THE CHURCH AND THE CRAFTS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 266, 30 July 1918, Page 8

THE CHURCH AND THE CRAFTS

LIFE IN THE MIDDLE AGES THE RELIGIOUS GUILDS ("By Akchbishop Redwood.] In a former article it was slated that in Christianity was fuuud a tradition of wise legislation, and the Christian guilds were instanced as having drawn up minute and far-reaching regulations for such legislation. This article proposes to go into some details in reference to these Christian guilds and their working. This needs a brief historical exposition of the origin of the crafts of the Middle Ages ami tho consequent rise of the' aforesaid guilds, and thus an opportunity will be afforded lo show how, as regards the mechanic and the artisan, or the oraflsman in the Middle Ages, the Church strove to supply what was wanted for his well-being ami comfort, Tho Feudal Syst«m. Wlien the nations settled on the ruins of the ancient Roman Empire they placed all lands under the feudal system uf tenure for fixed services. Originally the towns, where trades and crafts had congregated, were included in this arrangement. The lords were not slow to discern llio advantage of these crafts, and so, in lieu of a bodily service 011 their estates, they required a proportion of the product of the craft. As towns flourished and showed iiicrea.se of wealth the lords schemed lo get the profit*;, and multiplied, on various pretexts, their taxes and exactions. 'these excessive burdens met with strong resistance. Tho craftsman saw the hopeless weakness of individuals to overcome oppression; no the townsmen formed themselves into a general association, or guild, for combined effort against the lords' impositions. They elected a. spokesman and appointed delegates to accompany him. In case of a craftsman being treated unjustly, or of a fresh exaction being published, the lord was forced to deal with tho whole town, united in common action. Hence arose a series of conferences between the 1 spokesmen of the town and the lord's stoward, which settled tho relations between the lord and the town, usually on a principle of compromise. The town guild, comprising all the trades and citizens, formed the neucleus of the municipal corporation. As tho towns prospered in trade and the lords grew needy from war or extravagance, the townsmen succeeded in obtaining a charter by which, for a lump sum or fixed annual payment, they wero freed from the exactions and interference of tho lords, and managed' their own affairs.

A Town in the Middlo Ages, During this process of founding a town very different was the condition of labour from what it iB to-day. Conches, railways, palatial shops, large factories, machinery, steam power, companies, masses of workmen—all theso things were non-existent. Picture a, town with from two to fifty thousand people, with I narrow, crooked streets of small houses [ with protruding upper gables, with no gas or lighting at night, with hardly a vehicle,.and tho goods conveyed on men's shoulders or in panniers across a horse's back. All tho work was dono in these small houses, either in back premises or in the upper room, while the wares were exposed in the front room below, with a large window facing t.ho street. Here weavers, curriers, tailors, drapers, shoemakers, carpenters, smiths, armourers, or other artificers worked at their crafts. The goods m'ado by hand with 6imple implements supplied tho store with a large assortment. Exports were trifling, and communication between towns difficult; so that purchasers were confined to the townsmen and country folks coming to tho market or fair. Each master had one or two apprentices, who dwelt in his house, and with the family supplied tho very moderate number of_ articles which tho very limited business demanded. At tho end of his term, the apprentice either set up for himself, or worked as a journeyman for some master. Very linliko tho mechanic of to-day, a homeliness and familiarity characterised the whole system of the crafts. An individuality stamped ench mail's work, which excited self-respect, and emulation in turning out good work. Tho Guilds. With such a condition of labour the Church had to deal. Kho found little tyranny and oppression, and no great wrong to redress; sho set herself to spiritualise the union of tho trades, to foster good feeling among workmen, to enlist sympathy and charity lor one another, and to sustain conipartaive happiness and content. This was effected mainly by means of the guilds. They wero tho work of tho Church and her way of dealing with tho larger populations. They wero formed for every exercise of religion, including mutual help and works of charity. Each with a special religious purpose, all had a similar constitution. Each guild had its patron saint, whose feast was its gala •day. How religious and comforting was the picture, when, onco or sometimes four times a year, every brother and sister, clad in tho guild's livery, was bound to assemble 111 tho church, to assist at Mass, after which they met to discuss the affairs of tho guild, and adjourned to feast together "for tho nourishing of brotherly love." All tho members of the guild attended the obsequies of a departed brother. A deputation carried tho body to the church, where it remained surrounded by lights while the dirge was recited or chantcd. During the night brothers watched and prayed by the body, and next morning all were present at tho Eequiem llass, and followed the body to the grave. Doles wero distributed to the poor "for the soul's sake of the dead." The guild paid all 'tlio expenses of the funerat.

An Admirablo Feature. When ablo tho guild supported ile own chaplain. Tho guild assisted every kind of distress among tho brethren— sickness, poverty, old age, infirmity, losses, misfortunes, and even imprisonment. And an admirable feature jo this charity whs, under the Cliurch'3 guidance, the personal ministering of films. The brothers visited, the brothers gave the relief themselves; thoy thus created a personal interest and sympathy for distress, which knitted the wliole guild in brotherly love. Besides this mutual Lelp -common to all guilds, some extended their charity to other works, such /.s assistance to a brother leaving for a pilgrimage, distribution to the poor outsido the guild, repair of churches, the establishment of free schools. The guilds included all classes of society, rich and poor, men and women, priests and layman, thus brought 'together in brotherhood. Their 'hold on town life is shown by their numbers. Norwich (in England) had VI; Lynn, 12; Lubech, 70; Cologne, 80; and Hamburg over 100. Influence of the Church. In this organisation of the townspeople the influence of the Church was conspicuous. Ji'ew towns in those days had more than 10,000 inhabitants, and the effect of several of those guilds in so small a population was unmistakable. Without assuming the complete government of the guilds, the Church wisely Ruidcil tliein ill the exercise of fraternity, religion, and charity, ilen entered a guild by their own free will, but were admitted by election. The; ordinances were carried by popular vote, and the rules were enfoilccd by the brethren themselves; assistance and alms were determined by the council or general meeting, and administered by tho brothers personally. Yet the Church's bearing was clearly shown by tho religious spirit pervading all proceedings. She controlled the masses, tho chaplain, the special allar or chapel or statuo of a saint, tho pilgrimages, the funeral services. Charity was practised on religions motives such as "for the lovn of God." Before flic guild feast came, of course, the .Mass; the banners of the saints brightened the procession, and tho tone in all pageants and plays was distinctly religions. Thus the Cluirch ruled the daily life of the people. The Craftsmen. The religious guilds included the craftsmen, for the townspeoole were all craftsmen in some form. Fortunes were modest, and there were in suburban villas or retired tradesmen; men of means living in the midst of tho work. When the town had become quite froo from the

lord's exactions, and llio spokesman and delegates had evolved into a mayor and aldermen, and the townsmen had be--001110 burghers, the municipality managed its own affairs. The regulation of the crafts assumed higher importance, in order to keep down huh prices, secure honest work, make provision for markets, and lor tho people's benefit. The interest of individual crafts became threatened by tho ordinances of (lie corporations; and just as the whole town organised itself against the lord's eiactions, so each crnft formed itself into a separate guild in its own interests against the enactments of the t civil authorities. They instinctively look the existing religions guilds as a model, and adopted many of their observances, e.g.; patron saint, masses, altar, funerals, mutual help, and supplemented them witli ordinances suitable to their trades. Thus religion, from Ihe beginning, was an integral part of the craft, and so tho Chlurch had paramount interest in their welfare. Masters and Workmen. When the condition of labour was widely; different from thnt of to-day the ordinances of tho craft guilds obviated numbers of the grievances of modern workmen. As a rule the master worked with his own journeymen and apprentices, and handwork and limited demand naturally restricted the amount of productions. Accordingly the smaller number of workers in any one workshop induced a homeliness and familiarity savouring of family life. Quarrels and harsh treatment were rendered well nigh impossible, and forbearance, inculcated by tho Church, adjusted small differences. Everyone practising a craft had to join its guild or leave the town, and thus tho craft controlled its own trade. The Million of masters and workmen in the same guild gave it a character quite distinct from any combinations of modern times; indeed, during most of tho Middle Ages there was no working-class with interest Bsparato from tho master's. Trade Ordinances. The trade ordinances were imposed by the municipal authorities, partly to protect the public, partly to secure uniformity in the conduct of trade, and partly to defend the cra't'ls against the interference of externs; There is 110 evidence of disputes between masters and workmen in the eume trade before the middle of tho fourteenth century. After that date the influx of villeins or peasants into the towns increased the nnmbeir of workmen, and gavo rise to disputes which were settled by the authority of the craft. Tho ordinances affecting the actual labourer seemed to have been dictated by common sense, and wero arranged amicably, without lic.it or disturbance. The ireligious character of the guilds and the prominence given to mutual help, charily, and social intercourse extended tho same spirit to the trade regulations'. Th ry were brethren, and they treated eacli ollictr as brethren.

"Good and Loyal Work." Tho workmen wero protected from excessive labour by the Church festivals, giving needful rest and recreation. On Sundays and eves of festival days work cea6ed at midday, which left timo for fulfilling religious obligations and family intercourse and parental duties. The rest tended to make work o£ better quality, and it -is pleasing to see the frequency of the terms "good and loyal work" in the ordinances, to secure which many guilds forbade work by candlelight, and appointed inspectors, or searchers as tlley were called, to examine implements and materials, and weighfs and measures. Tlie poorer workman's content and comfort were promoted by the system of mutual help and intercourse adopted from tho religious guilds. The familiarity in each craft between master and journeyman and apprentice broke down hauteur and distance, and led to intimacy; so the prospect of distress and destitution was unknown to tho honest, loyal, and good workman in every guild. He naturally expected a comfortable and honoured old ago. If his own or his family's savings proved insufficient, he had a, larger family in the brethren of the guild to furnish comforts, to cheer him by visits and talks of the past. Accidents and misfortunes wero also provided for. Mishaps in business were met by easy lean's 011 the stock of the guild, and all anxiety about decent burial was remoy.'d by fit regulations, and, what ho valued more, by provision for Masses and prayers for tiio repose of his soul. Principles of Christianity. We see, therefore, that the days when the Church held sway over the people were days when work was favoured aud workmen contented. Wages wero unchallenged, strikes needless, excessive toil restricted, brotherhood established, hours decent, accidents provided for, old age unfeared, few people unemployed, aud destitution raTe. Wherever the Church had a free hand, and oppression had been mitigated, her attitude to the working people has ever been to encourage the union of. classes, to consolidate good feeling among Ihe workers, to bind all together in sympathy and charity, in forbearance and respect, to banish nnxiety from poorer brethren, and foster content; and this sho has done by the application of the principles of Christianity which her commission is to teach.