THE "HUNGER MARCHERS."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 319, 5 October 1908, Page 8

THE "HUNGER MARCHERS."

ADDRESS IN CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. Dr. A. Mason, acting as Vice-Dean of Canterbury Cathedral, on Sunday afternoon, August 16, saved, by his tact and friendliness, the sacred edifice from a scene of some confusion and disorder, if not from even worse, unseemliness. From early morning an announcement, amounting to an implied threat, had faced Christ Church gate, to tho effect that it was intended to assert the people's rights by holding a great unemployed meeting in the nave of the cathedral at 4 o'clock that afternoon, when Missioner Alex. S. Gray would speak. Our correspondent made inquiries and was informed that a letter to the same effect had been received by the Vice-Dean earlier in the day. All this betokened the arrival in the Cathedral city of a body calling themselves the "Hunger Marchers," who are touring the country agitating for better conditions for the unemployed. Every preparation was made to meet the marchers when' they arrived at the Cathedral, arid their leaders were told that they would be not only permitted to enter, but welcomed, so long as they behaved themselves as ordinary worshippers, and did-not' attempt to give addresses. Tho majority gave the desired promise, and were admitted.' Tho ordinary 'service was proceeding when the marchers entered, and at its conclusion their leader, who had arrived in the meantime, endeavoured to speak, but was immediately'. asked to desist by the vergers. It was here that a scene seemed imminent, when the timely arrival of Dr. Mason, in his robes—he having hastened from tho treasury—prevented ' any further unseemliness. Advancing to their leader, the Vice-Dean shook him heartily by the hand,, and after addressing- some earnest words' to him, stepped into one of tho nearest raised seats and earnestly addressed the processionists. A FEW WORDS TO THE MEN. He feit ho ought, ho said, to take the opportunity to address a few words to the men who had come there that afternoon. He did not profess entirely to understand tho object that tlioy had before them, and, therefore, he neither commended it, nor had he any-wish to blame it. Ho only knew the things that the Gospel set before-him-to say, and tho. Gospel said plainly this: "Man, who made you a judge and a dictator over me?" The Church had always taken that line; it was not the business of the Church to settlo questions of property, but to seo that the poor and the needy had right. That was tho voice of tho Church to that day, and they might bo quite sure that tlio authorities of the Church would always be on that side—pressing for the rights of thoso in need and necessity. The Lord Jesus Christ had laid down another principle very, clearly when He stated that thoso who wore gifted with this world's goods would bo very severely punished if they remained in selfish enjoyment of those goods, and were careless of those loft outside their gates suffering. Not to multiply instances, St. John said that all roligion was worthless and unworthy the name that did not include the love of man to man. Whosoeyor seeth his brother hath need and shutteth up his compasioii from him, as of no concern of his that his brother hath need, the love of God cannot dwell in that man. It_ was clearly the- duty of thoso in. possession of this world's goods to try to help those worse off than themselves, uot_ only with alms and charity, but in supporting 'their, claims fbr "justico also, On the other hand, tlio Gospel laid down as clearly as possible that the things that concerned Christ and the Church and everyone of thom in the Church was not tho distribution of wealth, but the formation of character. Character was the one thing that marked tho real lino between riien and man; not tho clothes ho put on, but the way in which he used bis life. The ono thing of importance, whethor they wero rich or poor, was whether they remembered their obligations to God and t-o ono another, not whether thoy had wealth or had it not, but to learn to use whatever God had given them in tho right way—"not to covet or desire other men's goods, but to learn to labour truly to get my own living." Everything they had was given them by God in order that they might bo the better ablo to serve and help their fellows. He wished them good afternoon and might God bless them. The concourse then quietly left the Cathedral, but not the precincts, and within a few minutes tho leader'was standing coatloss in tho .Cathedral Close pointing out the ViceDean's erroneous teaching from tho point of view of tho speaker's theories. A request from tho authorities to withdraw had, however, the desired effect, Mr. Gray stating that ho would forego his rights for tho sake of "peace, and in tho hope of winning over tho Church to their cause. - The party then left the preempts, and the Vice-Dean's tactful address was discussed by the crowd on all hands.