A 16th Century Reformer Advocates For Workers

 

Menno Simons 1496-1561

In sixteenth century Europe, when there were few labor laws protecting working people, Dutch Anabaptist reformer Menno Simons wrote these words in a treatise called "True Christian Faith." He begins the piece by commending the Roman centurion who was concerned about a servant of his who was ill, and who implores Jesus to heal him, then writes:

It is to the shame and disgrace of all false Christians and especially to many rich, some of whom are more merciless and cruel toward poor servants and hirelings than they are to their dogs and animals (pardon the expression), for as soon as they get so ill that they cannot perform mule's labor, they are unmercifully turned out of doors and sent to this or that institution, or to their parents and friends who sometimes have scarcely a bite of bead or an old cot in their houses. 

Again others, with great damage to their little earnings, have to get a substitute while they are sick. And even if they do serve their time in health with hard and severe labor, some of these unmerciful, cruel, bloody folk put forth efforts to deprive these poor lambs, who have to watch while they (their employers) sleep, labor while they rest, run when they command and stand while they sit, of a goodly portion of their grievous toil. 

Now they complain of  a spoon is lost; then a dish that is broken; always they have ruined this or that. Yes, some of them would feed them with water and straw, and pay them with the whip and chaff, as they do their laboring oxen and horses, if they were not ashamed before men. They would not be ashamed of such things before God of whom they know not. Oh, woe upon such heathenish tyranny and unmerciful cruelty! 

But let it not be so with you, dearly beloved... Be as solicitous for your servants as he (the centurion) was of his servant. Teach them, admonish them and reprove them with a fatherly spirit as often as they do wrong. Set them an unblamable example in all righteousness and piety. Sympathize with them in their severe and heavy labor. Comfort them in their poverty, comfort them, I say, and grieve them not. Give them decent support and their earned pay and do not dock them in their wages. Protect them in all honorable things; do not chide them without cause lest they become discouraged; do not discharge them before the agreed time but let them serve out without loss their time as agreed, lest the name of the Lord be blasphemed. Be friendly toward them at all times. And if any are weak and sick, assist and serve them. Get someone else to serve in their place without loss to them until the Lord takes them or restores them to health.

But if they are willful and obstinate and refuse to hear your word and command, if they do not follow your admonition and counsel, if they want to rule rather than serve, if they waste their time and labor in laziness, if they are unfaithful, rebellious and troublesome, wickedly corrupting your family and children, etc., then come to an agreement with them as to wages earned, before two or three witnesses, so that the fault may not be on your side, and the Word of the Lord be not disgraced. In this way let them move on, that your conscience be not troubled on their account and your house and children be not ruined. Yes, do to your poor servants even as you desire that it should be done to you, if you were called as they are.

--from The Complete Works of Menno Simons, pp. 364-366