The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1897-01-06

Rev. W. D. P. Bliss OF Boston, official
lecturer for the Church Social Union, edit
tor OF the famous Fabian essays and au-
thor of IAN Encyclopedias Of Social Re-
form, is just now making tour of Cali
fornia ana the West for the purpose OF
educating the higher classes to the view OF
altruism as against the present system OF
egoism and bitter personal conflict in
matters commercial.
my purposes are in part" said the en-
inent author and lecturer yesterday ITO
arouse the intellectual and moral classes,
particularly in the church, to the impor-
lance of the great economic and social
problems now knocking loudly for an
swer. The Church Social Union by no
means indorses all my views, for l am
socialist, but its purposes are such as
make for better conditions.
The Church Social Union, OF which Mr..
Bliss was the organizer and first secretary,
expresses its objects in the following para
graph from one of its principal tracts:
OBJECTs-1 To claim for the Christian law
the ultimate authority to rule social practice.
2. To study in common how TO apply the moral
truths and principles of Christianity to the
social and economic difficulties OF the present
time. 8. To present Christ in practical lie as
the living master and king the enemy OF
wrong ana selhShnesS, the power OF righteous
ness and love.
The members OF the executive commit
tee are mostly eminent cergymen of Bos-
ton, the following being in the executive
committee and council:
Rev. J. W. Suter (chairman); Professor w. J.
Ashley, MA; Edmund Billings, Rev. w. D. P.
Bliss, Rev. c. H. Brent, Rev. W. l. Bull, Rev
w. B. Frisby, Francis Waits Lee, Rev. Philo W.
Sprague, Rev. Floyd Tompkins Jr, John w.
Wood. Right Rev. H. N. Thompson. ST. D.
Rev. H. MotteJi, D. D.; Rev. E. N Potter, ID. d.
Right Rev. Davis SesSums, DID,; Rev. Arthur
Brooks, ID; Professor james II. billiard
- Miss Helena S. Dudley; Rev. Professor E. P
Gould, ID; Rev. Percy s. Grant; James L.
Houghteling; William p. Johnston, LID.
Rev. J. S. Lindsay, =. D.; Rev. Arthur Lowndesi
J. Blocker Miller; Rev. W. S. Rainsford, D. d.
Miss Vida D. Sender; Archibald L. Sessions
Rev. H. Il. Sleeper, Pn.D; Rev. William Har-
man Van Allen; Rev. George R. Van de Water,
ID 4; Everett ?. Wheeler, Rev. John Williams,
George Zabriskie.
Mr.. Bliss is practically travelling as Sec
rotary for the Social Union. His immedi-
ate work in this vicinity will be to teach
his views to the people. Tonight he will
speak to the socialists at their Turk-street
3 Temple; to- morrow night at St Mark S
Church, Berkeley; Friday afternoon at
: Stanford University; thence 10 San Mateo,
Sacramento ana Eastward. He will speak
to the Young Mems Christian Association
here on Sunday afternoon and at Pythia n
Castle at night.
The following excerpts from the reform
er's latest tracts give an idea OF his
views. He expects no immediate reforms,
purposes to establish no schools or insti-
tuhons, but believes better times are TO
come from the general education and up
lifting of the masses. He says:
Christian Socialism, founded nearly fifty
years ago in England by Frederick D. Maurice,
Charles Kingsley and others, accepts the econ
omic doctrine and aim of socialism, but finds
basis therefor in the Life and teachings OF
Jesns Christ This school OF socialism has
found q very wide acceptance. Says Professor
Kirkup, in his article on socialism, in the En-
cyclopadia Britannica: 1.-The ethics of social
ism are closely akin to the ethics OF Christi
anity. If Dot identical with them" Says
Professor de Laveleye ('1ntroduction to
Socialism OF To-day'0: Every Chris
tlan who understands and earnestly accepts
the teachings OF his Master is al heart so
clalist, and every socialist, whatever may be
his haired against all religion, bears within
himself an unconscious Christianity" The
early Christian Socialists went so lar as TO call
socialism the nineteenth century livery OF
Christianity. It perhaps should be stated
that it is only in England and America that
the Christian Socialists accept the full econ
omie doctrines and aim OF socialism On the
continent of Europe Christian Socialism,
Roman Catholic and Protestant alike, means
little more than the expansion of the State in