CHURCH AND LABOUR.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 88, 12 April 1912, Page 6

CHURCH AND LABOUR.

DR. GIBB'S OPINION ON THE MATTER. AN ABSORBING SERMON. Rev. Dr. Gibb, of Wellington, preached at the jubilee of the foundation of St James' Presbyterian Church, Wcllington r 8 I treet ; , i Auckland, ; on <' : The Church and the'Claims of Labour." Dr. Gibb said that he proposed to consider the question of the demand of organised Labour that the Church, to justify its existence, must distinctly and definitely ally itself v ith the political and social movement working for the more equitable distribution of the wealth of the world.

He said that that practically meant that the Church, to identity itself with the movement, would become an agitator on behalf of Labour for a large share of the combined products of the employer, and the employe'.'.' lit was said that the Church must become a little less respectable, p.i; nig less attention to Dives and more to Lazarus.

Even at the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church, continued the speaker, a good deal had been sr.id , on that line. He thought they should not lay down arty hard and fast rules, but personally he had no hesitation in saying that when they found recently in the Home Land that the carters were striking to have their hours of labour reduced to 12 pov day —God help them!—and their pay raised to 30s per week, any minister who would say such reasonable and just demands should not be granted was guilty of cowardice.

It was the duty of the Church, lie continued, to speak, on behalf of the oppressed; but they must be sure of their facts before doing so.

He considered that the day should come when it would not be considered enough for a rich man to say that he kept the Commandments. The day should come when the rich man who did not consider that he was merely the steward of his wealth would be regarded as an object beneath contempt. Still, he did not think it wise that the Church at the present time in New Zealand should identify itself with organised Labour because the Church stood for all and should speak out if the rich oppressed the poor or the rich were harassed by means of legislation and class combination, Personally, he believed the solution would have to be by co-operation and profit-sharing. On one side some employers were too greedy to share the profits and on the other the workers were not magnanimous enough to pay their share of the losses that might occur in unfavourable seasons. They must not forget that many employers found it difficult to make both ends meet.

He considered that it would be folly for the Church to identify itself with organised Labour and to shut its doors to the rich, for, even if that were done, he had not such "a mean opinion of the worker as to think that he could be caught by fawning upon. A very large class of skilled craftsmen and casual labourers wore completely outside the Church and they would not get them by furthering their demands. What was more, if they could be got by that means they were not worth the game. There was too great a tendency in this land for

men to lean not upon themselves but on others.

When he was a young man if they wanted a football or a cricket club they earned the money themselves to get it started, but now the young men went round with a subscription list to get the money they had not the grit to earn. Dr. Gribb said that there was poverty in New Zealand, but a good deal of it was the result either of drink or of gambling. There was too much waste in New Zealand upon picture show:: and places of amusement. He contended that the worker? would never be conaertcd by a gospel of economics.