Sentence:  More than <WSD>creatures</WSD> of metropolitan forces , the churches have taken the lead in counteracting the interdependence of metropolitan life , crystallizing and perpetuating the stratification of peoples , giving form to the struggle for social homogeneity in a world of heterogeneous peoples . 
Meaning of the word marked with <WSD> tags:  a person who is controlled by others and is used to perform unpleasant or dishonest tasks for someone else