The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-08-15
CHURCH, CHARITY AND SOCIAL REFORM Duty of the Church Toward
 Society NEEDS NO NEW PADS Should Arouse Men Through Inspira- tlonal Force to Tone Mercy
 and Do Justice to Their
 Fellow Man.
JEFFREY R. BRAcKETT, Director Boston School for Social
 Workers.

Times told of successful experiment in that city in conducting Peoples Sunday Evening"-a forum for the ais- cussion of all sorts of timely social questions. The following article by Mir. Bracket is defense of the church as an inspirationa1 force In ''rousing men to love mercy and do justice"
 Opportunities and duties of the church in social reform are topics heard much today. For several years we have been watching the interesting services of Mir. Stelkle, representing the Presbyterian church in a ministry for laboring men. That church now has a department of immigration, under it's home mission board, aiming especially to get knowl- edge of conditions and needs of recent immigrants. The Congregational churches have a national committee on industrial organization. The Methodist Federation for Social Service has published its first leafiet, an open letter to the church on Unemployment and Relief" The Amer ican Unitarian association has estab- lished department of social service with a secretary, for propaganda. especially to promote cooperation with existing agencies for charity, civics and industrial advance. The last New York diocesan convention of the Protestant Episcopal church provided permanent social ser vice commission with several local branches. chiefly to bring about better understanding between church and labor, employers and employees The Federal Council of Churches recently held in Philadelphia, representing S3 denomina- tions and 1S,000,0o0 communicants in the United States. adopted with enthusiasm a long list of resolutions for specific re- forms In conditions of living and labor, for standing commission on the church and social service And in England, tho great councils of the Anglican communion have spoken strongly on the duty of the church in social reform.
 At the same time with these stirring messages, comes the psychotherapeutio treatment by the church, the so-called Emmanuel church movement of Boston, which has reused interest everywhere, and has spread thence in practice to not a few churches.
 What is the meaning of all this? To. what extent is 1t an awakening to the duty of the church as understood by tho church's true leaders in all the ages, but not always followed7 To what ex- tent is 1t an answer to the plea that the church must undertake new duties to justify itself, to answer new demands for a ministry of so-called practical service? How shall we relate all this to the modern movement for the use of special knowledge. for differentiation be- tween professions and expert services? Here are large weighty questions calling for answer.
 Surely, the church should strive hard to rouse men to more interest in, and more knowledge of, industrial and social conditions, to the end that ills may be done away with and progress made. As helps to this may be mentioned special evening meetings such. for instance, as have been held in the Church of the As- cension New York, or in Mt. Vernon church, Boston, with addresses by judi cious persons who are familiar with con- ditions of living and labor, who are fer vent for reforms which are wholly prac- tical. Then there are Sunday noon meet ings, after the usual service, taking for older persons the place of Sunday school, to give information bearing on good cit- izenshp.
 Little argument should be needed in ad- vocacy of such means of spreading knowledge of conditions and measures of great practical moment for the welfare of human beings. But geherally speak ing, the church should not try to become the organ of any political or industrial movement, in defining methods. It will do its part best if 1t rouses men to try to live religiously-to love mercy, to do justice, and to walk humbly with God. That Is It's particular work. which is as useful today as ever, and will be tomor- row. The clergy can find no better task than thus serving the church inspira- tionally.
 Said a man of much experience and thoughtfu1ness to the National Confer ence of Charities and Correction: "The evils against which we contend, and the suffering which the conference seeks to alleviate are due directly or indirectly to unrighteousness of life, and a revival of righteousness would do more to check their growth than all the effort in the way of benevolent work which we are able to put forth"
 There Is one very practical way in which churches can often make for social advance-by joining together in neigh boyhood and community force in a. fight against manifest evil conditions. Which aroused public opinion can wipe out This has been well done. for instance, in particular localities, in opposing the ex- istence or the spread of liquor saloons Such cooperation may lead to a better appreciation of the value of forms of neighborhood work in which persons of all creeds and no creeds may join hearti- ly. A good many philanthropic under takings of individual churches might well be shifted on to that broader basis of neighborhood work
 Modern preventive medicine is teach ing among many lessons, that the war fare against disease Is not limited to med ical men. Thus. if infant mortality is to be checked many mothers must be n- terested and instructed to do their part; and further back, employers of working women must be prevented from employ ing them at times when tne life of moth CT and infant may be injured by work. The campaign against tuberculosis de- bends largely for It's success on the knowledge of the man in the street and in the factory. So in the grave matter of hygiene of sex there is the duty of the parents, as we'll as of family physi- clans, to-give proper instruction to the young. IR all such matters as these,, the minister has duty in rousing the people to do their duty.
 The church can also make an import ant contribution to social advance In talk ing the right attitude as to charity. This Is matter which may not attract atten- tion, but 1t Is very practical The church should help to clear away all confusion from charity being thought of merely as aims material Let church leave to charitable agencies cooperating the ma terial aid for persons strangers to it, and urge parishioners to become generous givers and doers with such agencies
 Let 1t preach the value of personal service. of individual efforts to share with others opportunities know1edra and