The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1891-03-27
ROMANCE AND REALITY.
ToURGEE's CONTRIBUTION TO THE
SOCIAL MOVEMENT.

SOCIAL MOVEMENT.
The Serious Problem Presented by the In
crease in the Army OF Women Wage
workers-what Must Be Done to Solve
It-AIiss Van Etten's Views.
The social movement, or, as it is gem
orally called, the labor movement, has
become a favorite topic with novelists
during recent years. The economists and
essayists no longer have this field all to
themselves. Writers of fiction may not,
as rule, search as far into the dark
caverns of science as the professors, but
many of them get much closer to the
actual life of their ti1nes-learn more of
the conditions which exist So it is not
unusual that the background upon which
the novelist traces the characters of his
story is more faithful representation of
the social and economic situation than is
presented by the compilers of heavy
weight statistics and complex theories.
And really believe the former of these
two schools has done most to turn the
eyes of readers in the right direction.
'sMurvale Eastman, Christian Social
ist, by Albion W. Tourgee, author of
"A Fools Errand," Bricks Without
Straw" and other well known works,
has just been issued in book form.
Many will say that this is the best of fic-
tion's contributions on the social ques-
ton While it shows deeper research
than is apparent in "Metzerott,' it is
not open to the objections made to
Looking Backward Fault is found
with Mr.. Bellamy's book because it goes
SO far into details is to frighten the tim
id ones, who fear they will be turned out
of their homes and have their individu-
ality squeezed to death if ever its propo-
sitions are adopted. Mr.. Tourgee is con-
servative in his statements and modest
in his recommendations in "Murvale
Eastman"
And yet he is not afraid to state the
truth plainly. The words socialist" and
socialism" could have been left out of the
title and story and not have lessened its
beauty or weakened its force; but it is to
the authors credit that he was not afraid
to use them, though they have been mis-
applied, distorted and abused. No one
need be frightened at the title Would
that every pulpit in the land were occu-
pied by "Murvale Eastman" and that
every Christian We're as upright, level
headed and brave as he. Sensational
ism" cannot be applied to his sermons,
nor can his proposed remedies be char
acterized as ''harebrained schemes
An earnest Christian clergyman, he be-
came convinced that it was his duty to
help Gods children to help themselves
here on earth, as well as to save their
souls.
The character is beautiful, and yet not
in the slightest degree unnatural. It is
what would be the rule instead of the
exception were not mans nature de-
formed by his own environments. "Mur-
vale Eastman" though conscious Of
mans inhumanity. fully aware that in
the mad race for wealth and power men
become more selfish and cruel every day,
is not pessimist He believes in God
and has faith in his creatures-when
their eyes are opened and they see the
way they will walk in it, and he labors
to make those he can reach see it.
It is true he does not advocate any
very radical measures nor inaugurate any
far-reaching reforms; but he does the
best that can be done today, and the
story deals with the present time. He
proclaims the right of every man to equal
opportunity with his fellow man, and
declares it to be the duty of the strong
to help the weak. AS to the church,
quote from one of his sermons: 1.-The
function of the church as an element of
civilization is not to prescribe methods,
not to devise remedies; that is the func-
ton of government. the duty of society.
The function of the church is only to
inspire action. to provide impulse, to ex-
alt and purify motive, to incline man to
apply the Christ spirit to collective
human relations
collective obligations are the greatest
of human duties. because they touch the
welfare, not of one alone, but of millions
of human souls. The Christian who
claims to do his duty to God and shirks
his duty to man is sad failure.
The duty of love is the keynote of
Christianity. To do good to all men, to
promote the highest welfare of all men,
is its distinctive qlality. Prayer and
praise and creed are all subordinate, are
only helps to this sreat end. To do is
the active principle or the Christ mes
sage"
HE that has gathered with unfalter-
ing greed until lie holds the destiny of
thousands in his hands may be fair in
profession, honest in dealing as the law
defines honesty; but he has hardened his
heart, shut his eyes to his fellows well
fare and gone back to Gains silly plea,
Am my brothers keeper? He is his
brothers keeper. Every soul is respon-
sible for the good it might have done,
for the sin resulting from temptation it
might have removed, for the justice it
might have granted or secured and did
not"
With short extract from the authors
preface, which is of course his own opin-
ion and not charged to one of his charac-
ters, will leave the further considera
ton of this interesting story for another
time: Projecting the future on the lines
of the immediate past, and the dullest
mind perceives that the concentration of