The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-02
LABOR|NG MEN
AND THE Church
DR.. Skinner Discusses Their
Attitude in Sermon at
Second Baptist.

Preaching on Tailoring Men and the
Church." the Rev Z. Clagett Skinner,
D. d., pastor OF tho Second Baptist
Church. said last night that investiga-
tion showed that the proportion OF
laborinE men In the churches is dimin-
ishing. and that the degree of neglect
among wage-enrners Is unuuestionably
greater thRn among other classes.
Total depravty and infdelity could
not be given as the reasons, he said,
though they had been put forward as
main causes or neglect. But. from
letters he had received. he gathered
three reasons for church neglect, and
in the first place. he said. he found
that labor lenders have in many cases
poisoned the mind of these men by in
hammatory and incitive utterances
Many OF these men have not been able
calmly to weigh these utterances and
consequently many minds are ombitter-
ed against organized Christianity"
Another reason was stated to he the
fact that the laboring classes could not
dress well enough TO so to church.
The third reason lies in resentment
against the employer whose giving is
made up from "a decrease in wages and
the consequent suspicion of the church
wherein this class OF employers
paradcs.
But DR.. Skinner said. ALI the selfish
ness Is not OH one side. There are
selfish and unreasonable employers and
there are selfsh and unreasonable en-
ploycs The majority OF these captains
or Industry In our churches are not
brutcs and tyrants. They would have
done justice to their men II they had
not been mislcd by false philosophy.
That false philosophy must die. and
the Christian church must kill II. Tho
law OF Christ operative in our minds
and the grace of Christ in our hearts
will kill IL.
The laboring man must recognize
that his is not the only 'econornically
productive calling. He must cease to
think. as some of them do think. that
tho professions OF life must be abo!-
ished"
What Church Must DO.
To the churches. ne said. we must
convince these wagc-earners that our
program includes them and their strug-
gle The church must rebuke selfish
ness and rapacity everywhere. II it
is more difficult to rcbukc IL In the
strong. she must have the courage TO
do II. or fail ultimately In her pro-
gram
1.-The church should not censure. but
approve and encourage, the same com
binations OF lnborers for the protcc-
ton OF their own interests. The acts
of violence and oppression perpetrated
by the unions are, OF course, to be de-
nounced, but the unions themselves
are lawful and necessary. l know OF
no reputable political economist of any
school who does not now approve OF
the organization of labor. Capital
combines to control the price OF labor;
and labor Is helpless to protect itself
without organization.
Compact labor unions can secure
arbitration of labor disputes. Under
the present industrial system this is
the best way OF avoiding strife and
securing justice.
1T is not necessary or perhaps de-
sirable that the churches shouni UNI
dcrtake to discuss from the pulpit the
methods by which the Christian law
can be applied to the relation between
workmen and employer. but the
churches leaders should be familiar
with tho facts about the working of
industrial partnership and profits har-
ing systems.
Lastly. the church must not forget
that Christ said lie came into the
world to heal the broken-hearted, to
nrench deliverance to captIves. to set
at liberty them that are bruised. 1t
would be difficult to exhaust the Sig
niticance OF the fact that Goa uii use for
His Son when lie dwelt among ilen.
out Of all the possible positions In
which He might have placed Him, the
lot OF u workingman."