RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1889, 18 October 1913, Page 9

RELIGIOUS ACTIVITY.

CHURCH AND LABOUR. ADDRESS BY THE BISHOP. OF LINCOLN. Meetings of various kinds were hold in Manchester on Sunday, August 31, in connection with tho Congress, but it may bo doubted (writes the representative of the "Westminster Gazette") if any have eclipsed in significanco and importance tho gathering of delegates at the Cathedral service that morning, when tho Bishop of Lincoln preached a spccial Labour sermon. The vast in-, terior was almost full, and the ordinary worshippers were startled by more than one chorus of "Hear, hear!" which came fiom'the crowd of CongreßS delegates in tho central seats in response to some' of the Bishop's more striking phrases. . "We being many, are one body in Christ; any avoryono members one of another." On this lofty ideal the Bißhop of Lincoln founded his message to the Labour movement. The nation, and humanity ittelf, ho said, should each bo regarded as one groat family. That was a fact of nature, of things as they were; and all that was needed was religion enough to see tho fact and to shape our ideas iu accordance with it. To bring this community of blood and sympathy and interest home to tho masses of men, a beginning must be made in the home. As a rule, the selfish father would mako a mean citizen, a bad brother or son would make a bad husband, and a disobedient daughter would provo but an ill breeder of good citizens. Next to the home, the speaker proceeded, stood the man's fellow-workers; and a man's character was marred if he was ashamed of his trade. Thero was no surer way of bringing dignity to any craft, trade, or order of men than to unite them for common interests, for mutual help, even for common enjoyment of innocent wishes. _ Tho English trade unions, said the preacher, wero transforming tho conditions of labour; they had uplifted its status, and had conferred , upon the workmen themselves a new sense of dignity as men and responsibility as citizens of a free country. Ho deplored tho fact that women workers, for obvious reasons, were in general very feebly organised. Society at large had been slow to recognise their claims to a share in the constitution or a fair portion of the rewards of labour; and trade unionists would bo t well-advised in helping them to organise, for they needed much encouragement and some personal guidance. The sermon closed with a striking allusion to tho vaJue of international organisation among, the workers, and it was here that the congregation found it hardest to refrain from giving audible expression to their agreement with tho speaker. "The cohesion of Labour in all countries, especially in Europe," ho said, "with a view to mutual information and help, is the best guarantee to European peace. Tho Gorman, the French, tho British workmen have no quarrel one with another. If they can, by ■ God's help, make their will prevail in tho counsels of Europe, there will be no war; and thero will bo an enormous reduction of armaments. ' The interests of the workers everywhere is international peace."

la conversation after • the service, the trade unionists expressed the deepest satisfaction with the general tone of ,the sermon. "It was such an address," remarked Mr. W. J. Davis, who is presiding over the Congress this week, "as a trade union president might deliver. Coming from, I'cannot'fmd. words, to express my surprise and delight. It is a. happy augury for the future .of our movement."