Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1910-07-14
ian Address Delivered at the Fourth
Sycamore Sociological Conferences
June $3.50, 191Q.)
NY HENRY STERLING

ny HENRY STERLING
The awakening social conscience OF
the Christian is the most hopeful sign
of progress. OF the reality OF thar
awakening, the Sycamore Sociological
Conference is the most pronounced ev-
idence that I have yet seem
For generations the attitude OF the
church and the Individual Christian to-
ward tabor and social questions has
caused bitterness and heart-burning-
intent upon promulgating its dogmas
as the only means of saving souls, the
prevalence of social injustice has been
overlooked by Christianity. That the
kingdom of God is to come on earth
has been forgotten in the strenuous
endeavor to furnish recruits for His
kingdom in heaven.
The result has been that many feel
toward Christianity the same as thew
feel toward the priest and Levite who
passed by on the other side.
For labor has lain for ages beside me
social highway, stripped, wounded and
robbed of all but a remnant of this
life. Instead of immediate succor and
defence, the church has offered con
ditional promise for future lite,
coupled with a threat of still deeper
suffering if not accepted, and callous
indifference to present conditions.
Men turned away, some with con-
tempt and reproaches, some with sor-
row and silence, but most with an in
difference as callous as that of the
Christians.
But good seed will, in time, bear
good. fruit, regardless of who sows.
Along with dead creeds and dogmass
the church has continually preached
the doctrine of love and service-and
10! the fruits thereof are springing up
in it's own bosom.
A few years ago the Sycamore Con
ference would have been Impossible
Not enough Christian men and women
could take sympathetic part therein TO
make it worth while. It is one OF the
belated fruits of the age-long sowing
by the church. The vital Importance
of the seed was not suspected, but eve
nv repetition of the Golden Rule and
ssThou shalt loye thy neighbor as thy
self" brought nearer the fulfilment OF
1.-THE kingdom come on
earth" Some now have visions. of that
kingdom.
Not that thought or discussion at
Sycamore were supremely vital or run
damental; not that abolition of ancient
wrong or institution of present good
will be the immediate result OF It's
work; not that the inquiring prone
was sunk deeply into any subject
was in a measure superficial, though
sympathetic.
Three evil social growths-the liquor
traffic, the negro problem and chlld
labor-were the main topics conSlo-
cred. These are but single phases OF
the great social problem, but each
phase reaches back to the main ques-
ton. and so the discussions broadened
until the whole subject was in view
MIR. George B. Hugo's suggestion,
that successive restrictions be placed
upon the liquor traffic until it disap-
pears, seemed new; but laws without
number along that line are already
upon the statute books, the latest in
Massachusetts being the bar-and-bot-
tie bill His depreciation of the de-
mand that the traffic be at once pro
hibited was short-sighted. The in
sistent demand for total prohibition is
the only thing that has made restric-
tive legislation possible. Let the be-
levers in each view work for the right
as he sees the right, without qles-
tioning his methods So shall the pub
lie conscience reach point where 1t
will insist that none shall profit by an
others vice or weakness. A sugges-
ton that poverty causes intemperance,
and that with the abolition of poverty
drunkenness would largely disappear.
was not considered seriously. Yet it is
true.
The chief complaint that capitalism
seems to have against the negro is
that he is not now profitable to lex-
plot. His aversion to close, continu-
Gus, laborious application vexes the
souls of some; his ineficiency worries
others His generations of severe un-
paid toll, and mis- right to holiday,
are overlooked. Possibly nature is now
establishing an equilibrium between
past and present by compelling him
to loaf. However that may be, the
reports of Drs. Sale and Mitchell of
progress in education, wealth, morals,
and responsibility are encouraging.
Their plea that the South be left to
solve its own problems will necessar-
lily be granted, for no problem was ever
settled except by those concerned. But
the DaIlOC is matter OF COnC0rn TO
the North as well as to the South. The
denial Of the franchise (if it be de-
nied) to one or two million citizens
will result in appalling disaster to us
all, if it continues. The ballot is the
only defence of the poor and ignorant
against the rich, Intelligent, educated
and INSCRIPTIONS. Denied that po1iti-
cal right, his economic condition will
continue to be pitiable. Circumstan-
ces may yet compel the white workers
| of the North to ensure justice to their
| black brothers of the South, for the
franchise is the right of every citizen.
The reluctant admission. that the es-
arrangement between the races appears
to be growing is an element of danger
not to belightly ignored. There can
| be no real progress except mutual
progress. Mutual distrust and dislike
can accomplish nothing. The confer
ence reached the ultimate for the pres
ent on this question:: education for all,
white and black. We may reach So
| Inf fho