The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1896-01-10

persons. But in more recent years the
churches, instead of suffering themselves
to be driven out from such districts, have
changed their form of work, and the
MULTIPLICATION of such Constitutional
churches" is helpful sign of the deter
mination of Christian people TO do all
possible by all available means for the
relief of the poverty and misery OF the
cities.
Other agencies not Immediately WELD
ed by the church but largely sustained
10y christian people, and wholly born OF
christian sentiment, are at work in the
same field. Many charitable and reform
atory institutions, some of them OF al
most unreasonable influence, are doing
very much. Among the more notable of
recent efforts in this direction are the
clone Salon." the various peoples
Palaces" and Peoples Institutes" and,
not least significant, the various social
settlements, of which "Hull House in
Chicago is most admirable type
But, valuable as these agencies are,
they do not profess to deal with the pro-
ducng causes. They fight the moths
above stairs-they do not set themselves
seriously to the problem of removing the
moth breeder in the cellar.
Preliminary to this, indeed, must be
the settlement of the question as to what
is the producing cause-not only of the
wretchedness of the slums but OF the
general social discomfort. And this ques-
ton has not vet been satisfactorily an
swered. Many causes have been alleged
Intemperance, the "crime of 49," the
wages system, private property in land
or private property in anything, too
much claw" these and many other an
swers have been given.
Probably all these have contributed
something to the ssue but to distinguish
between them, to point out with certainty
which of these are but contributing and
aggravating causes, and which, if any, are
fundamental, is still as yet impossible. |
frankly confess my own ignorance; and
not being able to determine to my own
satisfaction the root cause, L am not pre-
pared to prescribe radical remedy
This may seem somewhat discourage
ing conclusion-a sort of anti-ciimaX In
our discussion. And such it certainly
would be if my purpose in this series had
been to inform and to instruct. This,
however, has not been my aim. My real
intention has been to arouse rather than
to instruct; to induce you to study these
issues rather than to ask you to accept
Dramatically any conclusions OF my own.
Three things L hope to have accom-
plished:
l. hope that you will leave this
place tonight with an increased sense Of
The seriousness of the problem. The
Union forces were defeated in the earlier
battles of the war, notably at Bull Run,
not because they could not win but be-
cause they underestimate the strength
of the enemy and did not put forth the
strength they really had. Defeat and
failure often here arise, not that we have
not sufficient strength to succeed, but be-
cause, not experimenting the necessity,
we do not put forth our full power. Much
is gained for the solution of the social
problems of our time when christian peo-
pie really apprehend their seriousness
and are prepared to put forth their best
effort to solve them.
Secondly, hope it has been made clear
that the ordinary methods OF eccleslasti-
cal evangelization are not, in this case,
sufficient. The Greek philosopher said
that with lever long enough and a place
to stand on, he could move the world.
We have in the gospel lever long
enough, but in relation to this problem the
church chiefly lacks place to stand on.
The problem of approach is the most per-
picking; but its solution is suggested by
the example of Christ. He healed mems
bodies and ministered to their physical
necessities that He might gain their at
tention and sympathy for more spiritual
truths.
Thirdly, / hope that some of you will
be- induced by the presentation of the
facts here made to study these problems
more attentivcly. Many books have
been written. Uron the special side of
the question We have been discussing
there are such books as Booths "In Darker
England" or Charles Booths great work
in four volumes, "The Poor of London"
or, if these be too full and tiresome, the
little pamphlet referred to, "The Bitter
Cry OF Outcast London" or more attract
lively, Mr.. Besant's "All Sorts and Condi-
tions of Men,"
Mr.. Riis is the principal American au-
thority on this particular topic. His two
books, "How the Other Half Lives" and
"Children of the Poor'-one, or both, if
possible, should be read by every chris
tan. Fiction here also loffers relief
from the almost too somber picture these
books present. Mr.. Townsend, in q
Daughter of the Tenements," and,
amidst all it's slangy humor, even in
"Chimmie Fadden;" Mr.. Julian Ralph in
his sketches, people We Pass''-one of
which in particular, "The Mother-Song,
we cannot afford to miss the reading.
These and other authors may help us, If
we will, to a better comprehension of
these problems. AS to the larger issue of
social discontent-I must omit all sug-
gestion-lest the multitude of the books
should brighten you from any beginning
But, it is not only by the reading of
books that we can study these questions
we nave but to open our eyes. There
is no better place in America in which to
study the great 'social problem" than
right here in Owosso. Many of the COM
plications that elsewhere confuse, and
many of the aggravations that in most
places disturb the serenity of thought are
here absent. A company of men and
women studying here the social problem
as here existent could not only do much
for their own knowledge and usefulness,
but might very probably contribute
something of real value to the general dis
cussion.
Finally, while we are searching for Ill