People's Pilot, Volume 5, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 April 1896 — DEBS IN A PULPIT. [ARTICLE]

DEBS IN A PULPIT.

TALKS FOR THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN. Declares Christ Would Be with th Laboring Man Were He on Earth and Criticises Church’s Attitude Toward Labor. It was a mixed congregation in the First Baptist church at Terre Haute Sunday evening that heard Eugene V. Debs tell what he thought the church could do for the uplifting of the wageearner When the pastor of the church and Debs ascended to the pulpit a few admirers of the latter began clapping their hands, which caused the minister to look in the direction whence came the unusual sound with a startled expression. In his Invocation Dr. Holmes asked for divine guidance in what the speaker of the evening would say, and later, in presenting him to the audience, Dr. Holmes said it was not an occasion for the discussion of theology. As he said this he turned toward Debs with a smile which the audience understood. Dr. Holmes said that, when Debs returned to his home after the Great Northern strike in 1894, he (Holmes) went to the public meeting given in reception of Debs prejudiced against him, but came away believing he was a long-headed man with a big heart. He had not had occasion to change his estimate, and he was glad to be the first minister in the city of Debs’ nativity to ask him to speak from a pulpit. Mr. Debs said that too many pillars of the church looked upon labor as a commodity and were lacking in that spirit of the brotherhood of man which should characterize those who believe in the Christian religion. He spoke of the increasing number of the unemployed who were becoming tramps and said society and the church barred the doors against these unfortunate fel-low-mortals. The church as a church has done nothing for this class of people, but is arrayed against them as exiles, when as a matter of fact they were fellow mortals who deserve the attention of the church. He read from Dr. Carlos Martyn, Editor Flower of

the Arena and Bishop Phillips Brooks to show that the attitude of the church was not one of sympathy with the poor wage-earner; that instead of taking up his cause as that of a fellow-man the church contented itself with providing soup houses and a mission on a side street. This treatment really aggravates the situation. The wage-earner does not want charity or condescension. He demands justice and employment at living wages. The church, as a church, espouses the cause of the capitalist and rejoices when the troops are called out to run their bayonets through the strikers asking for living wages. The Christ of the Christian would be with the laboring man and not witji the rich supporters of the churches if He were on earth to-day. it is not popular to preach the true doctrine of Christ in these days. The minister who does it is fortunate if he retains his charge.” Mr. Debs said he thought the church ought to take up the question as to the system of production and distribution; the social and economic problems are for the church. When ministers take an interest in labor it is usually to caution the laboring man not to break the law, but the rich church member who is daily breaking laws is not rebuked. The trouble with the church is that it cannot' consistently condemn a of which it is a beneficiary.” The debauching of legislatures by rich corporations, he thought, could be discussed from the pulpit, and the debasement of the courts was for the church to consider. If the golden rule were lived up to by church members the labor question would be solved in twenty-four hours. He did not take a gloomy view of the situation. He believed the fact that the church is beginning to consider these questions is a harbinger of better things. He believed the brotherhood of man would be the accepted doctrine of man yet. At the conclusion of the address Dr. Holmes called on Dr. Crum of the Congregational church to offer prayer Dr Crum prayed that the people might better understand the questions which the speaker of the evening discussed. The Congregational church is the wealthiest congregation in the city.