The daily morning journal and courier., 1905-03-30
AN INTERESTING OCCASION.
AMERICANINSTITUTE OF SOCIAL
 SERVICE.
Able Lectures at Center Church Chapel Yesterday Afternoon by Rev. Dr. Josiah Strong and W. H. TOIman.

interest tO the oDte duuEeSseS US DI- Josiah Strong, president, and w. Il. Holman, director, of the American h. stitute of Social Service. The meeting was under the auspices of the Womans Civic Study club. The lectures were well illustrated. The subject for the meeting was Problems of Social Ser vice" Dr. Strong taking the first half of the lecture period, presenting the philosophy of the subject, and Mr. Tol- man following with the lantern slides, showing concrete illustrations. The ad- dresses were as follows:
 SOCIAL AND INDUSTRIAL BETTER #3 MENT.
 Address by Dr. Josiah Strong, Presi-
 dent of the American Institute of So-
 cial Science, New York City.
 Dr. Josiah Strong and Dr. W. H. Holman, president and director, respec- lively of the American Institute of So- cial Service, divided the time in dis cussion of the new social and industrial conditions, with the necessity of read justment. It was a unique and fine T>re- sentation in that Dr. Strong discussed the fundamentals, the great under-ly- ing principles of the social problem, and Dr. Holman followed, illustrating the first speakers philosophy by means of lantern slides taken by pr. Holman in the different factories and work shops of this and other countries where he has studied the problem of indus trial betterment at original sources.
 By way of introduction pr. Strong said. During the past century, and practically during the lifetime of many here present, here have taken place the two greatest revolutions in all his- tory-one in the material world, crea- ted by the application of natural forces to industry; the other in the world of ideas, produced by the application of the scientific method to all kinds of in. vestigation, and they are radically changing the methods of charity, of $ philanthropy of religion, of reform and of education. Indeed, it is difficult to name single field of human activity which has not been profoundly infiu- erlced by one or both of these two rev. olutions. Together they have given to the world more Knowledge and more wealth, within the memory of living man, than all other instrumentalities employed in all the countless ages of the past. They have created in the Occidental world 8 new type of civili- zation, with which have obtained radi- cally different conditions of 1ife-in one word, a new environment which vitally concerns all classes. g,%
 Ut is a fundamental law of nature that every form of life, whether vege- table or animal. individual or institu- tiona1, must be adapted to it's environ lnent, If the latter radically changes, the former must readjust itself or per isil. s< s#
 Natures method of readaption is to kill off the unfit and to multiply the fit. This method is thoroughly effective, but it is fearfully costly in suffering and in life. Thousands of mechanics have lost their jobs in recent years be- cause they could not readjust then1- selves to the new methods of invention. A leading official of a, labor union said to me the other day, Eff I had to go back to my trade I could not earn a living, for there is scarcely tool in use to-day that was common when I left the Workroom for my present of fee. Thousands of business men and manufacturers have been driven into Bankruptcy because they could not adapt themselves to the new conditions by more economical methods of pro- auction and distribution. Thousands of clergyn1en have been laid on the shelf the one fit place for fossils, because they were unable to discern the signs Of the times, and to adjust themselves thereto by adopting new and more eff fective methods. Thousands of church. es have died because they did not know how to adapt themselves to their new environment. Many tens of thou, sands of men, women and children die rleedlessly in our cities every year be- cause we have not learned yet how to adapt ourselves to the new conditions of urban life
 tsThe process of readjustment is one of experiment. Each experiment, whether successful or otherwise, throws a ray of light on the problem of how to do or how not to do. The American Institute serves as a lens to gather up these scattered rays of light, to focus and reflect them to every one who desires, or can be persuaded, to profit by the experience of others.
 ''Only in recent years have men learned to gather facts, to sift them, and correctly to interpret them, this creating science We are only begin ming to construct the science of living, which is living in intelligent obedience to all natural laws; that is, all the laws which God has established both for the individual and for society.
 'tThe American Institute of Social Service is collecting a great mass of facts from Europe, as well as America, which embody experiences of many millions of people; and these facts sci. entifically interpreted throw light on many social problems, new and old and afford practical guidance in the con- duct of life and in the establishment of right relations between man and man
 ttIIere then we see the fundamental principle and purpose of the institute, viz: to make the experience of all available for the instruction of each.