The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1897-01-25
UNITY HALL SERVICES
Discourse by Rev. AdeIbert l.
Hudson Yesterday Morning,
RELATION BETWEEN PHILAN-
THROPY AND RELIGION.
Aim of the New Philanthrophy is
to Correct the Evil While Relieving
the Suffering Which Results
From It-Where Charity Fails.


Rev. Adelbert L. Hudson spoke yester-
day morning at Unity hall upon phil
anthroDy and Religion He said that
modern philanthropy is the direct out
growth of modern life. Methods of social
reform are merely so many manifesto
tons of the moral life of the time Soci-
oloEy is not a fixed science. 1t is under
going the gradual process of evolution.
The social organization is not an arti-
ncial scheme, devised by the brain OF
man. The old notion OF a social COM
pact. adopted at the beginning of civil
lzation by men VINO gathered on great
plain for that purpose, is as unreal and
legendary as the oriental story of the
garden OF Eden. Social compactS there
nave been, no doubt, without number,
but they have come about as the grad
u2l result of ages of the adjustment or
human lives to one another, brought to-
gether under the constant necessity OF
recognizing reciprocal rights and duties
So IL comes about that philanthropy Is
progressive in its methods, and takes
from time to time the type of the new
and larger thought of the duty and des-
tiny of man. 1t is no longer left to the
accident of individual sentiment or ca
price. 1t has become part of the ration
al study of the time. Schools of higher
education everywhere are coming to
recognize the necessity of a chair or de-
partment devoted to the intelligent study
of philanthropy.
Newspapers, periodicals and magazines
are taking up the discussion, while pull
pits and platforms are contributing their
share TO the common fund OF pubic
thought upon the subject. Amid this
agitation and discussion has grown up
the new philanthropy. 1t has sprung up
out of a belief in the essential dignity
of human life. But along with IL has
or a rxrh feh MIGHT
mislead. The discomfort of our time
seems to suggest that conditions are
worse than they have ever been before.
In fact. they are better than they have
ever been before. But men are no longer
content. as in the past. to be mere beasts
of burden or at the best mere Serfs. They
demand more and the growing ideals or
the time stimulate and sanction the de-
mand. The social discomfort is a sign
of healthy life. 1t is like the tingling
pain that follows the return of the warm
life blood into a frozen membrane. But
the revolutionary socialist like the young
surgeon who would put everything TO
the knife, sees the existing discomfort
and demands the entire destruction OF
our present social order.
Socialism urges against the use OIL cnar-
ity. first that it is an imperfect remedy
in that it only films the ulcerous place,
without correcting the evil; second, that
it proceeds upon wrong theory In as
Suming to give charity instead or grant
ing justice, third, that il impedeS reform
by helping to make evil conditions en-
durable. Each of these criticisms is in a
measure just. But the aim of the new
philanthropy is to correct the evil while
alternating the present suffering which
results from it. 1t recognizes that true
charity stands for thrift and that all
charity is bad which tends to make men
unthrifty. This has been the evil of
much of the charity of the past. 1t has
cultivated hypocrisy and mendicancy on
tho one hand and self-righteous pharfsa-
har in
many instances an injury both to giver
and receiver. Much of church charity
has been of this pernicious sort. What
is required in administration of charity is
wise thought and intelligent methods as
we'll as kind heart and liberal spirit
1t follows that the best directed charity
must i'll a measure be institutional. Sys-
telnatic organization, investiga ton and
administration are necessary. In aiding
such charitable enterprises as the Young
Ladies' Aid society, the free kinder
garten. the Orphans Home and other
local institutions there can be no danger
and indiscriminate charity, either by
churches or individuals. is apt TO be
harmful rather than beneficial. Often 1t
happens that one who engages in char
liable work with warm and generous en-
thusiasm becomes discouraged and Gym
zeal because of the hypocrisy and deceit
they find. The way of escape is not to
abandon charity but to direct our eff
forts more wisely.
. The real problem of modern philan-
thorpy is to get rid of the conditions
which make charity necessary. The best
sort of charity is that which helps man
to help himself 1t recognizes the worth
of the individual life. The old charity
treated man as Il fallen creature TO be
saved by the grace of the church or the
priesthood. The new philanthropy recOg
nizeS man as ascending in the gradual
process of evolution from lower to higher
1t is the outgrowth of the
l,se I I,nfr prnt of no
of religion. Not what we believe about
the attributes of God, but what we do for
the betterment OF man has come to be
recognized as the real essence of reiig-
lous activity. Instead of expecting to be
saved through belief in old dogmas, men
have come to seek salvation by develop
ing better social order. by fostering
what is best in the possibilities OF human
life
But in the emphasis we place on prac-
teal philanthropy lies a serious danger.
II is the danger of forgetting the source
from which philanthropy derives its mo- :
tive power In order to meet the deeper ]
demands of humanity the church must
be something more than mere work
shop of good deeds. 1t should be this:
but unless it is something more. it will
soon lose vitality and power. The mo-
tive for philanthropy is deeper than phil
lnthropy. A wise humanitarianlSm Is al
ways the fruit of a rational idealism. and
without the root the fruit would quickly /
wither In turning the stream of religion
INTO the field of practical need. we must /
not forget the source from which that /
stream is drawn.
In the words of one of our ablest social |
writer's: 1.-The larger thought of God, the !
sentiment of worship, the religious i'm |
pulse. these are not something apart from /
he practical problems and needs of the /
line. They are the lofty source from /
which the whole stream of modern phil /
is drawn. Let that source run |
Try and the stream will shrink. Lower (
his ideal and the current will lose its /
roadway. Divert the churches from their /
spiritual aims and the thirst of the time |
will not be satisfied What this busy age
most needs in it's philanthropy is a con-
tant renewal of spiritual courage anu
his is a force which descends from above
mon hearts which wait on God.
In the Oquirrh and WaSatch mountains
re the sources of those irrigating
treams which make fertile the soil of our
,eautfful valley The bitches and trenches
branching from these streams have
transformed a desert into orchards, farms
nd gardens But as each year the use
f the water is extended. the need be-
ONES greater of protecting and preserV-
No the sources of supply.
More and more each year the streams
f human love and sympathy are being
urned into fields of practical need. But
he more this work of social irrigation
-oes on the more essential il becomes
vatet of life shall he abundantly collect
d and securely stored. High up upon the
fountains of religious idealism the
hurch of God in all its varied branches