Christian sociology; Labor -- United States; Labor movement -- United States; Working class -- United States
“He has never given me a mouthful of bread nor means to gain it. What
have I to do with your God?” This was the answer of an immigrant woman
to an appeal made by the church visitor, and it strikes nearer the
heart of our modern life than it appears upon first thought. Why indeed
should a person acknowledge kinship to a God who allows suffering,
sorrow, and want in the world? It is not enough to answer such a
question by pointing to the ultimate ends God has in view, for with
hunger gnawing at the very vitals it is difficult to be philosophical
or to meet the problems of existence in a quiet frame of mind. It is
undoubtedly true that a large part of the misery and suffering of this
world is caused by the sins and incompetency of the individual; but it
does not help one to bear misfortune to know that he is to blame for
his own condition. Is it any easier for the mother to teach her hungry
little children to say their prayers asking the heavenly Father to feed
them when she knows that her husband has brought the suffering and
want through his evil conduct? But suppose she knows that her husband
has tried as hard as possible, and in spite of all his efforts and all
her care there is not enough bread for the little ones. She is very
likely to grow impatient with the religion that talks about love, and
yet allows bad social conditions to exist in the community that robs
children of their childhood, destroys manhood, and makes women slaves
in their own homes.
We have studied certain groups of the workers, and great as is the
contribution made by these workers, it is only a small part of the
story. The world of the workers is a very large world. Within this
world things are produced that enrich mankind to a degree that has
never even been dreamed of in any other age of the world’s history. The
men who are producing these things are the true servants of the world.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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