SOCIALISM AND CHRISTIANITY.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXX, Issue 419, 4 August 1908, Page 2

SOCIALISM AND CHRISTIANITY.

At the local Presbyterian Church on Sunday night, (he Rev. G. K. Aitken delivered an address on “Modern Socialism in relation to Christianity.” The preacher based his remarks on the text: “Am I my brother’s keeper?” (Gen. iv. y). “No man,” said the poacher, “ lives to himself.” Christianity and Socialism both recognise this truth, and the object of both is not to set aside or shirk that responsibility, but to make it operate in the direction of reforming human society and improving human conditions of life. The underlying principle of the Christian institution was declared by its divine founder in these terms, “ Whatsoever yc would that men should do unto you, do ye even so unto them.” A principle which is also the very foundation of Socialistic propaganda. The Christian church has been charged with failure (o carry ink) effect the ideal set forth by Christ for the betterment of life’s conditions, and that its influence and sympathy has been with, and helpful, to the aggregation of wealth by men who have reaped their riches from (he product kn of the hardy toiler. Alas, Ihe exponents of (lie doctrines and teaching of Christ have not been perfect and have often erred in their representation of the Christ'an character. But it yet remains to be proved that all representations and representatives of “ Modern Socialism” arc imbued with the high ideals which their system rels forth. Ihe fact is that all institutions, however high their ideals, so long as their systems are worked out by human agency, there must be imperfection and failure to a lesser or greater extent. The charge that is levelled against Christianity is one that is applicable to every other institution in the world possessing an ideal and an objective above what is merely sordid. The briefest interpretation of Socialism I can find is, “the State ownership of all the means of production, distribution and exchange,” and illustrations of the operation of the system is pointed to in tne present State ownership of the postal system, railways, education, etc. Now, it is contended that all the Socialists desire is, that the State extend its function of employer, and employ the necessary labour to work industries, just as it docs now in regard (o our railways and postal systems. That the profits on industry now passing into the pockets of present employers should partly be distributed among all woikers, partly to maintain government, carry out Stale improvements in road, bridge, railway and marine transport, and partly to purchase or exchange commodities fiom other countries. An ideal that any student in political economy can forsee com- . ing into existence within a measurable

distance o time. There is a feature ot modern socialism that creates in some of our minds serious alarm. Modern

active socialism is largely, I am afraid, anti-Christian. I admit that many, very many, of those who have professed interest in, and connection with the Christianity church, have failed, in life and character, to be in harmony

with the first principles of the Christian standard, but notwithstanding the admission I can honestly claim that there is within the Christian church ot

this period a greater approximation to the Christian ideal, not only than there has been in any previous age, but than there is to be found in any other organisation or institution throughout the world. And there is a growing

desire in most churches in Chri.-tian-dom fcr a fuller brotherhood, and the recognition of a neighbour’s need. The danger of modern socialism is not to adopt a religion of a higher kind and purer nature than is to be found in the Christian church with all its imperfections, but to get away from religion altogether. Man is naturally a religious being, and a vast majority of the human race are influenced and guided by religious sentiment. Remove it from their lives as an active moral force, and a large mass of the world’s citizens become demorahsed and degenerated. Apply it where moral restraint has been unknown, where environment and heredity and example have been to degenerate and destroy and demoralise, and it still possesses a subtle power to regenerate and reform and purify. A moral power which has done that and is doing it today, is something that no one has the right to regard as superfluous to human need and human happiness. In the new socialism there is a distinct and decided spirit of antagonism to the Christian faith. Nay, there is a determined effort being made to pour contempt upon everything of a religious nature, and hold up to ridicule the man or woman who assents to a religious creed and cherishes as precious a Christian doctrine. Herein lies the weakness, in my opinion, ot the Socialistic movement, an attitude that has driven, and is driving from its ranks to-day, the very men who would he most helpful in the realisation of its aims. Its exponents, of course, hold that this is not so, that socialism is purely a political movement, and does not concern itself with a man’s faith or want of faith, that it concerns itself only with economic reforms and betterment principles, and that religion is foreign to its objects ; hut, take up a Socialistic paper anywhere, take the Clarion, of which Robert Blatchford is the clever editor, and you will find the tone from cover to coyer, is destructive of Christian f tilh and truth. If the Socialistic press were only passive in relation to Christian religion, there might be sojpe room for the assertion that religion did not coppern it, but when one sees such supreme efforts being made, such an aggressive war-

fare being waged against the church and the Christian religion, one can only conclude that agnosticism or atheism is (he passport to its temple. There is an honest wish, I believe, in th,e Phriptjan church to understand and help along every movement that will go to improye th,e conditions under which human hfp has to be passed, and will lend its aid, even at the sacrifice of earth’s precious possessions, to accomplish it. Ido not claim perfection for the Christian any more than perfection

ig to bp found in any institution directed by human agency, but I do hold, and hold tenaciously, that the Christian church is not indifferent to the needs of men, and if it is not working along the lines of Socialism for the betterment of human conditions, it is no less sincere and no less

anxious to have needed reforms effected. If the Christian church has been sg grossly neglectful of the interests of the labouring classes, the blame cannot be entirely removed from the shoulders of the labouring classes themselves. The oonstitutiont of the church is quite democratic, a leapt that portion of it which is not within the bound;? of episcopacy, and there is nothing to have hjndered the labouring classes and thp socialisfip classes from controlling the government and directing the motive power of the church. There is nothing today to prevent the whole machinery of the Christian church being put in-

to motion in the direction of the So pialjstic ideal,, if the Socialistic expo^

nent is willing to embrace the tenets ol Christ's gospel. Socialism claims that the realisation of its" aims iyppld be to add to the sum of human happiness,

by removing external causes of unhappiness. Christ anity professes to secure the same results. It gives a conscious happiness to every person who accepts it in his or her life, and it accomplishes its purpose by the removal of internal sources of misery. If Socialism is sincere, and desirous of accomplishing its purpose, its desire will not be to alienate the sympathy and help of the church, but rather, to encourage and fester it. After all, the church is a mghty influence in the world, and while it is able to hold and use the noblest intellects as itdoes to day, it will remain so. The church is a powerful ally and if Socialism is to be successiul in its efforts to ameliorate the conditions of the producers of wealth, then they must walk arm in arm with the church’sfprogramme and the church’s methods. In a word, it must convert the church to the justice of its claims and the equity of its operations and the sincerity of its purpose, and the church will not be in the rear of the forward movement. And when Socialism has accomplished every right purpose and brought i's plans into harmony with eternal equity then then the church as the bride of the Saint shall appear radiant in the glorious habiliments of a perfect righteousness, for all the sordidness of earthly possessi us shall be lost in the more blessed experience of a full and perfect life—the Ucd life—the unending life of a conscious perfect existence.