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VII. Coming
Events and Signs of the Times
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Chapter 71
:
Conflict Between Capital and Labor
1.
WHAT is one reason why the last days were to be
perilous?
"Men shall be lovers of their own selves,
covetous."
2 Tim. 3:2.
2.
When, according to prophecy, were men to amass great
wealth?
"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." James 5:1-3.
NOTE.-We have reached the age of vast accumulations
of wealth, when there seems to be a mad rush for
making money quickly, and the millionaire and the
multimillionaire are much in evidence. Speaking on
this subject, Rev. H. W. Bowman, in his work "War
Between Capital and Labor," says: "Such colossal
fortunes, such hoarding of treasures, such
combinations of wealth, with such rapid increase in
poverty, were never witnessed before. Our age alone
fits the prophetic mold."
3.
Why did Christ, in the parable, reprove the man who hid
his talent?
"Thou wicked and slothful servant, thou knewest that I
reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not
strawed: thou oughtest therefore to have put my money
to the exchangers, and then at my coming I should have
received mine own with usury." Matt. 25:26,27.
NOTE.-"Servility to wealth," says J. S. Mill, "is a
social curse." Vespasian spoke truly when he said,
"Riches are well, if gotten well and well spent;"
and Peter Cooper likewise uttered a great truth when
he said, "A man of wealth is but a steward for the
good of mankind." James A. Patten, the retired
Chicago millionaire wheat broker, announcing his
intention to give away his fortune to charity, said:
"I believe a man should give away a good share of
his wealth while he is living. He can't take a
dollar out of the world with him, although I know
some men who seem to believe they can. Personally, I
mean to get rid of the most of my fortune. I hope to
help many charitable institutions before I die. I
doubt the advisability of leaving any great sum of
money to one's children. Many lives have been ruined
by large bequests. The offspring of a rich man are
better off if they are required to hustle for
themselves."-Washington Times, November 5, 1910.
4.
What did Christ tell the rich young man to do?
"Jesus said unto him, If thou wilt be perfect, go and
sell that thou has, and give to the poor, and thou
shall have treasure in heaven: and come and follow Me."
Matt. 19:21.
5.
What, in the parable, did God say to the rich man who
thought to build larger barns in which to store his
goods?
"But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy
soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall
those
things be, which thou
has provided?" Luke 12:20.
6.
How does James say the rich have lived?
"You have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been
wanton; you have nourished your hearts, as in a day
of slaughter." James 5:5.
NOTE.-This indicates that they have lived in luxury
and for pleasure, quite heedless of the needs of the
poor and of the great world about them. They have
lived simply to have a good time themselves, with no
thought of their responsibility to God or to their
fellow men.
7.
Who gives men the power to get wealth?
"But thou shall remember the Lord thy God: for it is
He that gives thee power to get wealth." Deut 8:18.
8.
How does James say the rich have treated the just?
"You have condemned and killed the just; and he
does not resist you." James 5:6.
NOTE.-There is nothing more rapacious and heartless
than greed, or covetousness. To obtain its ends, it
disregards the rights, the welfare, and even the
lives of those affected by its merciless schemes and
intrigues. The righteous, or just, however, do not
make forcible resistance to this unjust treatment.
9.
How have the rich defrauded the laborers?
"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." Verse 4.
10.
Seeking a fair remuneration, what do many laborers do?
Form labor unions, engage in strikes, boycotts, etc.
NOTE-While these means may hold matters in check for
a time, and afford temporary relief, they cannot
eradicate the evil, and bring about a final
solution. The evil is deep-seated; it lies in the
heart; and nothing but conversion-a change of the
heart and of the affections-can eradicate it. It is
the sin of selfishness, or covetousness-a failure to
love one's neighbor as oneself. The conflict between
capital and labor is an inevitable and an
irrepressible conflict as long as sin and
selfishness are in the world. And near the end it
becomes the most acute and intense, because then sin
comes to the full.
11.
Do the Scriptures indicate that there will he violence
manifested in this conflict?
"Woe to him that increases that which is not his! how
long? And to him that ladeth himself with thick clay!
Shall they not rise up suddenly that shall bite thee,
and awake that shall vex thee, and thou shall be for
booties unto them?" Hab. 2:6,7,
12.
Would God have His people unite in these combinations?
"Say you not, A confederacy, to all them to whom this
people shall say, A confederacy; neither fear you
their fear, nor be afraid." Isa. 8:12.
13.
Whom should we fear and dread?
"Sanctify the Lord of hosts Himself; and let Him
be your fear, and let Him be your dread." Verse 13.
14.
What are God's people told to do at this time?
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of
the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waits for the
precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for
it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be
you also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming
of the Lord draws nigh." James 5:7,8.
15.
What commands obeyed would bring about a peaceful
solution to this wide-spread and growing conflict?
"Thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself." Matt.
22:39. "Look not every man on his own things, but every
man also on the things of others." Phil. 2:4.
"Whatsoever you would that men should do to you, do you
even so to them." Matt. 7:12. |
