New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-02-19
sOcIAL AND RELIGIOrS TENDENCIES.


There was possibly some exaggeration OF
statement In the remarks of the Rev. I'r WIZ
lam : RainSford before the consumers League
of BROOKLYN on Friday. But there was also
considerable suhstratum of truth. ana me eNag-
geration can easily be forgiven if it leads peo-
pie 10 take account Of certain undt Sirahe rem
denotes in modern social life The rector or
St Georges whose deep personal interest IN
all the problems that to-day confront society
and the Church is we'll known, began by pre-
dirlng tremendous political upheaval IN mis-
country in the near future which. while II VIII
cause great suffering for time. will make me
world a happier place 10 live In after the ne"
conditions have become established. Nhat does
Dr. Ransford mean. however. by political
unheavar'r IF he has in mind some such up
rising as the French Revolution his prediction
may he dismissed rs erroneous. The condl-
tons necessary to produce such a saturnalia
Of Wild license do not exist in the United
states We prefer to believe that he meant the
contamination Of the great impulse Of modern
democracy That impulse has already gained
n tremendous impetus in every civilized conn
trv of the world In England it has given
Hodge n vote and potent voice in the direc-
ton OF affairs. and there il no need TO tell
what il has done for us. For the great Repub-
lie Of the Western World is the very shechinah
Of democracy Instead therefore. Of predicting
a political upheaval soon TO arrive. II would be
more accurate to say that there has been a
continuous and peaceful political upheaval In
This country ever since il was established. and
that this state Of affairs will hold good 10 the
end Of the chapter.
Or RainSford like good many other people,
IS on frmer ground when he sets ont 70 fell
what Is. rather than what may be- He rightly
condemned the decline Of home life as evil
denced I'm the multiplication of hotels for the
very rich and the unhomellke conditions OF
many tenement-housos for the extreme poor.
That this decline of home life should exhibit
itself in the two social antipodes is. however.
not altogether n new tendency The medieval
baron had no home in the true sense Of the
word His castle was virtually public hotel.
in which his soldiers and retainers had certain
indrfeasihle rights. And even If this had not
beer 50 his life Of turbulent warfare and
rapine made the cultivation of the home virtues
impossible Neither. on the other hand. did the
neosantry who owed him allegiance have any
homes worthy the name. In many respects
their condition was lower than that Of the AMI
mails and the dcnzens Of the worst slums OF
orr own East Side would have hestated 10
change places with them. II IS. nevertheless.
true that the modern concentration Of wealth
and the drift 10 cities have been factors IN the
decline Of home life. Yet II is TO he remem-
bered that the plain people Of the country show
no signs Of yielding TO this evil tendency. And,
taken As n whole. American home life IL sngu-
larry pure and wholesome.
DIR RalnsfordS criticism Of the Church for
falling 10 do its full measure Of duty TO the
moor is also we'll founded. But. on the other
hand. Il is to be- horne in mind that exactly the
same thing could have been said Of the Church
at every previous period Of It's existence. Even
the Apostles found II necessary to denounce
the Church's Difference 10 the rich; and II we
consult the records Of the good old days or the
past we shall find in them despairing utter
anccs concerning the Church's shortcomings
that remind rs strongly Of similar utterances
to-day. Rut there is this 70 he said Of the mod
orn Church: II Is coming more and more 70
recognize its shortcomings. Though II faces
far more complex problems than II ever had
10 face before II - AZ least doing something
IN make the Christian ideal Of life more fact
in the world The Church is in the same boat
/ with every other institution ~ modern life II
IS being horne along by tendencies II does NOT
understand toward conditions that. with all its
! wisdom II cannot analyze. That under such
! circumstances II should sometimes hesitate ana
sometimes fail 10 seize passing opportunities TO
| make the world better IS not NJ all strange II
would he far more strange n, bearing It's treas
ire Of truth i'm carthen vessels. II never failed
! 10 do the right thing i'm the right way at the
! right time