The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-29
The Address of Bishop Potter.

Bishop POTTER, in his address to the
Episcopal Diocesan Convention on wednes-
day. said that he did not think he would be
challenged when he declared that the family,
"of all human institutions, is that which TO-
day has the feeblest hold upon the popular
imagination"
Fortunately, the Bishop is mistaken. His
assertion will be challenged, and success
fully challenged, even as he amplifed and
explained it by saying further that our
social reformers are tempted to build on
the communistic system as against the
domestic system" and thus to IDEAL with
men, not as individuals, but in Masses; :,
and "to make society better, rather than
the men. the women. and the children who
compose it,"
The truth Is that the greatest obstacle in
the way OF the socialistic reorganization of
society is the powerful hold which the family
has on the popular imagination, making it
the most powerful of all human institutions.
The Socialists themselves, comparatively
few In number, recognize the fact. The
family Is the nucleus Of the existing social
organization, the foundation on which IL
rests. 1t Is the centre OF the conserve
NV tAC CONlhllSIS mllSJ
overcome to carry ont their scheme of social
reorganization. IL it were true that the
hoid OF the family on the popular imagina-
ton Is as feeble as Bishop POTTER so pessi-
mistically believes, the path would be
smooth 10 substitute for it 1.-THE communis-
tic system as against the domestic system"
Socialism in its logical conclusion implies
a social organization utterly destructive OF
the family. IL cannot succeed unless men
and women are ready TO give up the family
as it is, and take in its place the whole com
munity organized as the only family de-
serving OF their affections and worthy Of
their interest. The experiments which
have been made in establishing organizations
on the communal principle have invariably
been unsuccessful, II distinct families have
been suffered TO exist among them. The
of the particular family Is al
ways impossible, as the Shakers discerned
from the beginning, il the spirit essential TO
the life of the general or communal family
is to be cultivated and preserved. Either
there must be 10 marriage and strict
eelibacy must be the rule, as I'm
the Shaker communities; or the mar
rlage must be communal, and free love
piSNah' - III the Onelua OOmmunltY. Under
the system of marriage and consequent
families, each family, as the Bible advises,
will look first after its own; while commun-
requires that every one should consider
first the community, giving to it wholly the
affections and ambitions which, under the
existing social organization, are centred in
the separate household.
II the family, OF all human institutions,
had to-day the feeblest hold on the popular
marriage would nave fallen
INTO popular disreDute. People would be
TO found families. Isthat really
he experience of the present timer 1t is r
hat the marriage rate has declined in some
II the principal European countries OF recent
iears, but the falling on has been due 70
'ther causes than an indisposition 10
marriage. Militsrism has had a good deal
. do with it. Another has been the
depression, as is proved by the
that whenever greater pros
'eFtty he marriage rate increases.
'hs prospect Of,bsttsE times in England, tog