Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-07-20

hiCh w 4 iihNa an tAhEHh w tiiAbOAl
in its platform.
Christian Socialism Defined.
EDITOR REGISTER :-Rev. a. w. Dick
ems of the Congregational church, in his
last Sunday sermon, touched upon a
theme which has for me special interest.
and therefore | crave some of your space
in which to speak of it more at length.
The preacher took for his text those
wonderfully impressive words of the
Apostle Paul, "FOr | determined rot to
know anything among you save Jesus
Christ and Him crucifed." While the
whole discourse was instructive and
helpful these, his concluding words, de-
serve more than mere casual reference
"Christ crucified teaches what must be
done for the world. 1t would not be
hard to point out in our own land proud
communicable, great cities, classes of
the afluent that today are dwelling in
the FOOLS paradise. The idea is not pass
ing await is gaining ground-that in
many quarters law is on the side of or
gained greed and against the welfare
of the vast masses. 1t is widely believed
dlu proclaimed lilil DOllllOdl HOMtl
is being prOstituted to corrupt ends
and perhaps as not before in the his
tory of our country. But these are
dangerous ideas to 90 abroad. They de-
strOy respect for and confidence in au-
thority and government. They even i'm
peril national existence. This is the
soil which the ~demagogue cultivates with
earnestness and success. In times of
unusual prosperity, like the present, such
notions are in allegiance. But not all
times are prosperous. Periods of finan-
cial depression recur. With the hosts of
the EOOr the battle for bread grows
harder as society grows older. The true
Christian socialist has a great task in
hand to teach every citizen to look not
only upon his own interests. but also
upon the interests of others. Occasional
and remittent spasms of civic virtue will
scarcely meet the stern demands of the
future"
Doubtless many who heard this ser
mon have little idea of what Christian
Socialism is, and from the standpoint of
this peaceful Old Middlebury they con-
clude the words apply only to conditions
very far away. So il may not be amiss
for Us to consider Just here what social
ism really means. One distinguished
writer says:
"All that is sweet and strong and rue
in philosophy, art, religion and literature
is making for socialism"
And another NEARLY all law is So
ciallstic; for law implies the right of the
state to control individuals for the bene-
tit of the nation" And. we may add. so
realize a true democracy, which shall be
the fulfillment of the teaching of Jesus.
the establishing of Justice, love and
truth.
Solidarity and human brotherhood has
been the dream Of the ages, the burden
of the poets song and the prophets pre-
diction. 1t runs like a golden thread. a
mystic chain, through all the suferings
and trials of the ages gone by. And
now il is for Americans, college gradu-
atos as well as kings of industry to make
the dream a reality. IT'S the saving of
self by the saving of others. IT'S the
rewriting of all our political economy il
the light of the Sermon on the Mount.
But | must not go any farther until |
have made some reply to the o%ft-repeated
question, "How do you define social
ISM" ! reply, this is as difficult as to
define the New Theology" for social
ism Is a spirit, a tendency rather than a
program, and of course there are many
varieties of it. DR.. j. NJ. Wilton of the
Outlook, one of our ablest s~ociologlsts,
writes me as to this mattpr. az chou1d
he inclined to define socialism as signify
ing in general the movement to secure
the best possible diffusion throughout all
strata of society of the material and
moral gains of civilization by means of
legal securities against the absorption of
these gains by favored or privileged
classes or individuals. Churches are So
cialistic so far as they try to difluse the
moral gains of civilization, but the ma
terial gains are necessary auXiliaries to
gains and must likewise be diff
fused. Socialism to be effective must
also avail itself of the mandatory force
law, if equal opportunities are to be
to all without respect of persons"
As a Christian Socialist and in a col
lege town, | would say TO every one of
your college men who may doubt some
of my conclusions, | would ask them to
remember in their study of history. BIZ
olOgy and sociology that in%divldualism
and socialism describe complementary
moral forces which may be compared to
the centrifugal and c%entripetal forces in
the mechanical sphere; and it is not the