PASTOR BRADLEY'S ADDRESSES

Evening Star, Issue 22952, 9 May 1938, Page 1

PASTOR BRADLEY'S ADDRESSES

LABOUR AKO CAPITAL DISCUSSED “ What was needed more than change of party or platform to-day was an experimental knowledge of Christ s saving power in the life of each individual person,” declared Pastor T. J. Bradley in the Strand Theatre last evening. “ Christian _ ethics,” he continued, “ teach the infinite worth of each human personality, and therefore too much credit cannot be given to organised Labour for the long uphill fight for better conditions generally. At the same time, one must acknowledge that the Capitalist principle_ of greed and self-interest was becoming very common among every class to-day. A man could be just as much a capitalist owning one pound as another possessed of ten thousand pounds, for tho principle of Capitalism was enshrined in the hearts of millions of people today. A close analysis of Capitalism would indicate that modern Capitalism was the economic system under which production, distribution, and' finance were becoming concentrated into largescale corporate units owned and controlled by a small minority, whoso dominant motive was profit. Any system of politics that resulted in oppression was opposed to Christianity, for the Scriptures said: Ye shall not therefore oppress one another.” , ... . The vast accumulation or wealtn_ in the hands of a few was a definite sign of the last days and the soon coming of Christ, averred the evangelist, who showed that in America 1 per cent, of the population owned 99 per cent, ol the wealth. In England 2 per cent, of the population owned 85 per cent, ot the nation’s wealth. The vast wealth of the general public had been transferred into the hands_ of a few, and the gulf between the rich and the poor was ever widening. The Bible never taught that more wealth was to be condemned, for Abraham;' Job, and Daniel were ad rich, but Godly men. Timothy points out that the “love of money is the’ root of all evil.” A woe is pronounced on those who lay house to house and field to field in fraud. “ Rob not the poor, said the Bible, “ for God is a God _ot justice and soon will He adjust affairs in accordance with love.” /The great heaping together of treasure to-day was a clear and definite sign, according to James (v., 1-6) of the last days, and II Tim., iii., 1-4, revealed what conditions would be like in the “ last days ” —now upon us. Gold and silver, could not buy anyone an entrance into heaven, and those who trusted in riches would be lost. Yield to the Christ and have life eternal, was the advice of the speaker, who will deliver another -lecture entitled ‘ This Scientific Age ’ next Sunday. ___________