New-York tribune., 1911-01-03
TALK ON SOCIAL SERVICE
Chicago Worker Explains 1t to
New Social Ideal Forum.
TAKES CHRIST AS TEXT
New Testament Serves to Illus
trate Points as to Modern
Conditions in Lecture.

RAYMOND Robins. the social worker, Of
Chicago, spoke on Jesus Christ and So
cial Responsibility" before the New Social
Ideal Forum last night at Packer Institute
Brooklyn. The speaker conveyed his hear
ers in imagination from a simple frontier
town. where all the problems were crude
and simple. to the complexities OF the sium
life in Western Chicago, where the young
are contaminated by stream OF "sewase"
that continually flows about them, whers
the lodging house for the "drift' which
he headed for several years caters 70 the
physical and spiritual needs OF from one
hundred and fifty to five hundred homeless
and hungry wanderers daily.
Has Christ any answer 10 lives IKE
thatP' he asked. Can you go TO the Bible
and find that Christ preached a gospel Of
social service? Yes-two-thirds of the
time He was not only the son Of God but
the son OF man. with the emphasis there
I went back 10 the Bible. l am one of
those who believe Il is the greatest fact In
the social regeneration Of to-day. I be-
leve that Christ was the greatest social
worker that ever lived.
The method OF Jesus was the method
~ social service. Don't let the mira
cies or the critical scientific problem troubis
you. We can find enough in their ap-
plication TO teach US TO be much bette
than we are. We are after the meaning
and purpose OF the greatest life that va
ever lived"
Turning 10 the wedding feast, he e1-
planned that Christ had adopted the social
method IN converting water into wine
which vas the greatest social need OF the
gathering. After the Sermon on the Mount
he fed the multitude. meeting life In the
terms OF life Christ knew, said the speak
er. that hunger would eat the moral quali-
ties out OF the heart OF any man. " u vas
not satisfied. He busted Himself with IN"
weak poor. sinners and the outcast.
Christ spent His time laboring with the
waste Of the world realizing what modern
socialists we're Just beginning to md out,
said Mr. Robins-thst the test OF ctvilisa-
ton was not TO be made In Fifth svenus.
but in the waste OF the East Side.
you may not believe in this method.
Mr. Robins sad. "but 7 do. I've tried u
wherever II has been put on the jon
Whenever you find any one long on the
| ology and short on meeting the point ~
| sure they are trying 10 hide something rot
ten. The crowd brought 70 Him a woman
| Of the streets and told Him that the law
required her 10 be stoned 10 death. he
| that is without sin among You. let him
| cast the first stone said Christ. and the
| crowd went its way. Turning 70 the woni-
an He asked Woman. does any man con-
denim your No. Lord, she replied. Neither
do 7 condemn you. Go and sin no more,
| said He.
He placed the responsibility for the
womans life upon those who made her
what she was He would have increased by
tons the moral responsibilities OF the mas
ters Of the world. the department stors
owners, and the manufacturers. who by
their small wages drive girls into sin. He
painted tho greatest picture OF the tudg
ment day, when lie would come with Hi
angels to Judge the world and separate tn
sheep from the goats"