THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL QUESTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 237, 30 June 1908, Page 2

THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL QUESTIONS.

ADDRESS BY THE REV. A. DEWDNEY. DISCUSSION BY COUNCIL OP CHURCHES. At tho meeting of the Council of Churches last evening, the Rev. A. Dewdney gavo an interesting address 011 "Tho Churches and Social Questions." The speaker said that if lie read rightly, not since the French Revolution; had there been such stirrings of unrest and ;threatenings of revolt as at the present time, Tho Chartist movement was not to bo compared with them. That was a demand for a largo share in government, but the modern social discontent threatened changes that went 1 deeper, and vitally affected tho wholo social and.economic structure of modern society.; Tho movement was as widespread as it was deep; it was s:en in all European countries, fn England, in America, and theso colonies, and it was not aroused by temporary distress. Rises in wages had increased rather than diminished discontent. The Churches dared j not say that this was no concern of theirs, At bottom it was a moral movement, and tho Churches should bo glad of it. Who could tjuestion that grave moral issues were involved when the social reformer declared that (1) it was unfair that one man through no virtue of his own should roll in luxury while lis brother man, through 110 crime of his own, was starving; (2) that it was monstrous I that one man should hold for his own pleasure thousands of acres which ho did nothing to earn, while thousands of men, through 110 sin of theirs, were huddled together Without breathing space and necessary convenances for decent life; (3) that a man who wes ablo and willing ought to be able to secure work.

Tho Churches might disagree with the proposed economic solution. That was matter for legitimate debate, but to brush aside all theso as unworthy of consideration was criminal.

WAITING FOR A LEADER. The discontented workers were waiting for a true leader, and if the Churches could not find meii with a. message for tho times they could not be blamed if they despised the Churches and followed other. voices. They were aljeady doing it. There was a growing hostility_ to the Church on the part of the leaders jin tho great movements that were agitating the workers. The speaker quoted Robert jßlatchford as saying that he had not gone out of his way to attack religion. It was because he found religion in his way that lie hadjattacked it. He opposed the Christian religion because he did not think that it was beneficial to mankind, aud because he thoughb it was an obstacle in the way of humanism. Blatchford had also stated: "I know, nothing about God and heaven. But I know a groat deal about Manchester and London, and about men and women, and if I did not feel_ the real shames and wrongs keenly: ■ and if I did not try moro earnestly and strenuously to rescue my fellow creatures from ignorance and sorrow and injustice than most Christians do I should blush to look death in the face, or call myself a man." ■ It was sometimes said that tho Church was the ally of the capitalist and the enemy of the workers. Such a charge, Mr. Dewdney held, was a grotesque caricature.' The staple of tho Churches was the working classes: Many of the ministers were the children of humble homes. Yet. such a prevalent idea _ must have some foundation in fact; He did not hesitate to admit much of the truth of the charge as it was levelled against the Church. , Institutions were prone to forgot that they were means and not ends. _ The Church had too often appeared •to exisi for itself, and for its ecclesiastical orders. ; Within it and without had boon found .in all ages thetrue followers of Christ,, to-whom., they owed the < larger • part of their present privileges.' It was necessary. - to, jfecriminate j. between; Christianity and- 'Clurchianity/'; They -might- call tho Church-hard names if they liked, but to assail tho Christ was to attack. Him to Whom they owed all.

' " . THE FACTS'OP HISTORY. . The man who asserted that Christ and Christianity stood in tbo way of true humanism betrayed a colossal ignorance of the facts of history and the. elementary principles of the Christian faith. The Socialist owed directly to Christ, tho basic article of his creed. Tho great liberties men now enjoyed were born of the Christian faith. The Christian Church had always had its i schools, and in all the great reforms, the influence of Christian men had been foremost, and. the principles- of Christianity formed the bedroock on which they had been based. It now remained to interpret those principles with reference to the needs of . to-day. He Was no true leader in Christian activity who belittled the social ideals or misjudged their loaders. The ideals of Socialists were largely tho ideals of Christ; even if their methods might be questioned. It was time that they got closer together. They would probably not agree on economic questions; the social reformers did not do so themselves. There should be room, however, for a largo sympathy in the ultimate, aims, without agreement as to propaganda. The greatest service of the Church would bo to contribute the spirit of Christ to the (ideals that were provocative of discontent. The purpose of Jesus, as he understood it, Was much more sociological than ecclesiastical or theological. | If the ultimate aims' of the Church; and social reformers were ono, it was time 'they called a truco to fighting one another. Thero ought to be a place in the Council of Churches for the representative of the reformer's as such.' He would like to see a Round Table Conference, in which both sides could express their aims, and he hoped that they would make a serious attempt to secure Tho address was followed by a very interesting discussion: ■ CLOUD CASTLES. . The Rev. J. J. North thought that the attitude, of the .Church towards the labour question in. the; past had been ono of extreme timidity./ Christians had paid too much attention' on -cloud castles, .and ' too. little to the questions .at their own doors. The moral and economic questions were always intertwined, and the Church could not deal fitly with one and not touch the other. Tho land question was one which was closely concerned with. moral issues; . The Church' should express its opinion,of certain land speculations. The labour people in this city were, he thought, prepared to be moro friendly than was generally supposed, and if the Church was prepared to exorciso reasonable, but not stupid boldness, the labour 'party would receive their advances in> a proper spirit. He admitted that a section of the labour class were frankly materialistic; to them morals were a secondary consideration, and with this section there could be no alliance. He thought that in some directions, however, tho Church could do much moro than it had done.

GROWING IN INTENSITY. The Rev. A. TJiomson (Po'tone) agreed in the main' with Mr. Dcwdnoy's statements. I He had long felt- that this question was gathering in intensity, and would continue so to do. Tho reason why : a largo number of tho working class iu tho Old Country were outsido tho Churcli was becauso religious mer. showed so much indiffcronco to tho wron<* conditions, under which they lived. It seemed to. him that the impulso which was within tho modern Socialistic movement was a Christian influence, and came from tho great heart of Christ. SEEKING THE IMPOSSIBLE. Mr- J. G. W. Aitkon, M.P., said that he had read a good deal of Socialistic literature, and had concluded that the Socialists began by trying to obtain tho impossiblo. They wanted to find a materialistic heaven ■on earth, but neither happiness nor charactor could bo built up from material prosperity. If tho Churches wero truo to their trust they must teach tho doctrines of tho Sermon on the Mount, and that teaching was tlie solution : of all tile difficulties between capitalism and labour, and all other difficulties between sections of tho community. Tho true Christian spirit was the spirit of unselfishness, of consideration for others, and perhaps the Church had not sufficiently this sentiment. The present un-

rest would not bo allayed by mere platitudes or by trying to sit upon it. It was an expression of a feelinq; that went to show that tho present condition of things was vory unsatisfactory. Tho real solution, ho maintained, was to be found in the Gospel of Christ, as contained not only in His utterances, but also in His life and example.

PROPOSED CONFERENCE WITH LABOUR, The Rev. J. Gibson Smith doubted if the Council were ripe for a conference with tho Labour and Socialistic leaders. They should first study the literature in which their ideals were embodied, and make themselves tnoro closely acquainted with tho whole subject. He had seen the terrible contrasts between riches and poverty in tho Old Country, and could not accept them as the normal condition of things in a. Christian land. Yvhen they came to consider how they would euro these inequalities, however, there was room for great divergence of opinions. A good doal of this poverty and degradation was Nemesis for wasted opportunities, and', gratified passions and lust. The. moral law was everywhere involved, and these questions ■ could not bo settled by mere mechanical readjustment. Ho thought that they should consider tho question further before they held a formal conference. RETURNING THE COMPLIMENT. The Chairman (tho Rev. W. j. Williams)', after congratulating Mr. Dewdney on his address, suggested that the Council should invito a member of the Trades and Labour Council to address them at a future .meeting. That body had invited the Rev. J. J. North to speak to them on a previous occa-° sion, and lie thought that the Council of - Churches might well return the compliment. The Rev. A. Dewdney, in replying, heartily endorsed the suggestion, and emphasised tho moral earnestness, which he was sure belonged to many Socialists. . .

Tho Rev. J. Gibson Smith moved that' tho Executive invite an address from a leading member of the' Labour or Socialistic party. The Rev. J. Dawson seconded the motion, which was adopted. • :

A vote of thanks to Mr. Dewdney -, was carried by acclamation.