The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1895-06-07
DIR, WI. PHILLIPS ADDRESS
THE PRINCIPAL SPEECH At THE
CONGREGATIONAL CON YENTT0N.

He Said There Are Five Glasses Whose
Needs Are Pre-emptory and Cannot bs
Disregarded-The Only Safe Principle is
That of Mutual HeIpfulness.
Saratoga. June Cat the convention
of the Congregationalsts to-day the
of the Ccngregationallsts yesterday the
Watson L. Phillips of New Haven, ct,
He said that there are five classes in
our population whose needs are peremp-
tory and cannot be disregarded. "There
is % the vicious and criminal class
who live by charity and pilfering, and
constitute the dangerous, combustible
element at the bottom of society. Men
are so intimately related, so interdepen-
dent, that the high and the low, the rich
and the poor, the fortunate and the I'M
fortunate so perceptibly touch and af-
feet each other, that their interests
lie enmeshed like the warp and the
wool in the web, and the denial Of a
single right or obligation on the part Of
one class brings weakness and distress
to all classes. The only safe and suftl-
cient principle for society is the prln-
ciple of mutual helpfulness.
Whatever the fortunate classes pos
sess Of time, money, skill, talent, moral
culture, they owe the world a percent
age upon; they must meet their obliga-
ton or the future will cast out their
names as unworthy. This is not chart
ty, gratuity; it is the payment of
debt they have received from the past,
they must enrich the present and con-
tribute to the future; unless room is left
for the free play of this principle no
civilized society can exist.
THE upper classes of society are new
er safe so long as there are moral COM
bustibles in the lower. Want, tempta-
ton, neglect, breed the forces, which,
given place and play at the bottom, win
surely produce discomfort and disaster
for the top. This Is the lesson of revo-
lutions, Instructions and communes.
The lower classes form the vulnerable
point in our social life, that point must
be covered, protected or all our other
armor is in vain. Now every agency
that removes the causes of discomfort
lessons temptation or improves mind or
morals among these classes by so much
blesses and protects society, make prop
erty more safe, and the whole round OF
lifes employments and pleasures more
profitable and enjoyable.
SO. The second class is composed of
that great multitude to be found In
every large community, sober, indus
trious, working hard for low wages,
filling the tenement houses, the hall
bedrooms and back attic chambers of
cheap boarding houses. For the most
part they have not very high moral
ideas: they are disposed to make Sun
day holiday; they seldom think of re-
ligious things, while few among them
are inclined to be religious but are held
in check by their environment.
"The Protestant church, as at pres
ent organized and managed, does not
reach them to any great extent. This
is not a popular confession to make,
but it is a necessary one. Our Catho- |
lie friends are able to blend all classes !
in one great congregation without dis
tinction of wealth or social rank, to |
cause velvet and diamonds to kneel |
beside calico and a faded shawl without |
irritation on the part of either. Prot |
estantism has not learned the secret. |
Glass churches ought not to exist, but |
they do, and, under our voluntary sys-
tenn of support they seem likely to con- |
tinue. High pew rent, the eXtravagant |
dress Of many worshippers, the growing |
aristocracy of money are building bar
riers about the door Of the Lords |
house, over which the humber classes |
will not seek to climb.
"And, since they will not come to |
the church, the church must go to
them, for they must have the gospel
Mission churches, Sunday schools, night |
schools and industrial classes, reading
rooms and pleasant places of resort
and amusement must be planted in
the centers of these populations until
they perceive the spirit cf tho !st
IN His followers and understand that
he church has come to stay among
them and make itself a part Of their
ives. Such work is not outside the
province of this society
"Of the other classes we have heard |
more from the representatives of the
society. I shall not dwell upon them
There are go the immigrant, many of
hem coming with ideas antagonistic
o our own, bent upon working out
heir mischievous theories of liberty.
md corceiving of this land as the Ell
Dorado of the indolent, the discomfort
d and the adventurous; some of them
bringing the faith, the industry, the
high moral conceptions of which great
tates are built, already in love with
'ur institutions, and ready to bear
} manful part in working out our des-
my. They must all be impressed with
he essentially Christian quality of our f
utilization, and with the brothery {
mir Of orr OH I