CHURCH AND LABOUR.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 530, 10 June 1909, Page 5

CHURCH AND LABOUR.

BEQUEST DECLINED.

(dt TBLiGfurn—rasas issociation—coptrioiitJ Molbourno,

Tho Most Rev. Dr. Clarke, Anglican' Archbishop of Melbourne, has declined a request by tho Council of Churohes to 6et apart a ■ "Labour' Sunday" for sermons devoted to social' and eoonomio questions, ' ' Tho grounds of his Graoo's refusal aro that \ the judgment of the Church upon the whole question is . contained , in a recently-issued, diocesan report, and that tho whole annual • commemoration of Christian faith and duty .is set.forth in tho Prayer-book. ; ! teaching. /• The Archbishop of: Melbourne's position • seems to bo that the teaching of the AnglicM Church on faith and morals is expressed my : v 1 orderly ana consecutive manner in tho pr< scribed services for tho Sundays ; and oth< holy days of the ecclesiastical year. In thi. way the mind,of tho Church,on theso'qutt .lions, is completely stated every year, and th£ ■ ■ setting apart of oertain Sundays, on anothot ■ plans for ■ the, consideration of special subject*' " would, 'in tho opinion of thA Atahbishop, b? ' undesirable.as it would tend to break the con' > tinuity of. tho IPrayer Boole teaching. On i - recent occasion 'Dr. Clarke remarked that h. onco read the statement of a man's duty ti bis. neighbour contained in' the' Church Cato..' chism to ani.advanood Socialist, who declared that he could heartily accept almost every V word of it, arid he was quite surprised whon the Archbishop told him that tho statement was taken from tho Catechism, which a leading Anglican Socialist calls "the pcoplo's charter of social reform." A DIOCESAN EEI'ORT. . The diocesan report to which tho Archbishop ' refers (as stated intho abovo cablegram) was drawn up by the Melbourne Synod Committee on Social Questions. It covers a wide area of subjects, and faces tho more ugly of the social questions with courage. "There is still current among Australians tho notion that, tho \ ; Church is cither timorous or .indifferent in'her . relation to social and economic reforms," says tho report, which begins with a consideration ; of the "new*. political economy." It welcomes : the "Christianising" of 1 industry by ineaus of legal restraint. 'I he new legislation, ■it says, i 6 but tho-syinptom of the desire of democra- ' oies tbat tho production and distribution of all things necessary to material welfare 6hall be governed by Christian ..nd humanitarian ' forces. Tho committee makes a solemn appeal to managers and directors and shareliola-, crs to enforro tho "Christian iloclrino of. stewardship." .Tho sect ion. of the report which deals with Socialism states"While she cannot, be ■■ indifferent. to any sohemo of social reconstruction which would, ignore God in human evolw tion, the Church cannot condemn indiscriminately all Socialistic schemes." "Tho Sooialistio. theory of organised brotherhood—each member working loyally and joyously for ther brethren—is .a beautiful, and inspiring 'ono, though it makes enormous demands lipon fallible human nature, which only a consecrated life is capable of meeting.". -The committee urges tho necessity for a wisor use of tho arnnler leisuro now secured to tho workers by ■ legislation. A protest against idleness or the : erudging disoharge of work Is directed both to tlio rich and tho wage-earning class.