Page:James Ramsay MacDonald - The Socialist Movement.pdf/85

 Rh become enamoured of Proudhon. He returned to England full of the ideas of "mutualism," and consequently Christian Socialism will always be associated with co-operative production and the self-governing workshop.

The movement died after a short life extending from 1848 to 1852, leaving as its progeny a book or two like Kingsley’s Alton Locke, a beautiful life or two of which that of Maurice was the most saintly, and the self-governing workshop which, after a generation of heart-breaking failure, is at last meeting with some success. It also left the trace of a tradition in the Church itself.

Later on, when the social movement again gathered in importance and in socialistic consciousness, Christian Socialism revived round this tradition. The Guild of St. Matthew was founded in 1877, some of the leaders of the Free Churches, without forming any separate organisation, associated themselves openly with Socialism, and many of the younger ministers of all denominations ranged themselves behind the same banner. An association of Free Church Socialist clergymen was founded in 1905, and the Church Socialist League in 1904. Now, the Church in all its sections is permeated with Socialism.

The competitive system cannot be reconciled with Christianity. It is a struggle for the survival of those whose only virtue is that they are the most adaptable; religion can never abandon the desire to supplant such a struggle by a method of selection which will secure the survival of graces and virtues. It