CHRISTIANITY AND CAPITAL.

NZ Truth, Issue 121, 12 October 1907, Page 5

CHRISTIANITY AND CAPITAL.

BEN TILLETT TILTS AT THE PARSONS.

They Dine with the Rich and Preach to

the Poor,

The Better a Christian the Better the Socialist.

"Christianity, capitalism, and Socialism," rather an attractive title this for a lecturer, and as the lecturer was the self-styled rebel, Ben Tillett, His Majesty's' Theatre was crowded on Sunday night. This paper regrets if it caused Ben unnecessary pain when "Truth" last reported him and described . his personal ' appearance. Reference 'was then made to a rebellious lock of hair which decorated his forehead and save him a poetic appearance. On Sunday night the aforesaid insurrectionary ringlet had been carefully brushed back, and Ben will pardon us for the remark , that the brushing detracted much , from his youthfulness. The speaker said he was not there to belittle the personality of Christ nor to reproach those who believed in' the divinity of Christ, m fact Tillett removed a few misconceptions caused by the loud remarks of sundry local socialists, that Socialism and religion couldn't hold together. When Christ was born, the Romans were dominant m the land, and the Jewish Rabbis were the servants of their conquerors. Christ declaimed against richßs, arid perpetrated the remark that it was easier for a camel to hop through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to get into heaven.' The originator of • this dreadful statement naturally made himself unpopular, and was treated as all agitators usually are treated (Ben spoke with feeling and a personal application) ; every indignity was heaped upon him, and he was thrown out amongst the cabbie. "They call it a mob, nowadays," said the speaker, pleasantly. He surmised that there was a paper like the "Post" published m those days, and guessed that the editor of the ancient evening paper was as big a numbskull as the editor of the latter day journal. Also, he hazarded the ■ opinion that IP CHRIST WERE LIVING TODAY he would be • denounced as harshly as he had been denounced by the editor of the. more, elderly paper. Furthermore, the fact that Christ should consort with or hold any conversation with the Magdalene proved to the hypocritical persons of that day that he was a very interior person. A woman with a character like Magdalene should be strenuously avoided. It was true that Christ did not write a word of the Scriptures that were handed down to us ; they were written by his disciples ; but they knew that such a person . as Christ did exist and that he espoused the cause of the poor. It was not because of their religion that he . and his followers were crucified ; it was because they preached the doctrine of humanity to the poor. In like manner the martyrdom of the early Christian fathers was not due .to any objection to their religious belief, but to the fact that the Christianity of that day reproached those who hoarded up riches. In spite of all persecution, however, Christianity spread and became a success. Then the authorities of those days, seeing they could not stamp it out, did worse— they adopted it, and now there was not one religion that attempted to improve the condition of the indigent. He expressed the opinion- that if ever Christianity was killed, it would meet its fate at the hands of ,the capitalism which it had. served,, and its destruction would be the penalty for departing from the teachings of Christ. He repudiated the idea .that the Socialists were m favor of revolution by bloodshed/ In the case of European wars they had said it was criminal and damnable for a brother to stain his hands with a brother's blood, yet they would find m the case of hostilities the churches of each country, with much ceremonial and vestment and chant and song, praying to- the Almighty that he should blow the other fellows put of existence. The Almighty must be very much jbored with this conflict of opinion (laughter) . The devil was used to castigate the devil, and if Old Nick were abolished most of the PARSONS WOULD BE OUT, OF EMPLOYMENT. His • Satanic Majesty was the most sacred person m the world. There was not a parson m the world who did not know how to breed rabbits, or pigeons, or prize stock, or how to -grow cucumbers or rhubarb. For these plenty of- light and air were demanded, yet the same elements were denied the human poor. Ben said he once met a lady who held that the existence of the rich Duke of Westminster was justified by the" fact that he bred good racehorses. It was suggested to her that he would be much better employed breeding human beings,, and the lady was quite shocked. The speaker believed that environment created crime and disease, and that if this was changed, and the people were permitted, to live under healthy conditions, the tendency to criminality and stunted growth of mind and body would cease and a noble race would be developed. "And your parsons and Christians know it," said Tillett. Instead of the parson dining With the poor and preaching to the rich, as had been done by Christ, it was his practice to dine "with the rich and preach to the poor. The Christian religion was now fed by the millionaires. It was true that the church was now a reflex of capitalism, but if all property and industries were socialistically owned, the Church would be a reflex of Socialism. The speaker briefly sketched the growth of capitalism from the early times, when commerce was a system of exchange, without money. When there was a war, he said, the capitalists did not go themselves ; they sent the poor wretches they had stolen the country from to fight for and save i that country for the thieves. Talk about comedy ! If a man stole a watch i he was a thief, but if he stole a nul- • lion he was made a knight or a bar- • onet ; he was not a thief, but an eimi nont finanfjor, Pome r>n'iHr>i"ns even : exploited tlio Sori^'st movement. He i had a good word te say for Ken

Hardie, who had made known that two millions of people were dying m India every year, and he said . that if Hardies detractors, the press, were to do their duty and make known the actual facts the people would rise m indignation against the wholesale destruction of human beings who were fellow-creatures though their skins be black. Mr Tillett made reference to the remarks m the House of member Allen, of Bruce, who had quoted Continental authors to show that Socialism was antagonistic to the Church ; also the remark of a local Socialist, who had stood m a public place and shouted,

"TO HELL WITH THE CHURCH!" "Your God's Own Country has been m labor," said Tillett, "and has produced an Allen." (Laughter.) He said further that the Socialists believed a man could be a Christian and a Socialist as well, and he would be a better Christian for being a Socialist. He would then realise the potentialities of what was at the back of Christ's brain when he taught the doctrine so obnoxious to the rich. "The children of the men who pinched the land from the Maoris don't believe m confiscation now," said Tillett, amidst laughter and applause, and were naturally opposed to any form of Socialism. He objected to the association of. blood with the Socialist movement. There had never been a working-class revolution yet, and they did not desire to be called slaughtermen, which name better fitted the capitalist, for every acre of land had been obtained by murder and robbery. There was no rich man living who had created his own . wealth. All of the great inventors and explorers had died poor, and the riches of the capitalists of to-day were due to their efforts. He held there, must come a time when the people would own all property. They did not believe they were born to sin and degradation ; they believed they were born to greatness, which" was refused them by the combined forces of the capitalist and the ignorance and apathy of the people. If anybody came very near to the conception of Christ's teaching it was the Socialist, and he challenged the churches to follow Christ and come out and fight the cause, of the poor' and distressed against capitalism. Ben Tillett was m great form, and his speech was liberally punctuated with applause. Questions and discussions followed, when it«was found that the Wellington Socialists are a curious admixture of atheists and Christians.