The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1917-02-17
THE CHURCH. AND ECONOMICS.
Social Influence Shown in the
Middle Ages.

The University of Chicago Press has
recently issued collection OF extracts
on economic problems, edited by one
of the professors Of that institution,
Walter Hale Hamilton. In the first oil
vision of the book quotations are CIV
en- from various authorities on Ante
cedents of Modern lndustrialism,
dealing with conditions in the Middle
Ages. We learn of the "Gospei OF
Stewardship" from the great Summa
of st. Thomas Aquinas, and OF the
denunciation Of unjust business deal
ings, not in general phrases. but in
detailed explanation. from the SER
mons OF the famous Berthold Won Reg
cnSburg. II is most refreshing to hear
this great preacher, for example, tell
to those who dealt in the selling OF
meat and drink; IF thou otferest
measly or rotten flesh that thou hast
kept so long until it be corrupt, thou
are guilty pcrchance Of one mans life,
nerchance Of ten. Or if thou offerest
flesh that was unWholesOme before
the slaughter or unripe Of age, which
thou knowest we'll and yet givest it
for sale, so that folk eat it into their
clean souls which are so dear treas
IRE to Almighty God. then dost thou
corrupt the noble treasure which God
has buried in every man; thou are
guilty of the blood Of the folk" C'Cur-
rent Economic Problems" 1915, p. 25,)
From the original ordinances of
do xy-6
learn Of the religious spirit which per-
meated these organizations and from
the accounts of nOn-Catholic writer's
and students we are informed of what
this spirit produced in actual practice.
William ]. Ashley and William Cum
ningham, the able historians of this
period. in detailed fashion, relate the
ideal of social justice which influenced
the practical actions Of the medieval
public bodies and associations. Fair
wages were aimed at, fair dealings in
business, the protection Of the con-
sumer. The use of the cheap labor
OF women was regarded as rule with
disfavor." (p. 800 The articles OF
the spurriers of London, assented to
uuiring that members CT their trade
should not be allowed to work at night
because OF the many persons OF the
said trade who compass how to prac-
tice deception in work. taking ad-
vantage of the night to introduce
false iron, and iron that has been
cracked, for tin," and 'to put gilt on
false cOppers, and cracked, might be
quoted as an example OF the public
morality of the time.
Thus we are furnished with another
evidence of the salutary social intiu-
ence OF the Church upon economic
conditions, as shown in the medieval
era. At times, in upefffeially- study
ing the social phenomena OF various
periods of history, we may be tempted
to think that one age in its funda-
mental considerations and in its
thought for the good of the people is
the same as another and tint the evils
OF one time are likewise much as at
any other, changed in form, of course,
by the changing material progress.
But the careful reading of the testi-
mony Of somewhat impartial writer's,
or of those naturally likely to be pref,
udiced in another direction, in regard
TO the Middle Ages must convince us
that in that time there did exist pub
lie spirit OF social solidarity and jus
tice which other periods in history
have not shown.