Socialism and Christianity
By W. L. Sims
The Two Systems Not Compatible, as Shown by Socialist Leaders—A Conflict and a Revolution Instead of the Ideals of Socialism—The Coming of Christ Must Be That Climax
THIS is the second of two articles by Elder Sims on the subject of socialism and Christianity. Last week he showed from the Bible that the teaching of Christ and the doctrines of socialism are out of harmony. This week he quotes from socialist leaders who regard the Bible and socialism as more or less antagonistic. The matter he presents is worthy the consideration of those who believe that socialism and Christianity should be blended into one great reform movement. NOT only do the teachings of Jesus and the Scriptures prove that socialism and Christianity will not mix, but the testimony of many prominent socialist leaders furnishes overwhelming evidence that the socialistic movement is positively hostile to Christianity. Here is the proof: Joseph Dietzgen, the most philosophical writer on socialism, and associate of Karl Mark, the apostle of socialism, says: DIFFER AS THE DAY AND THE NIGHT
"Yet socialism and Christianity differ from each other as the day does from the night. . . . Indeed, all religion is servile, but Christianity is the most servile of the servile."—"Philosophical Essays," page 122. Again, Professor Rauschenbush, in speaking of American conditions, declares "that men who draw their democracy and moral order from Jesus have difficulty in cooperating with party socialism. In socialist meetings they find an almost universal attitude of suspicion and distrust against the church, which often rises to downright hate and bitterness, and expands to general antagonism against religious belief. . . . The party platform declares religion to be a private matter, but that declaration of neutrality does not exclude persistent attacks on religion by official exponents of the party." ("Christianizing the Social Order," pages 397, 398.) James Leathan, a well-known English socialist, writes: "At the present moment I can not recall a single instance of a person who is at one and the same time a really earnest and an intelligent socialist and an orthodox Christian. . . . Marx, Lassalle, and Engel among the earlier socialists, Morris, Bax, Hyndman, Guesde, and Bebel among the present-day socialists, are all more or less avowed atheists; and what is true of the most noble men of the party is almost equally true of the rank and file the world over." ("Socialism and Character," pages 2, 3.) SUCH CONTRADICTORY FORCES CAN NOT COMBINE
Thousands of men who have been drawn into the socialist movement by its economic proposals, sooner or later have found that their faith in the word of God was incompatible with the theories of socialism. The more one imbibes of the teaching of socialism, the less faith, interest, and confidence he has in God, the Bible, or the work of the gospel of Jesus Christ. How can such a movement, with such an attitude toward Christianity, be otherwise than antichristian? Who then is justified in believing that if Christ were on earth to-day, He would identify Himself with a movement that is antagonistic to Him and His teachings? In speaking of the last days of our world's history in sin, the word of God declares: "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves. . . . Evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived." 2 Tim. 3: 1, 2, 13. To the question, "What shall be the sign of Thy coming, and of the end of the world?" Jesus replied, "As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be." Matt. 24:3, 37. Of the days of Noah we read: "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." "The earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence." Gen. 6:5, 11. And this violent element is fast driving the whole world to reap what was reaped in a more limited way in the French Revolution. This is a bold statement, but it is not mere speculation. It is made on the authority of the prophecies of the word of God. In the fifth chapter of James is recorded a prophecy dealing with the industrial and financial troubles of the last days — the days just preceding the second coming of Christ. This prophecy reads as follows: "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. INCREASING WHAT IS NOT HIS
This prophecy points out that there are days of misery in store for the rich. Verse 1. What that misery is, may be known beforehand by reading and believing the prophecy of Hab. 2:1-8. The poor are described as saying, "Wo to him that increaseth that which is not his!" Verse 6. The outcome of this struggle is thus given by the prophet: "Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee, and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shalt be for booties unto them? . . . because of men's blood, and for the violence of the land, of the city, and of all that dwell therein." Hab. 2:7, 8. FINALLY DRIVEN TO DESPERATION
This prophecy clearly indicates that the oppressed will finally be driven to desperation, and turn with awful violence to wreak vengeance upon their opponents; that what they can not get by the ballot, they will try to obtain by the bullet. When they finally fail to win by an appeal to reason, they will appeal to arms. And looking at the situation from a worldly or human point of view, the only outcome will be a deadly and universal conflict. Perhaps my socialist reader is ready to exclaim, "It is unfortunate that the writer's study of the Bible leads him to see such scenes of war and bloodshed." In reply we would say, Not only does our study of the prophecies of the Bible lead us to see this outcome of socialism, but the Appeal to Reason is also responsible for so "unfortunate" a conclusion. There was published in that journal in March, 1905, an article from Eugene V. Debs on the Moyer-Haywood indictments. The Spokesman-Review of March 14 contained many quotations from this article. Here are a few samples: REVOLUTIONISTS THREATENED
"If they attempt to murder Moyer-Haywood and their brothers, a million revolutionists at least will meet them with guns."599"Let them dare to execute their devilish plot, and every state in the Union will resound with the tramp of revolution." Mr. Debs justifies the Haymarket rioters in the following language: "Nearly twenty years ago the capitalist tyrants put some men to death for standing up for labor; and if an attempt is made to repeat it, there will be a revolution, and I will do all in my power to precipitate it." These quotations are from a man who three times has held the nomination of the Socialist Party for president of the United States. Hence according to the characteristic utterances of some of the socialist leaders, all that would be required to precipitate a revolution, war, and bloodshed on the part of a "million socialists" would be the termination of some trial of a conspicuous character adverse to their ideas. Such revolutionary utterances as the above would not come from the practical disciples of the Prince of peace. And the reader can rest assured that there will be no practical disciples of the Prince of peace identified with the socialist movement in that day. "For the Lord spake thus to me with a strong hand, and instructed me that I should not walk in the way of this people, saying, Say ye not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear ye their fear, nor be afraid. Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him be your fear, and let Him be your dread." Isa. 8:9-13. Text: "And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever." Dan. 12:3. True wisdom will lead one to give his first and greatest attention to things of the greatest importance. There is no work of greater consequence than the work of winning souls for Christ and eternity, from the paths of sin to the ways of righteousness. One soul won for Christ, and eternally saved in the kingdom of God, is worth more than all the world. Luke 9:25. The science of salvation is therefore the greatest science of all sciences in the universe, and is as much above the social and economic teachings of "scientific socialism" as God's thoughts are above man's thoughts. Christianity is a divine philosophy. Socialism is only a human philosophy. One fits the believer for a life that will run parallel with the life of God. The other, if it had its own way, would benefit no one longer than this temporal life. Therefore whosoever will give his first and greatest attention to the work of promulgating the doctrines of socialism, makes a serious and grievous mistake. We intend no offense in this plain message. It is given in love; for truth on any subject comes from above, from the source of all goodness combined. All heaven is interested in the welfare of each one in both temporal and eternal things. Christ Jesus our Lord loves every one, and longs to save each, and to give each a part in that "blessed hope" that is big with immortality and full of glory. Titus 2:13. The only remedy, the only star of hope, is the one revealed in the Scriptures; namely, the second coming of Christ to put an end to sin and injustice. When Jesus comes, the present order of things will be destroyed. Then the rule of competition in every branch of human industry will be brought to an end. Then the kingdoms and various governments of earth will be destroyed. Dan. 2:44. Then in the glorified new earth the redeemed of all ages will be governed by the true principles of association — principles of cooperation; for a King will then reign in righteousness from pole to pole. "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him." Dan. 7:27.