Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1911-01-19

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dows ID their houses and the New
england redskins did bot 90 naked in
he winter.time. Like this artist, Prof.
Christie has done an admirable piece
81 work, but unconsciously he has
wholly misrepresented the facts It
would be interesting to know for ex.
ample, where he has been all ,nese.
years that he has yet to hear of a
request that church as q churei, shall
become an active organized agent for
social reforms" The fact of the mat
ter is that the churches have always
been aactize organized agents" for a
certain limited class Of social re-
forms. and have never thought of such
4 thing as throwing the responsibility
for the accomplishment Of these re-
forms back upon their indiyidnal mem
beers. within certain very restricted
areas of activity for social betterment,
the churches have never hesitated to
act as churches; and it is only when
these restrictions have been passed,
that the churches, and the apologists
for the churches, have fallen back
upon the subterfuge Of distinction be-
tween the church as an organization
and the members composing that or
ganization.
When, for example, have the
churches, as s.actiye organized agents, !"
ever declined to enter the fight against
the liquor traffic? In many ways the
fight against the demon of rum" is
the greatest social fight that is "on"
/ at the present moment Here is an
i'll which not only ruins the lives OF
millions of men and women. but, in
SO doing. strikes at the very heart Of
the social fabric itself. No sane man
today regards the drink evil, from the
standpoint either of les causes or it's
consequences, as a problem merely OF
the individual life. From both stand
points alike, the evil is seen to be
social in its nature, and the fight
against it, therefore, as a great fight
for social reform" Now, whatever
may be said about the churches in
other directions. in this stupendous
combat at least, the churches, to their
everlasting glory, have ever been
foremost in the fight. They have
always inspired their members to
wage this warfare outside the church
as individuals this ought to go with
out saying! But they have realized
also that the churches must act as
churches-and right nobly have they
done it!
or again, look at what the churches
have done, as active organized
agents, Z to fight the gambling iniquity.
he last great battle against this So
cial abomination was fought in New
York State under the leadership of
Gov. Hughes, and the Governor has
himself borne testimony to the fact
that he could not have won his fight
had not the churches upheld his arms.
And by this he meant churches, and
not the members of churches working
in outside organizations! Yes, strange
as it may seem. to Prof. Christie, the
churches actually sent committees to
the legislature at Albany, and de-
manded the passage Of the Anti-Race-
TRACK Gambling bills in the name, not
Of secular organizations, but Of the
churches of Christ of New York.
Here is one case where Mr.. Molly
neaux's challenge can be answered.
here at least the churches found no
sotner ways of doing the work Of
God! 81
And SO l might multiply the in
stances Of the social reform activities
Of the churches as churches! Imight
refer to the churches in New York, as
/ suppose in other cities, which have
established public milk depots in their
parish houses; might refer to the
help given by several churches in
New York as churches to the 10000
girls involved in the historic garment
workers strike last fall; / might re-
fer to the New York Federation Of
Churches. which, under the wise and
courageous leadership Of DR.. Walter
Laidlaw, is graphing at first hand
with such social problems as those
Of public health, congestion of popu-
lation, etc. But the main point must
by now be clear-that the churches,
within certain narrow restrictions.
have always been Hactive. organized
agents for social reform" Prof. Chris
tie, like the artist in Life, has simply
misstated the facts.
But, if this be the case, then what
about the attacks, directed against the
chucrhes by the social Justice adj
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