The herald., 1898-01-09
CHRISTIAN SOCIALISM
REV. w. P. D. BLISS, A NOTED RE.
FORMER, AT ST. PAUL'S
A Series Of Meetings to Be Held This
Week in the Interest
of Reform

The Rev. w. p. D. Bliss of Boston, a
clergyman of the Episcopal church, ar
rived in the city last evening and will
hold social mission continuing through
the week in st. Pauls church with the
approval of the Rt. Rev. DR.. Johnson,
bishop of Los Angeles, and the rector,
Rev. John Gray. Bishop Johnson was
a member of the committee on indus
trial problems at the Lambeth confer
ence, and is therefore deeply interested
in the work in which Mr.. Bliss Is en-
gagged. The bishop opens the mission
with sermon this morning at ST.
Paul's church.
Mr.. Bliss was the editor Of the En-
cyclopedia of Social Reform recently
published, and has been actively en-
gagged in practical work for the past
twelve years. He has spoken in almost
all the large Episcopal churches of the
east and west, before many of the uni
versities as well as churches, and is one
of the widest and most favorably known
workers for Christian socialism in this
country.
Since Dec. 1 he has been on the Pa
cific coast speaking on an average of
once an evening. He Is a son of the
celebrated Rev. DIR. Bliss, Congrega-
tional missionary, and was born in Con-
stantinople during his fathers residence
in that city.
Mr.. Bliss was seen by a Herald re-
porter yesterday afternoon and outlined
briefly, by request, the object of his
work and the principles upon which it
is based. He believes in a program of
evolutionary socialism by which he un-
derstands the cooperative life of the
municipality, state and nation. One
of the first steps in this direction should
be the referring of important bills to
the people by the method known as the
referendum.
With most municipal reformers he
thinks that this problem is of almost
more Importance than national reform
and that municipalities should own
and operate street railways, gas and
electric lighting and water systems.
Women should be- given the right of
suffrage and their wages should be
raised by cutting off the disastrous
competitioH Of the sweat shops and ten
ement-made clothing. This should be
forbidden rather than controlled, and by
forcing the clothing trade into factories
it will be possible to control the wages,
hours and conditions of women and
children.
Mr.. Bliss Is also an advocate of many
other reforms now before the public,
but all these he believes must come
through the Christian life and ideal.
Politics without religion means in
creased corruption. The materialistic
state will never develop the civilization
of brotherhood, hence his work has
largely been among the churches,
though on the broadest lines. We want
construction and kindness, he says
and not destruction nor denunciation.
The following order of services will be
observed during the week, to which the
public is invited.
Sunday, II a. m.-Sermon by the Right
Rev. DR.. Johnson subject. '"The Attitude
Of the Church Toward Industrial and
Social Problems" Evening at 7:30 p. NJ
Sermon by Rev. W. P. D. Bliss subject
christian Socialism"
Monday. p. m.-Subject. 1.-THE Real
Problem"
Tuesday, p m.-subject, Dividends
and Dives, or the Problem of the City"
Wednesday. p. m.-Subject. What to
Do"
Thursday, p. m.-Subject, 'The Woman
Question or Mems Work and Womens
Wages
Friday. p. m.-subject. Marriage VS..
Money"
Saturday, s D. m.-Subject, 1.-THE Union
Reform League"
Sunday. Jan. 10th, II a .m.-Subject, "a
Socialists Religion" Evening, s p. m.-
Subject, 1.-The City of the Angels"