The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-13
CHRISTIAN SOCIOLOGY.
Essay Read Before the Missionary
Training School in Washington,
D. G., May q, 1894.
BY MISS ZOLLIE MONTAGUE.


Man, after studying the stars above
him, the earth beneath him, animate
and inanimate nature around him, has |
at last begun to study himself, not as
an animal but as an infinite being with |
wonderful social relations, capable OF
such infinite power tor good or evil,
and, to ask himself the why and where
fore of the unnatural and abnormal so
cial conditions now existing. He looks
at much Of the would be philanthropy
and wonders whether it tends to in
crease or diminish pauperism. All who
are in the ranks of aggressive warfare
for God or humanity are puzzling heart
and brain over the moral and religious
problems arising from present city life,
Constitutional methods" and the delin-
quent masses and how to help them.
Our leading newspapers and maga-
zines are discussing this subject, and
we have the advantage of seeing it from
political, economic, moral, and relig-
ious standpoint. A southern writer
has recently said, 1--WE cannot tell
where church work and civic work,
the man as christian and the man as
a citizen begin, end or overlap each
other. The more we look the more we
find them Identical" 1t is pleasant to
note that some of our colleges and the
illogical schools have recently incorpo-
rated "Christian Sociology" into their
curricula. and while it is not a thor
oughly explored field, it marks an ad-
vance in our civilization that our minds
are turned in this direction.
Sociality is one OF the distinct traits
of humanity, and men as naturally con-
gregate together as do raindrops Goa
lesce to form the stream of water. Sta
tistics show how rapidly Americans are
taking to city life. In 1890 but three
per cent of our population lived IN
towns of more than 5000 inhabitants,
and as late as 1910 only eight per cent.
so lived Then began the drift OF pop
ulatiOn to the cities until 1880 ~ pei
, cent. and 1890 more than quarter OF
our population were city residents. 1t
plsinlv shows that the city is the STRAIT.
eglc point for making campaigns on
} all social and moral evils; the city II
the seat OF power and If it is capturec
the rest of the work is easy. We have
? only to look at Chicago and other grea
western cities to see how rapidly the.
build up and where hundreds OF thous
ands congregate the survival OF tn
strongest is soon settled the weakes
@ and the poorest sink back into the al
e levs and slums OF the city, there to tai
+ deeper and deeper down in the mora
II and physical scale. Those a grade
! two stronger financially and social
4 have little better surroundings, it
true. but unless previously fortified b
:. a very rigid home training and earl
4. christian teaching, when brought FAC
4 to face with the city's temptations the
X soon commence their downward drift
n, Then we have the strongest, financial
It, and socially, leaders OF the people wit
le their stolid Indifference to the hlght
Sc life of purity and righteousness. wit
re these classes the Christian Sociology
ut has to deal. The upper class neet
ne moral help, and it is withimther reac
OF whenever they wish it. Churches az
ke societies stand with open arms to we
esd come them. But how about our su
llsf rged elassr, Are the shabby, une m
aIdcated poor welcomed into+eur chure
esq VIII they come where there is
congeniality Or bond OF sympathy l.
rs contrast their conditions by an
or nalogy: two men at sea are drownln
ed The one is supplied with rope or
ur IN touch of it and can save htms'
ew whenever he lays hold: The oth
- =, man is sinking with no helping har
- Which ought to be assisted first, VIII
all is the more needy?
W. The, great need OF the s'1bmerg
ny class is educated, consecrated, skill
" workers who are willing, to go do'
u.;%I, boorfc +