs who can ind no work to do.
Their idleness Is enforced and this is
one Of the great tragedies OF the
world. Wc must face this emergency
az Christian men ard members of a
society that at least processes TO be
Christian
Christ Social Worker.
Jesus Christ. our Divine Lord, n "
these same conditions In Palestine in
His day The para bles are pictures Of
social conditions, Iahorers were out
Of work, The jails were crowded
with men whose only crime was. they
Werst IN debt Inc scriptures, lneFt-
fore. have much to say concerning
thesc things"
In a Christian order of society"
said Mr.. Cooper. every man will have
opportunity 20 earn his living. II pri-
vatc enterprise Is ina deauate To meet
the need then Christian society.
through i;s organized agencies, must
provide the opportunity. 1t does not
meet the need to give them charity
These men do not want charity. they
want opportunity. To offer charity is
to Insult their manhood. Neither can
the church provide these men work.
but the church can throw her ire
mendous influence on the side of JUS
.ice and right. The work OF the
church is to create a Christian order
Of society called In the Scriptures the
Kingdom of Heaven. The church 10
which | belong" declared Mr.. Coop
err "has already announced 10 the
world that she stands for The right
Of all men TO the opportunity OF SELF
maintenance. and for the protection
of workers from the bardships OF en-
snr-cd eYnpIoyment'