p. 7 | Caste | AdventAI

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Dec 30, 1903

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 29, No. 52.

Caste

Caste.—In those countries where the caste custom predominates, we are frequently told that as Christianity gains foothold, the spirit of caste gives way. But in the United States the spirit of caste is notoriously coming to the front. This is largely because of the tendency on the part of the wealthier classes to worship and cater to the so-called nobility of the Old World. But it is also because of the apparent desire of other classes to rise above their fellows, to be in some way deemed superior—if not in fact, at least in some manner of form. The latest effort to establish a line of caste that we have noticed is mentioned in a press despatch dated St. Joseph, Mo., November 27, and reads as follows: “The Building Trades Council announced to-day that in the future all houses built by union labor would be labeled with aluminum tags, and union men will hereafter refuse to rent houses which do not bear the labels.” Now if it be true, and it surely ought to be, that the spirit of Christianity tends to nullify the spirit of caste, what is the logical conclusion where the caste spirit is so evidently on the rise? Does it not indicate a growing disregard of the commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself”?