CHOUGH CONGRESS

Evening Star, Issue 14185, 9 October 1909, Page 5

CHOUGH CONGRESS

THE SOCIALIST MOVEMENT; Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright, LONDON, October 8. At the Church Congress the Bishop of Truro initiated a debate, on Socialism. In the course of his remarks Dr Stubbs said that he belonged to the Christian Socialists, who were not revolutionists, but evolutionists. The Bishop of Southwark (Dr Talbot) declared that the very best thought and life in the Church were moving in the direction of Socialism, which should not be regarded as criminal. AN INTERESTING DEBATE. SOME CANDID OPINIONS. LONDON, October 8. (Received October 9, at 8.5 a.m.) Dr Arthur Shadwell held that there was much in the jumble of ideas labelled Socialism which appealed to the Christian. He was, however, surprised that so .many clergymen so readily accepted a theory based on money, the “have note” wanting other people’s goods. No factor had eo little to do with happiness. The economic conditions of Socialism fanned cupidity, envy, and hatred Dr Wakeford, of Liverpool, considered Socialism the ally of Christianity. He favored the nationalisation of land, minerals. and railways. The Bishop of London declared that he shared the Socialists’- discontent in things as they are. There was nothing unchristian in the common ownership of land and the means of production, but to move in that direction would be to make a jolly mess of it. Socialism set class against class. Drink and gambling were the chief causes of misery. Bishop Welldon said that though the first Christians were Socialists, theirs was a voluntary Socialism. There was nothing inherently wrong in Socialism, but it was materialistic, and appealed to the worst elements in human nature.