p. 7 | CAPITAL AND LABOR by T.

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Mar 10, 1898

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 24, No. 10.

CAPITAL AND LABOR.

By T.

THERE is perhaps no subject that is more thought about, more talked about, and more written about nowadays than “Capital and Labor.” You hear it on the street corners; it is talked to you from the pulpit and the platform; authors are writing books and pamphlets about it, and the papers and magazines are discussing it continually.

Thus we see that there is a continuous war of words over this subject, and frequent strikes bring labor and capital into a still more serious conflict than mere discussions. This contest is deepening and widening, and a universal clash seems to be rapidly approaching.

The capitalist waxes eloquent, and fairly sweeps the skies with his oratory while portraying the splendid condition of the laboring man. He assures the laborer over and over again that “he is better housed, and better fed, and better clothed than our fathers were.” But the laboring man, on the other hand, most emphatically, and with a seriousness that can be both seen and felt, says that his condition is growing worse and worse. The iron hand of greed is represented as grasping everything, and piling up colossal fortunes for the few, while the many are struggling for the bare necessities of life.

England for several centuries has had her conflict between the common and noble; but the common was never so intelligent and consequently so formidable in expressing his discontent as now. Germany has had her social ills, but never has the emperor had to act more discreetly than now as he seeks to hold the factions that would overthrow the wealthy and exalt the peasant. In Russia, the czar and his associated nobility can not enjoy the luxuries of their respective stations, because of the dread of the assassin, who represents the suppressed discontent occasioned by the poverty of the masses. In Austria-Hungary the peasants are rioting to get bread. And so we might go the world over, and the capital-and-labor discussion is the theme everywhere. The subject presents itself under different forms in the different countries, but it is there just the same, and is demanding serious attention.

That there are colossal fortunes piled up in all these countries no one will deny. And that right in the very presence of these great fortunes may be found the most wretched, the most pitiable, and the most heart-sickening poverty, is also a truth that all must admit. In the neighborhood of 1,838 years ago, there was penned a most remarkable prophecy of these times. It is worth our while to study it closely. It reads thus:—

“Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you. Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts; for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” James 5: 1–8.

Let us commence the study of these verses by considering the latter part of verse 3. “Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days,” says the apostle. The Revised Version says, “Ye have laid up your treasure in the last days.” Then the statement is made plain, and it is in the most literal language that we are told that this treasure is heaped together “for” or “in the last days.” And note the force of the statement; the treasure is heaped together in the last days. Language could not be so constructed as to more plainly show than does this scripture text that the “last days” are to be marked by the “heaping” up of treasure.

The text also plainly tells the manner in which this treasure is thus “heaped” together: “Behold, the hire of the laborers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth; and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.” It is not simply the “cry” of the laborer that God hears, but the “hire” of the laborer, which is “kept back by fraud,” also “crieth.” That eye of justice that has never been dimmed by evil pierces the very depths of this controversy, and in the clearest language tells where the difficulty lies.

Now note the second verse and the first part of the third: “Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are moth-eaten. Your gold and silver is cankered.” Thus it is shown that these “heaped-up” treasures are “corrupting” and “cankering” because of their idleness. For if this treasure was being judiciously used in relieving the distress of the poor and unfortunate, it would neither corrupt nor rust. But instead of using their treasure in relieving destitution and distress, they “have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton.” Yes, they have even “nourished their hearts as in a day of slaughter.”

The final solution of this capital-and-labor difficulty is also given: “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord,” says the apostle. Verse 7. Then when treasures are being “heaped” together, and “the cries of them which have reaped,” but have not eaten, are heard all over the world; when this strife between colossal wealth and stinging poverty becomes so marked that it is the topic of discussion everywhere, then may we surely know that we are “in the last days.” And so, instead of either envying or seeking to harm the wealthy who oppress, we are to “be patient” “unto the coming of the Lord.” And while we patiently wait, we are at the same time to earnestly and faithfully tell every one what this conflict between capital and labor means.

In conclusion let it be again urged that we faithfully and closely study these first eight verses of the fifth chapter of James. Altho these verses give only one of the present-day signs by which we may know that the end is near, yet how clearly is this labor controversy of our time foretold. And are you patiently looking forward to the coming of the Master? If not, don’t delay any longer to examine the evidence which shows that the time is near. It is the one bright hope before the world; hasten to embrace it.

Some facts in regard to the heaping together of treasure will have to be reserved for next week. T.