Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1910. THE CHURCH AND LABOUR.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10116, 11 October 1910, Page 4

Wairarapa Age MORNING DAILY. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1910. THE CHURCH AND LABOUR.

The Trades and Labour Council of Wellington has endeavoured to enlist the sympathy, of the Churches m the dissemmination of Socialistic propaganda. The Churches—or a section of them, at any rate—have expressed'their willingness to co-oper-ate in any movement for the amelioration of the condition of the worker. And it is right that they should do so. The anomaly of a Church, founded upon the basic principles of Socialism, as expounded by the greatest Socialist the world ever saw, pretending to despise the masses of the people and confining its attention to the better classes, would indeed be glaring. In ' reality, however, the Church knows no classes. Its mission is to go out, into the world and to "preach the Gospel to all men." j And what should that Gospel be ? ' Could it be anything else but "Peace I on earth, goodwill toward men" ? I

How is this peace and goodwill to be attained? That is tho question which is engaging the attention of the greatest statesmen, and sociologists, and ministers of religion of the day. Can it be attained by the introduction of the profit-sharing system and the elimination of private wealth? Assuredly not. Is it possible under a system which destroys ambition and seeks to pull down i'nI stead of to elevate ? There can only be one answer. The Socialism preached by the modern Trades Council is as far removed from the Socialism expounded in the "Sermon from the Mount" as the earth is removed 'from the planets. While it is the duty of tho Church to engage itself actively iu the solution of those social problems which surround j the community, it is also its duty to expose the falsities and the foibles J of those selfish doctrines which have i been promulgated with a view to wrecking the social institutions and customs which have been evolved by the process of time from the chaos of ignorance and superstition. In this connection it is well to remember that there is no room in this

world for the drone, be lie a Trades Unionist or a Prince. What is wanted are workers—men and women who will strive to improve the condition of their fellows, and to leave the world better than they found it. The most noble ideal in life is to practice unselfishness and to strive for the betterment of the people as a whole. So long as the world lives there will be differences.in social position, as there are differences in stature, in intellect, and in physical capacity. It is essential, in the great scheme of Nature, that it should be so. And anv attempt to disturb the

natural order of tilings, and to establish the superficial, will meet with J the failure it deserves. But, ad- r mitting the differences in social and c intellectual degree which have been designed by the Great Architect, it is the duty of every man to strive to ] do something to justify his existence 1 and to attain the highest ideals. This 1 cau only be done by mutual forbear- i a nee and co-operation. The man I who toils with his hands is not the only labourer in the world. He would be unable to exist were it not for the business man, the professional man, and the mano f letters. When he strives, therefore, to secure shorter hours and increased pay, he should I ask himself the question, "How is this going to affect my brother man ? How is it going to affect those upon whom my very existence depends? Am I doing the best I. can for the world, and, incidentally, for myself by encouraging idleness Y" To-morrow the people of this Dominion are' to be asked to celebrate "Labour Day." Why they should do so is known best to those" wLj created the irrational observance. Even the Trades Unionist who demands the "right to work" should recognise the absurdity of demonstrating over a proposition which implies the "right to loaf." What is required m this country, and in all other countries, T an ideal which extends beyond the limits of "self." When tins - ■ reached, when men are imbued with - \ spirit of magnanimity and selfdemonstrations over attouaaents whicn glorify one section c t the^om ■ munity at'ine expense of the *.tnei.