The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-07-31
HODGE SAYS LABOR
 AND INDUSTRY HAVE KINDRED RICH 5
Pleads For Injection of Golden Rule in Sermon and Urges Justice Tempered With
 Mercy For Both

Calling on the church to make It. self heard in the present industrial crisis and urging the observance of the Golden Rule in the national, so- cial and industrial life of this na- tion. Rev. B. G. Hodge. associate pastor of the First Methodist church. Sunday morning preached on The Golden Rule." taking his text from the gospel of Matthew vii:l2: Therefore, all things that you would have men should do to you. do you even so to them; for this Is the law and the prophets"
 This country Is now the battle field on which is being waged great industrial war" said Mir. Hodge in referring to the present na- tional strikes. Tn this as in every war there are two sides, each con tending for rights It is not my province to say who is the chief of fender, nor to offer a present solu- tion, but it Is my province to say, and I say 1t without fear of contra diotion, that the world will be sub ject to such outbreaks just so long as these two econtending forces fail to inject into their rules of opera ton the principles of Jesus Christ as contained in the Golden Rule.
 "I have listened for the church to say something during this crisis, but to my disappointment l have heard little. 1t seems that she is afraid to
 xSff one. God forbid that the church.. Gods agency for establishing His Kingdom among men, should remain silent at time like this.
 Dignity of Labor
 "There are two facts underlying our present problem which the Bible assumes-the first of these Is the
 ngnity of labor. When l say labor, do not refer to any organization, but I do refer to men who work. God is on the side of the worker. The worker has rights; the idler has none, whether he belongs to the idle rich or to the idle poor. man who works can not be kept down. for God is on his side. but the Bible definition does not confine work to manual labor.
 "He Is a cheap thinker who says that the only man who works Is the man who works with his hands Paul says: I laborn He was not t1lking about tent making, but was referring to his work of preaching the gospel. The man who sits and directs the af- fairs of a great industry does more work In 10 minutes than I could do in month with my hands. Both. however, are workers. and hon orablq in the sight of God.
 sanctity of onwership
 "The Bible assumes another fact the sanctity of ownership, wh sther 1t be public or private. God says. Hands off of your mel ighbors prop erty! Thou shalt not stealV Own ership is sacred and he that destroys his neighbours property because an outlaw. Ownership Is a trust as well as a right. No one has a right to l hoard or profiteer or even use his property only for himself. Property Is a trust and we are stewards l These are two facts for us to con- slider in an era like this. and these things are fundamental in the life of | the nations.
 Golden Rule For Industry T am pleading for the injection of
 the Golden Rule into industry. The | Outbtduuin6 phihciPAc oA eAS l Rule is justice. God requires that we do .justly'-love mercy and walk 1 humbly with God! God is concerned with conduct rather than property | The question Is not how much man
 is worth, nor to what organization
 does he belong. but what kind of 4 l man is he? An interruptions poor man who says, Away with the rich 1 man and all his kind and the un- i principlod rich man who Is ont to | exploit the poor are both in the same
 class. God requires that we be just | Justice means the right treatment | for labor. The employer who Is mol giving just wages to his employees is | not honest and labor Is committing l no crime when 1t seeks to better It. self The question of wages will | never be settled until justice holds | the scale. Likewise justice meant
 a square deal for capital. The em- | ployer who decides not to employ l organized labor must not be tlassed l as bad man. for he Is an American | citizens and his rights of his own which he may exercise If he su
 chooses. Labor will never perma'
 nently better it's condition by wrong I ing its employers.
 There is also in the Golden Rule
 the element of mercy. There is too 1 much hate and animosity among us l and in our dealings with one an-
 other. Mercy will make us love our i reighbor; 1t will make us serve him l Mercy stays hate and makes men | brothers"