THE INDUSTRIAL CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP
THE way in which the public regards the work of -1- the Industrial Christian Fellowship is one of the most puzzling things of our day. That work seems to be ignored by most of the newspapers, but violently denounced by a few. Yet when one comes to think of it there ought to be no possibility of disagreement in a nation like ours about the excellence of the principle for which the I.C.F. stands. Briefly expressed it is that Christian principles, "independent of party," should be applied to industrial life. One would have expected to find instead of indifference or hostility an active enthusiasm for a society which would have it within its power, if its doctrines were sufficiently spread about, to guarantee that no industrial or Labour movement in this country should be anti-religious. Englishmen might well find a promise of security in that. In spite of the historical examples of the French Revolu- tion and the Russian Revolution, Labour in this country if it is not exactly for religion is not, and is not likely to be, against it.
Two announcements which have recently come into our hands should strike despair into the members of the Russian Soviet. Both announcements call attention to "Industrial Sunday," which this year will fall on April 25th. One of them is signed by a large number of well-known employers of Labour and the other by a still larger number of well-known Labour leaders. Both invite as many persons as possible to attend the services on Industrial Sunday and to pray for guidance in settling all the difficulties and disagreements of industrial life in accordance with the spirit of Christianity. The Labour manifesto is a particularly admirable piece of writing. "It is our conviction," say the signatories, "that statesmanship will fail, and political programmes will prove futile as a solvent for social troubles, unless they embody the spirit and practice of Christ." What could be better than that ? And what could be a more remarkable fact than that these services on Industrial Sunday grow every year in number and are encouraged by the Archbishops of Canterbury, of York, and of Wales ?
Yet, as we said, there is either, silence or hostility. What is the reason ? No doubt the explanation is that many newspapers which are by no means inherently hostile have been puzzled or frightened by the abuse and think it safest to leave the subject alone—even though' as mere " news " it might seem to deserve a good place. As for the critics who continually denounce the I.C.F., they do so because they say that it is Socialistic. We do not prof* to be fully informed, but if the I.C.F. is Socialistic, the proof is plain that it has largely fallen into the hands of those who have taken most trouble to use it. The remedy is for those who do not identify Christianity with Socialism to take a much more active part. In general the I.C.F. stands only for the doctrine that Christianity should concern itself with the conditions of industrial life._ That is not Socialism. Our Own feeling is that Christianity is actually false to the methods which the Founder of Christianity Himself adopted. if it makes itself synonymous with any political programme. To do that is to rule out as non- Christians all those who do not accept the programme. Christ Himself, if we read His teaching rightly, never laid down statutory obligations—in a word, never identified the body of His teaching with any particular policy. Rather He said that men must cultivate. a state of spirit and mind and that having done so they would know whether they were doing right or whether they were doing wrong. Some men nowadays call that a doctrine of despair. "You must have a progremme," they say. We cannot believe it ourselves, but whatever the truth may be it is obvious that if a man has no right to say that Christianity is Socialism, no Christian has any right to say that a man cannot be regarded as a Christian because he is a Socialist.
The I.C.F. holds many meetings, and it may be that some have been indistinguishable from Socialist meetings. Rumours to that effect are a little too strong to be denied. But this only brings us back to the fact that those who could keep meetings on what would be, from their point of view, better lines stay away and wash their hands of a movement which is inherently not merely unexceptionable, but admirable. We suggest that those who think that there is reason in what we say, and who are deeply conscious of the gravity of the industrial crisis which is upon us, should put themselves in touch with the I.C.F., at .4 The Sanctuary, West- minster, S.W.
Previous page
