The Washington herald., 1919-12-26
MESSAGES THAT
ANGELS SANG
BY THE REV. CHARLES sTELZLE
STAFF Writer on Religious Topics.

stHh WHIT On hetSious iopics.
The cloud on the industrial horizon
has its silver lining. For labor trou-
bIes come as the result of an adranc-
ing civilization.
Social unrest is sometimes an indi-
cation of social progress.
There are no labor troubles in
Darkest Africa" Curiously enough
Christianity will have a good deal TO
do with introducing them.
The ancient philosophers declared
that "a purchased laborer is better
than a hired one" "a workshop is IN
compatible with nobility" And in ac-
cordance with these principles they
erected great prison-like structures
in which they hid away the laborrr.
compelling half the world 10 live in
slavery.
II would make interesting reading
TO know how that other half lived.
Then came Jesus Christ Standards
changed. Jesus discovered the indi-
vidual. He showed the world how
highly God values 4 human soul.
Men caught lbs spirit. with the re
suit that in every Christian land the
standing OF the laborer has been ele-
waited
1t was in Christianity that the lauoI
movement had its rise. Its success is
due TO the fact that Christianity
blazed the way.
1t needed the missionary OF the
cross; it needed Christian civilization
to go before and prepare the founda-
ton.
Then came the labor agitator and
built upon the foundation laid by
Christ and His church. many years
before.
1t has taken a long time. ana con
ditions are not yet ideal; but the
principles of Jesus applied TO society
are responsible for the great advance
made by the workingman since the
day that he was a miserable slave.
There has been steady progress like
the irresistible sweep of a mighty
river. Eddies have been formed which
seem to mark the backward course on
the stream. The pessimist has seen
the eddy. and points to it as an indi-
cation that there has been only a
backward movement. Indifferent TO the
fact that the food just beyond re-
vealS true progress.
He is unmindful OF the day when
workingmen lived in small. dinSy.
foul-smelling rooms; when they slept
In cellars and over opan drains; when
men worked sixteen hours every day
without being paid for the overtime"
He has forgotten the time when
manufacturers were actually paid to
rid a parish of pauper children. who
Il.
ditioRs were so degrading that in
at home caring for the babies or
mending stockings, while the women
were engaged at the wearing work of
the mill; when II was a crime TO in
crease the workingman's wages above
a certain amount: when workingmen
could be put in Jail for owing a store
keeper 10 cents; when the mechanic
received 50 cents for a days work. at
a time when 50 cents would purchase
no more than 1t will today.
The increase in wages, the shorten
ing of his hours OF work. the multi
plication of his comforts. his new ed
vocational advantages, his superior po-
sition as a citizen and n man-all these
have made the average workingman n
progressive. right-thinkinE individual
Viewed in the light OF history. all
this must appear revolutionary.
Out of Ohrist's teaching have sprung
the great world movements which
have ushered in the larger liberty and
the fuller life which He came TO pro-
claim.
The message which the angels sang
on the first Christmas morning is he
ing taught more widely than ever be-
fore.