Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1919-07-17
SOCIAL CONDITIONS

SOCIAL CONDITIONS
At the Centenary convention in
Cleveland, Ohio on June IS, 1919,
composed of the bishops, district SUI
perintendents and other officers of
the Methodist Episcopal church. a
committee of lift zen was appointed to
draw up statement of the body in
regard to existing social conditions.
Bishop Richard j. Cooke was chair
mon and DR.. George w. White secre-
tary. The report of the committee,
which was adopted by the convention
is as follows:
las this is not legislative body,
1t cannot give an authoritative utter
ance for the churcn ON this vital sub
Ject. 1t can only record lts cOnvic-
ton. The marked cond,u0n of social
and industrial as well as political un-
rest and upheaval, through which the
world is now passing, calls for the
best thought which the church can
give. Wn.'~ | uch NJ this Condition
is a direct result of the war, it is also
q revelation disclosed by the war of
things which have been in existence,
but have not been so clearly seen.
''The only wise thing for the
church to do is to face these prob
lens with the same courage it has
shown in other great issues. Closing
the eyes will find no solution.
"In the study of causes 1t is clear
that there are grave inequalities Of
opportunities facing many men and
serious Inequalities in the distribution
of the products of their toll.
1.-THE privileges %: self-develnp-
ment, spiritual and intellectual, are
I'D 80 nf fo.I hot Il
for themselves and their families, be-
cause of the hard conditions under
which they must labor for their daily
bread
Every man is, under God entitled
to something more than a bare liv-
ing for himself and his family, IL he
be sober and industrious. The
church. commissioned of it's great
Head. to preach abundant life" for
all, cannot be Indifferent to the de-
plorable condition mentioned above.
1.-THE church must regard the lab
orer as a man, not a machine; as a
living soul, not commercial COM
modify, to DE purchased on the mar
ket This is essential for the COM
mon good of society as much as for
the welfare of the individual directly
concerned, for the essence of civiliza-
ton is found in the value placed up
on human life. This is also the
genius of the gospel Of Christ, upon
which alone .rra "iv'iH .ticn can be
built. 1t is the business of the
church to set up the kingdom of God
In the lartn: that to bring about
such conditions that each man will
have his chance to reach his best es-
tate.
''To this end the church is under
obligations to encourage a better un-
Outstanding between employers and
employees, so that whatever rights
are claimed by one shall be enjoyed
by the other. In other words, 1t
must strenuously inculcatethe Princi-
Pile that employers and employees, in
their very nature, are partners, not
competitors; allies, not enemies. On
no other basis can permanent har-
mony between them be established.
"Thisjmeans not onlythe democrat
ization of industry, but its Christian
ization also. 1t means that power,
either political, economic or indus
trial shall not be monopolied by one
class to the detriment or defrauding
OF another. Indeed, class distinc-
tion must disappear IL true Christian
only is the true democracy for which
the world waits. The church OF
Christ must prepare the way for this
by recognizing no barriers of class or
race and by discouraging wider de-
velopment of class consciousness.
"The church must be interested In
all men. in all the ranks of life. 1t
must have an equal ministry to all de-
void of partisanship or favoritism. 1t
must be as much concerned in the
wages of the poor as in the wealth OF
the rich. 1t must see the menace to
society in those that have too much,
as we'll as in those having too little.
There are encouraging signs that the
great movement of the times is tow
ard the goal above described. The
lessons of common brotherhood, born
OF the common peril of the great
world conflict just ended, will not
easily be forgotten.
Employers are showing a DISPOSE
ton of greater fairness toward their
employees, while the utterances of
some recent labor conventions have
been very pronounced gainst the use
of violence in the settlement Of dis
putes and in condemnation of broken
contracts between employers and en-
ployees.
'The Methodist Episcopal chuch,
with its advanced social creed has OPP
emily avowed Its advocacy OF every
thing which will advance the common
good. Let US have no fear of prac-
ticing what we preach. of encourag-
ing the open discussion in the church
of these vital questions until 1.-THE
good OF all shall become each mans
law."-The Christian Advocate.
--0-