Pioneer

Llanelly & District Labour Association I WINTER LECTURE PROGRAMME CON- SIDERED. The usual fortnightly meeting of the above- was held on Saturday last. In the absence of the Chairman (Mr T. R. James, N.U.R.), the chair was taken by Mr T. J. Evans, B.S.S. The attendance left something to be desired—the Labour Councillors being conspicuous by their absence-perhaps from the fact that the time, of the meeting synchronised with the appear- ance of the Life Guards Band in Pare Howard, or maybe the delegates were assisting in the agitation for closing the "pubs." As G. B. Shaw says, "You never can tell." The Secretary (wlr D. Etogers) reported the issue of a circular to the affillated societies con- taining an invitation to assist in the work of organising tha women now entering industry. Letters were read from the Byne,a and No. 3,: Branches of the British Steel Smelters intimat- ing their intention of becoming affiliated. The- Chairman, in expressing his pleasure in hearing, of the new affiliations, said that he understood there were two other branches also coming into-, the Association. Letters were received from the Union of De- mocratic Control and the National Council Ag- ainst Conscription, asking for assistance in their propaganda.—Answering a question, the- Secretary stated that the Association was af- filiated to both bodies. The Peace Negotiations Committee also in-, vited the delegates to come in and help.- Mr T. Davies (N.U.Ll.) said that they (the N.U.H.) had the same appeal addressed to them, but nothing was done.—The Secretary reminded the delegates that the petition was distributed ab- out a month ago. The Central Labour College sent an invitation to partake of their postal instruction durine the coming winter.—The Secretary explained. the methods of the College. calling particular ,attentlon to the lecture-by-post arrangement, Resolved that we refer the matter to the E.C. and that we invite the Sub-Warden (W. W. Craik) to come to Llanelly. Replies were to hand from Messrs. Philip Snowden. M.P.; Macdona l d. M.P.; J. Snowden. Ramsay Macdonald, M.P.; J. R. Clynes, J. H. Thomas, M.P., and R. C. W411liead re winter course of lectures. the Secretary also reported a number of ap- plications for dates for "Casey" and W. Mellor or the National Guilds. Readers of these notes who would like to have either of them had better move in their organisations. Clole and Mellor have a very good theme in the Nattional Guilds, and have, mi-ch to say of great interest to the Trade Union side of our movement. It is true they do not promise A New Jerusalem" if we re- turn a sufficient number of Labour men to Parliament neither do they ask us to go through the exciting times that the workers of Paris enjoyed under the rule of "King Pataud," but they talk a lot of hard sense all the same. To revert to the Association meeting, letters from the Labour Party and circulars from the War Emergency Committee were next consid- ered.—Resolved to pay affiliation fees to the Labour Party, to order 100 each of the leaffets on the cost of living, and the reprint from the "Manchester Guardian" on War Profits from the War Emergency Committee, and to distri- bute them amongst the delegates. Mr McKenna's reply to the deputation that waited on him to appeal on behalf of the 019 Age Pensioners astonished the delegates, and it was resolved to send further resolutions to the Chancellor, the Prime Mfnister, and the local members.

Exhorting the Editor. I -6 I By the REV. REES, Llechryd. I An Open Letter to the Editor of the Pio- neer by the IV-esleyan Minister of Dowlais, i-eminds me of a young minister who had high aims and an Independent Spirit, preaching the Truth without respect of persons and offending the capitalists of his church. A deacon, who was a carpenter siding with the wealthy sin- ners, thought it his duty to give a few words of exhortation to the minister. You preach sometimes well, and sometimes middling; but you must leave off preaching against particular sins. Preach as yon like against sin, but be- ware henceforth of naming particular sins." The yng minister answered in the words of the the Prophet Isaiah: "The car- penter stretcheth out his rule; he maketh it out with a line he fitteth it with planes and com,pa-,s .but. he said. "it is upon dead tim- ber that lie exerciseth his craft. The living tree groweth not according to the line and rule, planes and compass of the carpenter. If I am a tree planted by the Lord. away with your tools I believe that the Editor of the "Pioneer" is a living tree that withereth not, planted in the New Creation, and that his band of correspondents are like the cedars of Lebanon growing and green on the mountain? of the New Earth. not to be trimmed by the tools of the craftsmen. I appreciate the kind temper in which Mr. Dockeray writes; but am convinced that he has no perception of the purpose of the "Pioneer," which, from the beginning, is not to please nor to pamper to the basilar elements of the work- ers but rather to enlighten and educate them, and make them it to fight in the great class struggle which has its final aim to control the means of production. To achieve this end, the workers must be taught and inspired to wage this class war by fighting the capitalists and their supporters every inoh of the road towards International and Universal Socialism. The road is rugged and entrenched 'by the legions of the enemy. The workers must be united and brave, depending on God and themselves. Ex- hortations and worldly wise counsels outside this struggle must have no place in their tactics. This war is a revolution, and the greatest revolution the world has ever seen since time began. It will ultimately arrange the world into a new order. It will daily become more and more aggressive, ceaselessly in its attacks on prcfit-mongerers, on politicians and on the pha- lanxies of cowardly pulpiteers. Supernal and Internal Spheres will clash in this revolution as never before. In the language of the Holy Bible, on one. side it will be the Coming of the Son of Man in his glory, in the glory of the Father, and in the glory of all the holy an- gels, to establish tke Dominion of Love and Light and Equality on our planet; on the other hand, it will be the rage of the Devil and of all the powers of darkness and death. The conflict, like the "Pioneer," will teach the workers to rely upon the Lord and upon themselves: to stand upon their feet, with an independence worthy of man in the assurance tnat the emancipation of the workers must be tha work of the workers themselves. In this moral war we are not to await- for the end of the European War, nor to wait until the Advent of Socialism we are to be at it continu- ally, incorrigibly, without pau., and without the slightest compromise at it to resist by ev- ery lawful means the pressure and the encroach- ments of the plutocratic class and their suppor- ters in Church and in the Srtate. Without this. there is no reform, no politics, no religion and no preacher worthy of the name. Mr Dockeray despises, and even scorns, those in the Pioneer" that hold the Lamp of Truth to show the villainy of the churches and their leaders, and says that they do not represent intelligent w-orking men. Here is a sore point, and Mr Dockeray dangerously ventures to face the two-edged Sword of the Divine Spirit. The Churches should be on the side of Peace and Communism, and the Conscientious Objector led by tfhe Ambassadors of the Prince of Peace. But the leaders, priests and preachers are like their class in all times of degeneracy and war, the chief enemies of those who aim at the good of the people. The priests and preachers were the chief enemies of God and man in the time of Elijah—and Elijah mocked and vilified them. They were the chief enemies in the time of Miceah. who detected a lying spirit in the mouth of the prophets, hundred's of them toge- ther in one Satanic Conference and conspiracy. Miceah exposed them, and was put in the bar- racks and in prison with nothing to eat but the bread of afflict ion. They were the chief ene- mies in the time of Isaiah, who called them dumb dogs. They were the chief enemies in the time of Jeremiah, who said that they were hor- rible and profane, and that their wickedness had made the Sanctuary a den of robbers. They were the chief enemies in the time of Ezekiel, who called them foxes, false shepherds and watchmen with their hands full of bloody They were the chief enemies in the time of Hosea. who accuses them of removing the bounds bet- ween good and evil: Therefore, said the Lord. I will pour out my wrath upon them like wa- ter." They were the chief enemies in the time of Micah. who described them as criminals who abhor judgment, pervert equity, build Zion with blood and Jerusalem with lies. They were the chief enemies in the time of Zechariah. who represents them as fools, madmen, and idol shepherds. Thev were the chief enemies in the time of Malaehi, who says to them, Ye are departed out of the way ye cause the people to stumble at the law; you corrupt the Coven- ant ye will be made contemptible and base before all the people." They were the chief enemies in the time of John and Jesus, and were called fools, blind guides, serpents, gene- ration of vipers and John—and especially Jesus —did not spare them he stripped them of their hypocrisy, opened the bottomless pit before them aind with the authority of the Voice which shook Sinai. He shouted. How can ye escape the damnation of hell?" They were also the chief enemies in the times of the Apostles; öf the martyrs and reformers of every age. The same they are to-day. The pedigree of the Arabian horses is traced back for nearly. 2,000 years. But the pedigree of the prevalent pul- pit of our time can be traced back many cen- turies farther—being the pedigree of the pulpit of Baal and Moloch. They are more unlike the prophets and apostles of the Lord than the dy- -ing embers of the waning moon to Mie full htaze of the lllaridian sun. The pulpit of Eu- rope—small exception—take the side of the con- spirators of wrong and murder, and not the combiners for virtue—-trampling every sense of justice by their endeavour to sanctify ras- cality. To criticise these is not to vilify the Churches." as Mr. Dockeray says, but to re- veal the Synagogues of Satan and their chief rulers. The stupendous outrage is faithfully exposed by th/3 Truth of Love in the "Pioneer," and reprehended by the able and wise writers in dirers manners, moods and styles-from the humorous arithmetic of "Navvv Pat" to the celestial rolls and rings and wondrous swing- ings of tile poetical symphonies of the Rev. T. Nicholas. Democritus, the laughing philosopher, < expressed his contempt of the follies of mankind by laughter. Heraclitus, on the other hand, was perpetually shedding tears on account of the vices of his countrymen. Some of the So- plists sarcastically wrote panegyrics on charac- ters proverbial far depravity. Horace says the edge of ridicule dl out the knob, where gra- ver reason fails. The cynics were celebrated for the successful application of scorn to over- come corruption. Plato used all the armoury of wit-epic. mania, intuition, irony. Rabelais de- nounces the abominations of Church and State through the grotesque symbols of Gargantia and Pantaganel. Voltaire hurled terrible mockery at which tyrants turned pale and various are the moods and modes of good men to expose and dethrone evils and errors and they are used with tremendous effect by the Editor of the Pioneer n and by those correspondents des- scribed by the divine Dockeray as" pue.rile, foolish, and weak correspondents." I would ra- ther be a door-keeper to the least of these "puerile, foolish weak" ones, than to dwell in the palaces of the wise divines and the mighty bishops of our gory Christianity a.nd its churches.

REV. W. DOCKERAY'S OPEN LETTER TO I THE EDITOR OF THE "PIONEER." (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) I Dear Sir,—It pleased me greatly, as one of your leaders, to note Mr. Dockeray's letter in your last issue. I am sure very many of Pio- neer" readers will have welcomed his letter, and will have agreed and sympathised to a large extent with its tone and spirit. b I am not at all concerned, Mr. Editor, with a defence of either yourself of the policy you, choose to adopt in conducting your journal. To attempt such a thing would be purely gratui- tous. But when Mr. Dockeray suggests that you should make an effort to represent the work- ing men," he surely misunderstands the purpose and rationale, not only of the existence of the "Pioneer," but also of the entire Socialist movement Briefly, it would seem that Mr. Dockeray thinks that the Pioneer should represent what is and not what OUGHT to be in the mental and moral make-up of the work- ing-man. I certainly don't wish to appear un- kind. but lam reminded of a taunt in Mase- Y ou back what field's Everlasting Mercy "You back what is against what's right." I realise fully well that Mr. Dockeray does not realise this; I won- der if he realises how easily, from another point of view, it may and does mean thi,s r Really, I shudder to think what the col- umns of the "Pioneer" would be like if the Editor made the attempt to satisfy the present tastes i.e. "represent"— the working- men (I am not now concerned with the tastes of the better and educated classes in the matter of reading.) But. quite apart from that, of what value to men and women who have passed the stage- of Answers" and Tit-Bits would be dissertations on the sat- isfaction with the present order of things ? But even if the "present order" were highly desirable from an economic and material stand- point—which it is certainly NOT—>ve would still be dissatisfied, for all progress implies dis- satisfaction. There is no life, no ORDER, with- out change; and, indeed. Professor Thomson has defined evolution as orderly change." Was it not an old Greek sage who said: All things are in a state of flux ? And does not our modern Bergson say that "for a conscious be- ing. to exist is to change, to change is to ma- ture to mature is to go on creating oneself endlessly ? All movements, therefore, and the Socialist movement in paii-ticular, are the outcome of the Law at the heart of things. We are greater than we know, and we en- deavour to build greater than we know. Per- sonally, I do not hesitate to affirm that all material things have their spiritual counter- part which latter is the cause and purpose of the former in a continually creative sense. Our ideals are. therefore, glimpses of future actuali- ties in the world of sense and manifestation. Thev exist a.s realities NOW on their plane, and our efforts and our dissatisfaction" are merely attempts to bring them down to our world of flesh and blood. We don't, therefore, demur to the statement that "Socialism is an abstract doctrine, and a future ideal." On the conrary. we may claim to pride ourselves on obtaining a very rich pos- session. Not ours merely the satisfaction of sharing this world's goods" we share those of a more real world as well! This is no mere fantasy it is a sober philosophic fact. For, truly the order of this world passeth away it is only one remove. from extinction It may be that the present war will aid the Socialist in the passing away" of the present "order" it certainly is true that we herald the coming of a newer and better order." It may be also true tkat most working-men may not desire Communism as yet; out may not desires be created, and may be not help to "create" them; May not the uperceiving obtain their vision, and may we not help t. remove the blinds of ignorance and prejudice? We may blunder deplorably we may castigate when we should v-xliort-i we may be bitter and. at times, acrimonious, when we ought to resort bo "reason which is human charity." We don't excuse and exonerate ourselves. We are what we are--until we become better! To us. Socialists, it is our ideal that matters! The "illusory future is the real present in our world of thought and aspiration. I say "our" ideal for there are many others. If the Churches have an Ideal, let them strive to realise it. We would appeal to no external au- thority to compel men; we would invite and at- tract by the living fire and warmth of en- tllllSl'El'SID • At any rate our concern is our vision, and our vision our concern. And m our VISIon IS a partial view of a New Age and a New Order on carth.-Yours. etc.. DAVID J. WJLLJJLIAMB. Gwyn Grove. Pontardulais, Glam. I P.S.-Th-o above letter was received early last week, but owing to the pressure on our space, had to he herd over.—Ed. J

RE "JONES, SEION," and MR. F. I EDWARDS, GORSEINON. (To the Editor of the PIONEER.) I Dear S'r 'How to bring out a kosmos at Mr P,Iii,ar(is' chaos is a puzzle to any man's mind. His letter is full of epithets, sarcasms, preten- sions, personalities and blasphemies. Let me, Sir, analyse a few of them: (a) Epithets and Sarcasms. "The Devi will give Mr. Jones a testimon- ial." Let it be known to Mr. Edwards that the Devil will not give me any testimonial be- cause Jam saved from his grip for ever! Praise the Lord'! "Ye are of your father the Devil, and the lusts of your father it is your will to do." We shall see shortly who gives the least or the greatest resistance to the De.vil and his children. Mr. Edwards says I am too busy watching the average Christian, who believes in 'Let us prey.' Let us wait and watch, and we shall see who are the vultures and who is the prey. (b) Pretensions and Personalities. Mr. Edwards pretends to be very kind. "We Socialists would rather think kindly." Theories are cheaply put on paper by some people, but how does the practical harmonise with the theo- retical ? Will our reader harmonise the follow- ing sentences to the Socialistic kind meek and mild theones?: "I think he sees men as trees walking" The Devil will give Mr. Jones a testimonial." "Mr. Jones was anxious for the enthronement of His Satanic Majesty." "Will Mr Jones read 'Elegy on the Death of a Mad Do- "? Ha! Sir! I have read many a. time in the New Testament of what men like Mr. Edwards said to my Saviour: "And many of them said. He hath a devil and is mad; why hear Htm?"—John 10, 20. Mr. Edwards said, "I do not think it right to indulge in per- conalities; we Socialists judge a movement on principles, not personalities." Yet he has not discussed one principle in his letter, but in- dulged in personalities from the beginning to the end. Read again his own words: "I am too rousv watching the average Christian—and let me ask. Sir, is irhis the sample of the sweet s;a-m-tir-of Socialism ? (c) Boast and Blasphemies. Mr. Edwards assumes that I do not under- stand Socialism. Well, I claim I know some- thing infinitely greater than Socialism, viz., God's way of salvation—the Gospel of Jesus. Be it known to him that the man who is saved and enlightened by the Spirit of God is in a position to judge all things. "But he that is spiritual judgeth all things, and he himself is judged of no man." But there, Mr. Edwards cannot comprehend this. Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world ? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things pertaining to this life?" .Mr Edwards hints to some grammatical err- ors. His letter is a sufficieat proof of his ability as an excellent composer and grammar- ian. Again, his great word is "principles." The principles of Socialism." We do not boast in any principle, but in a Person—Our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The word principles is not once in the word of God; it belongs to the vocabulary of this world. Let me, again, Sir, point out a few of his blaphemies. "The Devil will give Mr. Jones a, testimonial." Has anyone heard or read before of the Devil giving testimonials to any being? No, the Devil will not present anyone of his childen with a testimonial. No, not even Mr. Edwards, who is one of his children thus far! The next blasphemy is that Christians say, "Let us prey. Who ever heard of any Christians, real or nominal, uttering such a phrase ? Per- haps Mr Edwards thought it was a clever wit to draw out laughter from silly Socialists! But the most presumptuous of them all is the following:—"To judge by Mr Jones' letter, I I think the Devil and the Holy Ghost are super- lfuous." Just think! Classifying the Devil on a level with the Holy Ghost! I hope and pray to God that Mr Edwards has not stepped be- yond the redemption point and committed the unpardonable sin! (d) Dogma and Doctrine. I do not expect Mr Edwards to be able to distinguish between spiritual things and spiri- tual things, for the following re.ason: Now the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness unto him; and he cannot know them, because they are are spiritually judged." Let me, Sir. point out three or four things which Mr Edwards meddled and muddled with: (a) Stipend. Is Reverend discarded by Mr Jones because it is not Scripture (unseriptural) ? Why not dis- card his stipend for the same reason. -Matt. 10, 9-10. According to Mr Edwards' exposi- tion, it is unseriptural for all the ministers to be paid. I suppose he has not studied Luke 10 7-22 35—36; 1st Corinthians 9. 7-14; Phillippians 2, 16; 1st Timothy 5, 18. Mr Ed- wards' gross distortion of the Scripture sub- stantiates my previous statemen viz.: "If some of them could succeed tliev would have starved me and my wife and children. Here is one more of such Socialist that I have met. Why does not Mr Edwards give notice up to the following effect:—" I hereby warn the pub- lic that the stipend of all the ministers (vicars included) is unseriptural. wicked robbeiy, sPo- liation and confiscation, whether they draw it from the rich or poor. I say starve them all. (Signed) F. Edwards, Gorseinon." I am not suprised at Mr Edwards arrogant trend of thought, because one of their highest authorities said that we can afford to dispose of all the ministers of religion. (b) Socialism and Spiritualism. Mr Edwards states that Socialism has no- thing to do with anything spiritually." if that were true. why do they keep religious meetings; call upon our Lord and claim him as a Socialist of the first rank; and that Socialism will bring the Kingdom of Heaven upon earth? But there, Mr Edwards, the Apostle's saying was there. "The natural man receiveth not the true things of the Spirit of God." Mr. Edwards is blinded to such an extent that he cannot see that he is unhistoricial, let alone illogical. (c) Prayer and Plunder (of Europe). If I enter into this vast field and turn some furrows, Mr Edwards would not and could not follow. Therefore, lonly point one fact to hiIP-that this war is partly a judgment from God because of the wickedness, unbelief, disob- e dience and unrighteousness of the nations. And if it were not for the few that pray, we would have been made like Sodom and Gomorrah "Except the Lord of Sabaoth had left us a seed, we had become as Sodom, and had been made like unto Gomorrah.R.omans 9, 28—9. <d) The Enlistment of the Devil. Mr. Edwards talks ra ther flippantly of the Devil as if he is a tiny recruit, and not a potent bein^ Let Mr Edwards be not deceived. The Dcv? has enlisted him and the whole train of Socialism, and he drives them at a tremendous speed towards destruction. (e) Socialism and Mr. Edwards' Damnation. If Socialism is of the Devil, then I am truly damned," Mr Edwards exclaims. Yes, it is a solemn truth—"he is damned already." He that believeth not is condemned already. be- cause he ha,th not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3, 18—19). Nevertheless, there is a chance for Mr Ed- %Vlal-<- Go is love. wards. "God is love." He loves sinners not Socialists. Let him take his place as a lost sin- ner before God, for while we were yet sinners Christ tlied for us."—Romans 5, 7-8. Let him believe in the finished work of Jesus on Calvary's Cross. Let him receive the re- conciliation, then be will possess the peace with God. and the peace of God. "Repent ye, there- fore, and turn again, that your sins may be 'blotted out, that so there may oome seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord." — Acts 3, 19. Let him receive the Lord Jesus, I as his personal Saviour; then he will beginto. praise and to pray. "If not. he is condemned; already.l asn. Dear Sir, in Christ, My Lord a.nd Saviour. M. J. JONES (B.M.). Gorseinon, July 10, 1916. [As our space is valuable, and Jones,, of Seion," apparently knows as much abomt Socialism as he does about the composition of an ion, this correspondence must cease- with the replies from Mr Edwards and Mr W. Evans. It is a waste of good space to. publish letters so far off the track as the above.—Ed.]

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