The Crime of Caste in Our CountryDavenport, Benjamin Rush
History
The Crime of Caste in Our Country
Davenport, Benjamin Rush
Social problems; United States -- Social conditions -- 1865-1918
Let us find men to teach us, who, when they find a poor, shivering
wretch, but a brother, on the streets, will take off their warm coats
and throw them round his shoulders. Let us find our leaders in the path
made plain by the divine Master, taking off their shoes to clothe the
benumbed feet of the outcast tramp. Then, and when that day arrives,
there’ll be no such thing as “caste” and class distinction in the
house of God. Then will the house of God be sought by the multitudes,
as of old they sought the mount whereon the Lord did preach. When the
privilege of entering the house of God and occupying a seat therein
is not sold to the highest bidder, to furnish the ten-thousand-dollar
salary for the teacher of the doctrine of that lowly Master, who had
nowhere to lay His head, then will the multitudes gather to do the
bidding of the teacher. When there are no high places in the temple to
be sold to the representatives of “caste” and sham aristocracy, then
will the house of God be a home and refuge for the people. When the
charities of Christ’s church on earth are not controlled by snubbing,
scornful, shoddy aristocrats, when the wife of the poor man shall feel
welcome to give her mite, along with the contributions of the rich,
without enduring their scornful glances, and subjecting herself to the
insult of their assumed social superiority, then will the people become
charitable. The church, the Sunday-school, the church society, the
charitable committees, have all become impregnated with this crime of
“caste,” which crucified the Saviour.
CHAPTER XXIII.
NOT A DEMOCRATIC PARTY VICTORY.--DEMOCRACY IS NOT THE NAME OF A PARTY,
BUT OF A PRINCIPLE.
The endeavor has been made in the preceding chapters to furnish
examples of the uprisings of the people from the time of ancient Egypt
to the present day.
The endeavor has been made to place before the thinking men of the
wealthier class parallels, in ancient history, of great political
upheavals in the past history of our own country, as well as in the
history of foreign countries and nations--exhibitions similar to the
powerful protest made by the people on November 8, 1892.
The object to be attained by such an arrangement of facts as will
impress the wealthier classes, is that a change in their methods and
manners may be brought about. No one can pretend to contradict that
the people with incomes less than $5,000 a year could, if they saw
fit, cause such legislation as would relieve them from the burden of
the expenses of the government. It is almost incredible that a journal
as preëminent in the Democratic campaign as was the New York _Sun_,
should publish an editorial, as late as the 10th day of December, as
follows:--
NOT DEMOCRATIC.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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