RESPONSIBILITY OF CHURCHMEN.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1758, 24 May 1913, Page 9

RESPONSIBILITY OF CHURCHMEN.

IS LEGISLATION IN ADVANCE OB! PUBLIC OPINION? Tho report of I lie Industrial Questions Committee, presented to tho half-yearly, meeting of the New South 'Wales Congregational Union, made an appeal to churchmen to study more closely tho industrial situation, arid discussed' tho question of strikes versus arbitration as a means of settling disputes. - Dr. Itoseby, who presented tho report, said tho committee fdlt tho need of somo continuous, definite action on' tho part of tho Churches in tho direction of ascertaining clearly tho industrial-' situation, with its ever varying interests, always keeping open a line of friendly communication with those who were at war. Tho need for. Christian men. as such to bring Christian principles to bear on the r;suca was insistent. A-good many years ago, before the first instalments had been made of tho industrial legislation Australia now possessed, voices were! raised in the churches in favour of arbitration as against violence for the settlement of industrial disputes. Various Acts had been passed, having this end ill view, making strikes and lock-outs breaches of tho law. The frequency of strikes during the past few months was a curious commentary on tho elaborate lepl provisions for preventing them. Under these circumstances it was not surprising that somo had begun to question tho utility of retaining those provisions in the statute-book. It had to bo admitted, as a general principle, that •tho repeated violation of law was against tho best interests of tho community. Lawbreaking led to law-breaking, to tho fostering of the lawless spirit, the prevalence of which threatened tho social fabric. On tho other hand, tho report continued, it had to be admitted that laws in advance—or, at any rate, much in advance —of public sentiment, ivero incapable of enforcement. The question, therefore, of tho abolition or retention of their industrial legislation for tho prevention of strikes and lock-outs resolved itself into another question—'whether public opinion was or was not ripo for such a solution of social difficulties. In answering Una question, it had-to-bo-borne in mind that resnonsiblo leaders of all political parties had declared in favour of arbitration for tho settlement of industrial differences. It was, unfortunately, evident that somo leaders of working men were secretly conspiring against tho measures under whoso provisions they professed to bo desirous of working. , It was fair to observe that the machinery of tho new industrialism had not worked as smoothly or as expeditiously as was desirable. Hut was it not reasonable to expect difficulties in the working of new machinery? It was not possiblo to justify tho violation of agreements: but "hope deferred makcth the heart sick," and sonic allowance had to be made for men whoso tempers had been frayed by long waiting. If there was one question that should not bo made a s party question it was the question of amicably settling the relations between - employer and employed. Their industrial trouble was an open sore, and it was for ministers and members of Christian 1 Churches to take to heart their task, which was, as Dr. Clifford had recently said, "to iv-think the Gospel in terms of the industrial and democratic revolution,"

FATHER STANTON. On the Sunday following the death of Father Stanton," the Kcv. J3. A.M. Suckling, Vicar of SI. Alban's (Loiulou) read two telegrams to Hie congregation. One from l!u> Bishop '.f London was as follows:—".My loving sympathy with you all. Thank (iod for a splendid life." Tli: 1 ol iie;' was from Br. Hardy, who attended father Stanton in His last illness, written to Dr. Sain-lniry, Father Stanton's friend and physuian. it read: "liedied as ho had lived. Mis friends wished, against my will, to announco to him the end. Tliev did so. and 'ho went down with his colours living, saying, 'If it bo God's will, it is my will,' Tho wholo town uiourut him,"