The most logical solution would be that "he" is this sentence is referring to eh subject of the sentence, the person doing the "refusing", although it's possible that if this were part of a more complex sentence it would be someone else
The Social Gospel Movement originated during the second half of the 19th century. It grew from the ideas of religious protestant leaders, who wanted to associate good deeds to the possibility of achieving salvation.
The Industrial Age was an ongoing period of time during the appearance of the Gospel Movement in which there were numerous technological developments in manufacturing techniques that increased the output of many industries. Regarding personnel who worked in the factories, there were many excesses committed by business owners towards workers during this age, as the concept of labor rights was still inexistent. The Social Gospel Movement was key in influencing the improvement of the working conditions of the working classes. In the short term, it would immediately cut all excesses committed against the overall health and well being of the working class. In the long-term, it promoted what would become the legal framework for labor law.
