The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1922-09-14
The Church s Work


"The church cannot countensnce vi
client methods, or an unfair days pay
or an unfair days work, or the break
ing of agreements, but it must never
lose its interest, nor forget it's obli-
cation in the Masters name, for the
multitude in the hard places of life"
said the Ri. Rev. Edwin S. Lines D. D.,
Bishop of Newark, in his convention
sermon at the opening session Of the
47th triennial general convention of
the Episcopal church in the United
States. 'The church must be able to
give voice to the aspirations and hopes
and desires of this multitude for
something better in life for them
selves and their children. Out from
unspoiled homes are to come those
who shall maintain the life of the
church and the service of religion.
"The church has stood for charity
and relief and mercy" continued\Bish-
op Lines. Emphasis must be put on
social justice and fellowship and the
Golden Rule, upon duties rather than
rights. No one can see the way in
which our great cities have grown up
with their homes of luxury and ex-
travagance, waste and selfish comfort
at one end, and mean streets and COM
FORTRESS houses and indecent eondi-
tions at the other end of the town,
without feeling that it is semi-pagan-
ism rather than Christianity.
"The church must make its own the
cause of the unprivileged people, those
who are in hard places in life, of
those upon whom the existing social
and industrial order presses heavily,
while it must stand against injustice
and unfairness on both sides.
81 wonder not that the world is in
revolt against the old and existing or
der whether it be in society or INDUS
try or in customs and manner of liv-
ing. 1t is largely revolt against
suppression and worn out customs and
traditions and it had to come in a
world which was settling down under
the impression that money making and
selfish prosperity and pleasure seek
ing are the main things in life. 1t
is a subject for rejoicing that an in
creasing number Of intelligent bust
ness men are endeavoring in a Chris
tian way, to solve industrial Difficult
ties, seeing the other mans point of
view and giving it consideration. We
will rejoice that labor is no more
thought of as a mere commodity by
right minded business men and that
human welfare is counted more than
the value of property, and that the
remedy for the worlds ills is recog-
nized as moral and spiritual rather
than economic"
Bishop Lines declared that these
perp1exing industrial questions and
contentious cannot be settled without
religion. His sermon, which measur-
ably strikes the keynote of the conven-
ton which assembled today with dele
gates present from all parts of the
world, was strong appeal for the de-
velopment of church leadership to
meet present-world conditions. He
urged that it was the duty of the
church in the fulfllment of its mis-
sion never to rest content with what
has been accomplished, but constant
ly to move forward. He drew a vivid
picture of the events of the past eight
years, which he spoke of as THE
World in Revolt" and compared with
the spirit of disintegration and re-
volt which is prevalent through all
history.
"The hope of the church," he declar-
ed, sis moving forward out Of the land
of ease and contentment, out of the
land of prejudice and narrow vision.
The church in action, holding fast to
what is old and we'll settled, but deal
ing intelligently with existing condi-
tions and questions, fighting with un-
waverng courage against what is
wrong, not spending overnnuch time
upon small questions, but concentrat-
ing upon what is large and vital, must
make its journey and fill out the mis-