THE CHURCH AND THE PEOPLE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7829, 23 June 1909, Page 4

THE CHURCH AND THE PEOPLE.

The Rev. W. Slade delivered an address at the Baring Square Church last evening on "Christianity andj Social Progress." Mr Slade's startingpoint was that the Invisible had manifested Himself to man; that manifestation was made through man —the man Christ Jesus; and, thirdly, that the human body, instead of being the prison-house of the Platonic Apologue, is to share m the future state. He then showed the influence of this teaching of Christianity, and how under it men came to regard the human body as sacred. As it won its way m the world, woman's position was improved, sjayery was condemned and ultimately totally discountenanced, the conditions of labour were improved, and the working classes were educated. The speaker showed how at different stages of the world's history, owing to the inactivity of the Church, the conditions under which the mass of the people lived were distressing, and how far-reaching reforms were brought about by a revival m the Church such as that which had originated with Wesley and Whitfield. History was quoted to "prove that e.ye.ry great reform enjoyed by the workers was the outcome of Christianity, and it had frequently restored what capital had wrongfully wrested from the people. It was a Christian statesman who introduced into the British House of Commons the legislation which so largely improved the position of the industrial classes m England. Mr Slade concluded by saying that if Socialist agitators would only read a little more they would know how much they owed to the Church. It was useless to talk of the influence of the Church as on the wane, for a body which enshrines truths so great could never die.