Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-09-12
nv pTsHop w. A. GAMBLER

nYterlan cnuTCu, ID ISpo1 leu W II"
suggested that the churches should
take greater interest in social ana
economic questions.
He further suggested that the
conference appoint committees to
report authoritatively on the fol-
lowing questions:"
How can profit sharing be most
simply and most easily effected in
industry?
GLOW far should workers be en-
trusted with control Of managerial
policies?
Cannot a movement be started
small from cities into towns and
villages where the workers have
GLOW may iiliteracy be stamped
out?"
These suggestions of this very
able man are in a sense quite COM
plImentary to the churches. Secre-
tary Lane obviously perceiyes5 tn the e
churches and the Christian minis
try. Indeed, the power of the
churches has been conspicuously
demonstrated during the war and
since the armistice, notwithstanding
Of men who have never wearied, of
declaring what failures the churches
have been and are.
The government has relied on the
preachers and the churches in every
''drive" for the sale of Liberty
for the welfare of the country in
these disturbed times. And the
government has not been disap
pointed. The churches showed they
could be relied upon in such times
OF need. President Lincoln said dur
ing the war between the statesA
God be thanked for the churches" ~
and President Davis found them
equally dependable during that
dreadful period.
But is it not possible to ask the
churches and the preachers to do
too many things which are not a
part Of their work? And if the
churches are drawn aside from their
proper work, may not great injury
be done to the cause of religion,
civilization, and thereby great dam
age to be wrought to the material
interests which they are now called
upon to promote?
The best work preachers can do
for the settlement Of social and eco
nomic questions is to proclaim the
gospel of Christ, whereby spiritual
life is begotten and conscience is
quickened. The solution of all such
questions waits not so much on show
ing men the methods by which these
issues are to be solved, as on induc-
ing men to do what they know to be
right. If the pulpit should fall to
preaching economics issues more, the
result would be that the churches
would become centers for controver-
sizes concerning economic problems,
and all classes would turn away from
them. Thereby, all classes would be-
come less religious and conscientious,
and thus strife and contention would
be fomented to a dangerous degree.
1t is quite probable that the preach
ers would not agree among them
selves upon the answers to be given
to the questions, which Mr.. Secretary
Lane proposes. Trained statesmen
are not agreed on these matters.
Why should we expect agreement
among preachers, who have not stud
led them as statesmen and economists
have?
Some people affirm that there has
been great departure of the masses
from the churches. While the de-
alleged, it must be admitted that
many peoule have ceased to attend
church, and this fact has occurred
during the last decade, when not
few preachers have logged economic
discussions into the pulpit. How
could it be otherwise? Men do not
care to be wearied on the Sabbath
by amateurish deliverances on per-
picking economic and social Ques-
tions, with which they have had to
deal quite enough during the week.
Men go to church to worship God,
OF crude lectures on political econo-
my under false pretenses" when he
invites people to attend religious
services, and then harangues them
on strikes. lockouts and the like.
Moreover, preachers who use the
pulpit for the discussion of economic
and industrial questions will almost
certainly become e>~paPtisans of
some class, and their partisan preach
ments will tend to accentuate and in
tensify class hatreds and animosities.
There is too much of such strife be-
tween class and class already. Rus
STA has been paralyzed by govern
ment by one class only. In the house
of God the rich and the poor should
meet together to hear 1.-The common
salvation expounded and enforced.
Jesus has been called 1.-The poor
table and instructive fact that he
never arrayed class against class.
When he was crucified, no party ac-
cused him of betraying it's princi-
Piles and interests, and no party Ia
mented Him as the maltreated ex-
assumed in this latter day to repre-
sent His cause in the pulpit have
not followed His example and they
have engendered more strife than
peace among men.
How did Jesus escape their blum
der? He simply dealt with all men
as men, and not as members of one
class or another. He proclaimed to
all classes that "a mans life consist
eth not in the things which he pos
SesSeth," and this is a supreme truth
which both rich and poor should con-
slider Plenty is not piety, and pow
erty is not impiety.
One came to Jesus saying, Master,
the inheritance with me-" and the
Lord responded sternly, MAN, who
made me judge or divider over
your" And then in the light of the
case, the Great Teacher turned to his
disciples, and said, Take heed, and
beware of coVetousness." (Iuke xii;
1850
The church of God, no more than
her Divine Lord. can afford to be
used as a judge or divider in the dis
tribution of earthly goods among
Classes. ''Si Vile symp mp WITH
the poor, dwelling with them amid
their hardships, promoting their In
terests and relieving their distress
es, she cannot serve as the partisan
of class, whether rich or poor. To
each and all of every class she
speaks as the oracle Of God, saying,
HE hath showed thee, o man, what
is good; and what doth the Lord re-
quire Of thee, but to do justly, and
to love mercy, and to walk hum
bly, with thy God?" (Mic. vi: 81 It
is her Office to offer salvation to all
classes and to proclaim Christian
principles of life to all classes, rath-
er than to work out details Of proce-
dure and insist upon rigid methods
and procrustean programs for the
settlement of all social issues.
are rich in this world, that they be
not high-minded, not trust in uncer-
tain riches, but in the living God,
who giveth us richly all things to
enjoy; that they do good, that they
be rich in good works, ready to dis
tribute, willing to communicate;