About Labor Unions. Proceedings of the St. Louis Congregational Meeting of May 24, May 31, and June 6, 1886. St. Louis, Mo. Lutheran Concordia Publ. 1886.
The four-district congregation here has discussed the labor question in three congregational meetings. The pamphlet before us contains an excerpt from the proceedings held on the subject.
It clearly shows what the Labor Unions, and the Order of Knights of Labor, strive for and intend to do, and this is proven from their own constitutions. Then it is proved that these efforts violate the holy Ten Commandments, which are the rule and guideline of life for Christians, and that therefore Christians cannot with a clear conscience join the so-called Federation of Knights of Labor or one of the present-day Labor Unions, since by participating they would sin against the law of the Lord.
In order to give the readers an insight into the rich content of the paper, we will share with them the theses that the speaker, Pastor Stöckhardt, had presented as a basis for the discussions. They read as follows:
“(1) The aforementioned Labor Unions claim that the purpose of their association is to protect the workers against the oppression of capital, against the encroachments of the employers, and to elevate and promote their craft, which in itself would not be wrong. But their constitutions and general practice prove that they go far beyond this goal, that they transgress the limits of the workers' profession, that the workers aim at controlling as much as possible the craft and business in which they work. Nor are these Labor Unions free from Communist, Socialist and revolutionary ideas. They therefore violate the regulations of the fourth commandment.
(2) The above-mentioned Labor Unions demand from their members unconditional obedience to the orders of the supreme authority, unconditional submission to the decisions of the majority, and make their members obligated to this as soon as they join. If a Christian enters into such a commitment, he harms his conscience and sins against the first commandment.
(3) Workers who join such associations, and thus agree to strike on command under all circumstances, jeopardize their livelihood and earnings and the welfare of their families, and neglect the duties imposed upon them by the fourth and sixth commandments.
(4) The members of these unions disadvantage and harm in every possible way those labor masters who are not at their beck and call, as well as those of their coworkers who go other ways, exert coercion and pressure on friend and foe, and under certain circumstances do not hesitate to use brute force. In doing so, they violate the fifth, seventh, eighth, ninth and tenth commandments.
Even if Christians who belong to these associations refrain from such gross excesses, according to the Scriptures they make themselves partakers of other people's sins through their membership.”
There will probably be no question concerning the workers' movement that is not briefly, clearly and distinctly illuminated here according to God's Word. Whoever reads the Scriptures and is willing to submit to the Word of his God must come to the conclusion that he can have nothing to do with these Labor Unions which so shamefully trample on God's commandments. Therefore, especially where there is a danger that Christians will be drawn into this movement, may our congregations make a serious effort to spread this booklet among young and old, so that they may prevent many from joining these unions and win back many who have allowed themselves to be seduced. But even where this danger does not exist, the reading of this pamphlet is urgently recommended, since it will enable Christians to form a correct opinion about a burning question of our time and to testify for the truth wherever they have the opportunity.
The pamphlet has 45 pages and can be obtained from the Concordia Publishing House by payment of 10 cents.
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