The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1922-04-03
GORDON SUGGESTS.
CHRISTIANITY AS.
CURE FOR STRIFE.
Speaks Plainly TO Both Capt.
tai and Labor In Force.
fol Address

HaFNHft ..M
II was necessary to hang out
the s r. o. sign at the First
Christian Church last night sew
eraI minutes before the services
tstarted
THE reason for the exception
MY large crowd was the fact that
are Rev y. 2. Gordon had an
bounced that he would deliver a
sermon on THE Relationship Of
the Church to Capital and Labor"
Capital and labor to my mind
represented in the congregation
ltst night, the ratio as near as
could be- estimated roughly being
abpnt. $3.50; and when at the end
OF his sermon the Rev. Mr.. Cor
don asked II capital and labor
thought he had been fair In his
talk every hand went up lndIca-
tive OF voing in the affirmative.
Capital mad labor to my mind
IRE Siamese twins" declared the
Reverend Mr.. Gordon. "They must
Walk together, talk together,
work together, play together,
weepswith one another and share
their Joys together. All work
for one and all play for the other
y not right, Their heads must
plan together. While they are
separate, remember that II one
dies the others heart will soon
stop beating and the graveyard
Is the next thing. Then the
preacher, whom you both have, to
O certain extent spoken evil of
VIII be called into action to
preach your funeral sermon"
Worked In Mines
In pretaclng his sermon, the
Reverend Mr.. Gordon said:
First of all l am here tonight
70 bring you a Bible message on
this great question. l have invited.
men representing capital and men
representing labor to attend this
meeting, and my full intention is
to forget you in a sense and re-
member that / stand before my
God to give you a message from
HisGword.
have been associated with
both capital and labor in a way
that helps me TO understand you
N Q unique way. I was brought
uptn;a mining district and worked
asa lad 12-years- old in the
mines. carrying a dinner pail to
work that was nearly as large as
myself, SO 1t seemed to many. l
was enlisted In the ranks Of the
miners when the glad word came
that the eight-hour day had been
established after a long fight, the
great victory which was celebrated
everywhere yesterday.
In college, l specialized for a
lime In social science. and I think
that l understand the attitude Of
the professor and the average
student. l have spent a share Of
ministry preaching the gospel
industrial centers.
a remember that l spent about
three years in a little town Of 600
people on the edge OF a great
EARNING section in the middle
west in order that l might be
able to come to know the farmer
better and to get his prospectus
IN life. / would not trade those
years Of experience for anything
in the world.
Desert The Church
Getting down to capital and
labor's attitude concerning the
church the speaker said:
Labor, through a false leader
ship has deserted the church Of
Jesus Christ, and I say that as q
friend Of labor. Cries have been
made against the church by some
beeauseSthe church has refused to
lie an instrument in the hands of
class and to serve that class in
social way. Capital has also
given the church the cold should
er because she refused to hold
hersem as q trumpet for the voice
those who have been raising
the big stick.
Church For All
In speaktng of the duty OF the
hurch; the Reverend MI. Gordon
declared:
Christ established His church
Tor an mankind. It was not to be
d class of clique affair, but to be
4 messenger Of Gods love TO all.
TheS mainspurpose OF the church
not social, Some have usnrped
the church power and built
churches Of political parties, Re-
publicans, Democrats, Socialists.
Bysthe way you may call me a
Christian Socialist, providing you
don't 90 out and dig up your own
definitions OF what Ithaye said.r
Advice To Labor
Briefly the speaker said to
labor:
Christs church or the church
otthe Bible is a spiritual power
and will bless society IL society
gives 1t a chance: but don't stand
back from here like one Of the
main leaders OF this state did In
Charleston the other day and said,
You have to hit the other fellow
WA q ~ ..a