ROBERT OWEN AND THE CHURCHES.

Wairarapa Age, 3 July 1929, Page 5

ROBERT OWEN AND THE CHURCHES.

(To the Editor.) Sir, —It is no surprise to me, on receiving Mr. A. E. Mander’s elaboration of the report of his address on Robert Owen, to find that the original report as a necessary condensation hardly stated the true position in the point to which I referred. I am perfectly satisfied to read that Owenism was opposed n by church people. ’ ’ This is different from being opposed by the churches and was the point that needed clarifying. I wish to thank Mr. Mander for doing this. What I am specially concerned about is a very human tendency prevalent among us to strike at the churches because of the attitude taken up with regard to any social or industrial movement -by people who may attend a church. A church, from the fact of opening its doors in welcome to all persons, must of necessity include people of varying views with respect to political, economic, and scientific theory. Consequently, in any church of importance will be found Conservaties, Liberals, Radicals, Socialists, Reform, United Party, Labour, Evolutionists, Creationists, etc., etc. It is so easy for the partisans of any special theory to view the opponents of that theory with such feeling that the antagonism may be spread from the opponents themselves to the church to which they belong, quite without logical ground. The church as officially constituted, cannot possibly champion every cause to which its members and adherents are allied, and it is usually careful in all official statements to avoid partisanship in all but moral and spiritual concerns. Where these enter, the guidance given is usually quite definite.

The varying interpretations resulting from the confusion of the attitude of “the church” with that of “church people” is illustrated by two questions put to me in Wellington after an address given on “Christianity and Socialism.” One questioner said, “How is it that the churches arc all taking up Socialism 1” Another question was, “Why is it the churches will not have anything to do with Socialism f”

Church people opposed Owenism. It is equally true that Church people supported Owenism. What was true a hundred years ago is also true to-day; church people would be divided with respect to the application of Owenism to industry, yet all the churches can acclaim the humanitarian efforts of an unselfish man who loved his fellows and tried to improve society.—l am, E. O. BLAMTREB. (Our report quite correctly quoted Mr. Mander as stating that Owen was opposed by the churches (as well as by other sections). In a letter which appeared yesterday, Mr. Mander said that he should perhaps have said “church people” instead of churches. This does not entitle our present correspondent to say that our report “as a necessary condensation, hardly stated the true position. ’’ —Ed.)