CHRISTIANITY AND TRADE UNIONISM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7788, 6 November 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

CHRISTIANITY AND TRADE UNIONISM.

A great meeting of Trade Unionists was held iu Hull on September 4th to mark a new departure in their proceedings — that of demonstrating the connection between Trade Unionism and Christianity. Mr. Maddison president of the Hull Trade and Labour Council, was in the chair, ,and tho building, which is capable of accommodating about 2000 persons, was quite full. Mr. John Wilson, late M.P. for one of the Durham divisions, said it was true that their proceedings that day were somewhat unusual, but he denied that they were out of place. At previous congresses it had been the custom for them to go in a body to some ohuroh or chapel, and there be preached to and at by professional gentleman of various persuasions. These services wore, no doubt, very edifying and orthodox, , but they had one great fault, and that was, to quote Mr. Gladstone's language, they came to them in a foreign

garb. Therefore they determined to preaob to themselves for once, in -their own rough, native manner. He was himself a Primitive Methodist, but did not consider that religion consisted in fellowship of any church or belief in any creed, or in the posture of the body. What, then, it might be asked, was his notion of religion ? Did he not believe in the necessity for palatial buildings consecrated by the blessings of mitred priests ? No, he did not. The wide universe was God's Church, and every man who loved his neighbour as himself and tried to do his duty was his dulyordained priest. Christ was the ideal man. To walk like Him. to live like Him—that was true religion, and there was no other. But men did not act as Christ acted ; and if they did there would soon be an end to all pain and misery. Christ always denounced tyranny and wrong wherever He found it. So in their humble way did trade unions. Christ taught the need for works, and not words; so did unions. Christ gave His life to h»»l>the sick, to clothe the naked, to feed the hungry, to drive sorrow away from every heart in which He found it; so did Trade Unionism rightly understood and carried out. Another point in which they might find a similarity between Christianity and Trade Unionism was the abus6 which both received from the enemies. Christ was upbraided by the scribes and Pharisees, although none of them ' could answer when he asked, "Which of ye accuseth me of sin ?" and trade union leaders were tradoced by the descendants of those scribes and Pharisees, who had pretty effectively propagated their species. Christ taught the dignity and equality of man ; so did trade unions. He taught the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Trade unions strove to bring about the latter, and he and many of his fellows firmly held fast by the former. Man should not oringe before man, but should stand ereot with his face to the sky. They had three points in their creed faith, hope, and charity. Their charity was for all men, their hope was that they might be united, and their faith that God would ultimately bring to pass the time when all his children would be blessed in the equal enjoyment of the fruits of the earth.

After other addresses, the proceedings closed with the singing of the "Doxology" with great heartnese, the audience standing up, and so ended the most remarkable meeting ever witnessed in connection with the Trade Union movement.