River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1894-09-20


to the American Institute of Chris
tan Sociology which had its birth
where the w. c. L. U. originated, at
Lake Chautauqua, New York, and
whose very existence speaks vol
umes concerning the general inter-
est in our social problems.
The papers are full of references
to these problems, and the leading
minds of all countries turn their at
tention perforce in the same direc-
ton. John Burns simply expressed
a very general conviction when he
said that the solution of the labor
problem must be attempted by the
adoption of measures, las whole,
tending towards the reorganization
of society,"" and that sit must be
admitted that whatever is done I'M
der competitive form of society
can only be palliative and not per-
manently remedial" Numerous
similar expressions from men of
high standing in church and state
prove the trend of public thought
and show how carefully mankind is
watching the signs of the times.
The Carew lectures at Harvard by
Pres. E. B. White are devoted this
year entirely 10 social questions. In
the lecture entitled Socialism" the
fifth in the series, he says: Social
ism has nowadays too many, too
honest, and too thoughtful devotees
to be ignored. 1t is stronger at this
moment than ever before, and is
rapidly growing" This general in
terest betokens an appreciation of
the magnitude of existing evils and
perception of the whittier to which
we are tending, which constitute our
strongest ground of hope that We
shall overcome them.
A recent article in the Northwest
ern Christian Advocate of Chicago,
entitled christianity in Earnest and
at Work." by DR.. Robert Stuart
Macarthur, is full of helpful sugges-
tons along this line. 1t pleads for
the application of christianity to all
the affairs of life, and is full of strik-
ing, epigrammatic statements, bear
ing directly upon the subject in
hand. christianity that is not ap-
piled is not christianity" "The
man who thinks SO much of the
other world that he cannot see his
duty in this world is never likely to
see another world as good as this
world" "The pious Jew did not
distinguish widely between his pa
triotic devotion and his religious
conservation. The true American
must possess much of this noble
spirit" ave ought to understand
that man can rightly serve God
when working for the church"
1t is along the line indicated by
the above quotations that all hope Of
permanent relief Ilom our troubles
comes. As Dr. Arthur says, 1--WE
do not want an unchristian philan-
thropy; retorIners tAat are Christless
are powerles !" but we do sorely
need, not Only that the christian
thought of the world should be
turned upon our social problems,
but that the church of Christ recog-
nize that the solution of those prob
lens is one of the chief duties. 1t
is not enough that she continue to
preach Christ, all important as that
is; she must also take up our social
problems and deal with them as
Christ, whose representative she is
commissioned to be, would deal with
them. Her failure to do this, OF
even vigorously to attempt it, is the
chief cause of her weakness to-day.
Strange anomaly, that in land full
of christian churches there should
be christian work left for societies
independent of the christian church.
Neal BOWS sympathy incites;
his conscience dares, and these ele-
ments of ethical force, fortified by a
vigorous intellect have made him
the st. Simon of the prohibition
movement throughout the civilized
world.
Forty-five hundred jails are re-
or,irad ~ barx,act tho saloon oron