The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-28
SOCIALISM OF CHRIST"
An Interesting Discourse De-
liVered by Mrs. LIeWeIlyn
Haskell.
Discussed the Socialism
Of Christ.

Mrs. Liewellyn Haskell, a prominent
member of the First Congregational
Church of San Rafael, an institution that
prides itself upon being the purest
democracy of that town, was the chief
speaker at the Institute of Applied Chris
tianity last evening. Her theme was 1.-THE
Socialism of Christ" and a comparison
was made between what she styled the
Mosaic and the Christ methods.
In the absence of the president w. w.
Chase presided.
Mrs. Haskell said there were two
methods of social reform-the Mosaic and
the Christ method. The Mosaic method
strove to bring men into righteousness by
coercion. 1t was making clean outside,
while all within was unclean. 1t failed to
bring men into conformity with divine
law. Moses said, ''Thou shalt not XII"
Christ said, off thou hast anger IN thy
heart toward thy brother thou art in dan
ger of Judgment" The Mosaic law tried to
correct externals, but of what use is the
correction of externals when the heart is
source of defilement? Respecting inner
itance of lands the Mosaic law made re-
strictions. Christ refused to do so, but he
taught what riches were. The lecturer
continued:
Christians agree, in these times of trial, that
we need purity, goodness and unselfshness.
The only question is as to the means. Hitherto
we have used the Mosaic method. We have
tried to legislate men into heaven. am sure
we are ready TO adopt the Christ method. The
next few years will reveal great changes.
People are studying the Bible as never before
because in 1t is the key TO the social problem.
In q few years the group of men and women
who are studying with a view to solving that
problem will Join their efforts. Their purpose
is the same and in time they will adopt the
same method and that viii be the Christ
method.
In conclusion she said the Institute of
Applied Christianity was one of these
groups and that it would become, with
Gods blessing, mighty force.
Some one in the audience stated that he
thought it mistake to tinker with" and
try to patch up the Mosaic law and
adapt yourself to the edition thus revised.
He was of the opinion that the teach-
ings of Christ shonld be followed to the
exclusion of those of Moses. He raised
the question whether by making social re-
lations what they are all are not heretics.
Captain Cook said he had once been
elected to the Office of Police Judge, and
felt the necessity of cultivating an acquaint-
ance with Blackstone as a preparation for
the duties of that office. He read until he
came to the statement that law must not
be so interpreted as to interfere with sub
stantial Justice. Then he closed the book
and was satisfied. He frequently reminded
the lawyers of that statement. which, in
mis- opinion, covers more than purely legal
cases. He had come to the conclusion
that applied Christianity is the only kind
worth anything.
Rev. E. J. Dupuy thought the trouble in
the past and present lay not in the laws
but the spirit of the men whose duty it
was to execute or enforce them.
Rev. ]. w. CruZan expressed the belief
that the world has not yet come up to the
grade of Moses, who was thousands of years
ahead of his times. He regarded him as
the grandest all-round man of Old Tesla
ment times. His teachings may not all be
applied to the nineteenth century prob
lens, because they were intended for
stolid people, who were only to be con-
trolled by firm grasp.
J. c. Smith advocated wider reading of
works on social reform, and said church
members read fewer of those works than
do people outside the church. He thought
it quite possible to study the Bible too
much, or to attempt too literal an inter-
probation of it.