Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-16
CHRIST A SOCIALIST.
His Followers Propose TO Apply His
Teachings to All the Conditions
of Life.
This New Up-Springing and Wide.
spread Force is Now known as
Christian Socialism.

There is a new up-springing force in the
religious world. It is called Christian
socialism. While this title NAV but
vaguely define what it is or precisely
what it aims to do its work is being felt in
all directions nevertheless. In plain
words the phrase Christian socialism in
dicates a movement to create a broad plat
form upon which faithful Christian people
of all denominations can unite for the pur-
pose of carrying on works of Christian
benefcence. 1t is a movement which.
still upholding the perpetual inspiration of
the soul, goes farther and aims to secure
the greatest physical and educational ben
efts for the body. While supplementing
this life with the hope of heaven. it practi-
cally co-operates with all movements which
serve to bring about contentment. Justice.
and happiness on earth. Such is the new
force that is arising among the people of
the churches. Christian socialism, or the
science of practically applying the teach
ings of Christ to the conditions of life here.
instead of making them but the ground
work of a theory as to the beatitudes of
the hereafter.
This subject of Christian socialism has
aroused a great deal Cf attention of late.
1t is the keynote of the new movement
in the churches toward the practical side
of religion. 1t is not confined to any
creed of Christians or any section of the
country. 1t is not limited by national
boundaries, but finds expression on both
sides of the Atlantic.
The representatives of all the evangeli-
cal churches of the world recently assembl-
ed in the convention of the Evangelical
alliance at Boston gave the consideration
of Christian socialism a most conspicuous
place in its deliberations. Though its ex-
ercises but a moral effect the Evangelical
alliance is a power. 1t has close relations
with the International alliance which in
cludes the evangelical denominations of
seventeen nations. They exert a positive
effect upon the course of governmental
action as regards Protestant Christianity,
for they keep a looking over the field. The
representations of the united Protestants
of the world have a decidedly practical
effect. For instance, the car of Russia
wrote to the secretary of alliance about a
year and a half ago, replying to a COM
munication from the alliance, regarding
the condition of the Lutherans of the Bal
tic provinces, who had been severely per-
secuted and driven into exile, some of
them on account oftheir religious opinions.
The representations of the evangelical
Christians of sixteen countries to the ruler
of the people of the seventeenth has a de-
cided effect and practical good was done.
Another instance was that of the persecu-
tions of Christians in Corea. That coun-
try is not included within the territory of
the alliance, but it was given to the Swiss
members of the alliance to make an inves-
tigation Of the facts and then to bring the
influence of the alliance to bear. This
done with the effect of relieving the
persecution, Thus the moral attitude of
the Christians of the worlds brought di-
rectly into the management of the affairs
of nations.