Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-03-13
'SSUpREME
NEED SAID TO Be
SPIRIT OF CHRIST
Or, J. Edgar Wilson breaches Special
Sermon at Broadway to Men,
bers OF Unions.
CALLS MOVEMENT NECESSARY
Declares it Normal Phase of Social
EyolutiOn-Ur ees Introduction
OF Religion.

the Carpenter of Nazareth, the Mas
ter Workman of the ages" declared /
Or. J Edgar Wilson. pastor of Broad
way Presbyterian church, in his spec
ial sermon to labor unions last even !
ing.
Dr. Wilson took his theme THE
Labor Movement and spoke to about I
one hundred members of local labor
organizations VINO accepted his invi-
tation TO attend the service, in addi- |
ton TO his own congregation. He took |
his text frob John "a: We must !
work the works of him that sent me, |
while it is day; the night cometh |
when no man can work
AT the outset let us dsabuse our
minds Of the thought that the labor
movement means strikes. lockouts, f!
intense inconvenience, dislocation of
industry, disturbance of public order
and not infrequently riots, looting Of
shops. and wide spread consterna-
ton" declared the speaker. These
are mere accidents in the progress of
the labor movement. They are to the
labor movement what collisions are
to railways. wrecks and shipping pan
les to commerce and civil wars to ma
tional growth.
Labor Movement Necessary.
The labor movement is a normal
and necessary phase of our social
evolution. 1t is an integral part OF
the general humanization of our race.
1t is an essential factor in the uni
yersal indignation of men. 1t is a log
zeal moment in the coming of the
kingdom of God. The labor move
ment had its beginning in the earliest
promitive times. 1t started when the
Lord God took the man whom He had
formed out of the dust of the erour.
and put him into the Garden Of Edo.
10 dress it and keep it. And from that
time onward the labor movement has
grown into a worldwide endeayor IL
raise the strata of the mass5; of HE
common people to the leve! of high
est possibilities of norma human
life. Its aim has been and still is. not
TO transform the laboring man mo
capitalist, nor to change the eUrioye
into an employer. It's purpose has
even been to supply he actua. logical
needs OF a normal. human life.
Il have found seven steps in the
growth of the labor movement First,
, the emancipation OF labor, which freed
the workman from the letters OF
chattel slavery; second, the organize
ton Of labor, which bound the labor
ing classes together; third, the move
ment for the protection of labor;
fourth, the education of labor; fifth,
Introduction of socialism into labor,
sixth, the introduction of politics into
labor: seventh. the introduction of
religion into labor.
Religion Vital Factor.
With the first six steps in the
growth of the labor movement this
pulpit has little or nothing TO do. But
with the seventh step. it has every
thing to do. The introduction of re-
ligion into labor is both the Oppor-
tunity and the challenge Of the age
For to a great multitude of working
people, the labor N ,vemc1. has come
10 have much of tie emotional and
moral. if not the actual, spiritual
equivalent of a religion. This means
that the labor movement is becoming
more and more self-cCnsCiOus. it IS
awakening to its meaning and pur-
rose; it is becoming ,ognilant If its
whence and its whittier and alive TO
its place in the economy of life. And
if the pulpit is to be vital factor in
enabling the labor movement TO be-
come sanely self-cons"Iuus. aware Of
It's true meaning and purpose, cogni-
zant Of its divine whence and whittier
and alive TO its GOd-given place in the
economy of life, then we must dem
0nstrate 10 the labor movement that
We are not antagonistic to its real
purpose-that we are thoroughly sym
pathetic with its true meaning and
significance"
Problem OF the TOiler.
DR.. Wilson explained that the vital
issue of the labor movement is one
OF spirit and not OF system and de-
clared that the mighty problem of la
Dor today IS whether the soul of the
toiler be materialiZed or evangelical.
He showed that commercialism aims
at meeting a demand; that evangelism
aims al satisfying need; that the ul-
Innate goal OF the former is gain; the
hnal triumph of the latter, sacrifice.
In conclusion the speaker quoted
from Kier Hardie, who recently de-
clared: If | were a 80 year young
man, with the experience | have gain
ed during the past 80 years. would,
methinks, abandon house and home,
and wife and child, If need be, to go
forth amongst the people TO proclaim
atresh the full message Of the gospel
OF Jesus Of Nazareth. The need of the
hour is for fresh crusade. Shall we
iall asleep on our downy pillows OF
creeds and traditions, TO dream OF an
ideal society Or shall we awaken
10 righteousness and taking up the
challenge Of the introduction of re-
Hgion into the labor movement go out
on fresh crusade 10 proclaim afresh
and anew the full message Of the gOs-
pei Of Jesus Christi"
All the news all the tins - The
Argus.