Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1912-11-28
THE CHURCH As A
BIG SOCIAL AGENCY
) Ministers to the Weak and
Developes the Leaders In
Philanthropy.
az HARL STEELE.

BY CHARLES STElZLE.
1t mas become quite a common thing
among social workers and sociological
professors to ridicule the church be-
cause of it's alleged inefficiency in mat
ters having to do with the social prob
lem in any Of it's aspects. Much of this
criticism is no doubt ~justifiable. for
the ~chnrch-like any other institution
is just beyinning to grasp the funda-
mental principles which must be at
the bottom OF all sociological research
and recommendation. In these discus
.sions it is often forgotten that we have
no yet mastered even the elements of
the problem OF society. Theories have
been formed from the examination Of
grou.si of isolatd facts; but life is
complex. 1t is unfair to rush to final
conclusions. Until the last item has
been presented we cannot afford to be
dogmatic. There are so many factors
to be considered that no man has
either the wisdom or the ability to
pose ~ an infallible teacher of sociol-
ogy. Therefore. the time has. not vet
come for self-appointed body of
social workers to despise what the
church has done in history, nor yet
h tae church is doing today in mat
ters of social reform.
A constructive criticism is always
in order INC should be welcomed by
every honest churcnman. but the crit
tcism that one hears in the average
class liz sociology is usually based upon
marrow prejudice. which. however. is
mistakenly termed "a liberal attitude
toward all religious forces, programs
and doctrines. If the same scientific
and impartial study that is advocated
with reference to other forces in socie-
~ We're applied to the church there
would De no cause for complaint. but
ordinarily the professor will condone
the greatest moral and mental obliqui-
ny In men and movements outside the
church, while he will absolutely ignore
the fine spirit which has animated the
church and its adherents from the be-
ginning OF it's history.
What is the church doing in the mat
ter Of social reform? Certain REFORM
ers scorn its claims that 1t is render
ing real service in this connection. 1t
IS true that the church is not a social
reform agency in the sense that it
makes this it's chief function. but even
a. cursofy study of the situation must
convince the open-minded student that
the church Is an important factor in
socl;ti service. 1t gives to every man
the right to accept whatever economic
theory ne desires SO long as it's appli-
cation does no violence to the rights
o1 others n so long as it is in ac-
cord with fundamental moral princi-
Djles. But The church has a positive
position II work in this matter. 1t
mas Undertaken important studies of
social conditions throughout the coun-
try which easily match the efforts of
professional social workers.
Several of the national home boards
of the churches in the United States
have long had bureaus of social SER
Dor and they have beer graphing
with social problems in the city and in
the country. employing experts for the
purpose of making sociological SURVEYS
and suggesting the most up-to-date
methods for meeting the needs dis
covered. There are in the employ of
these boards, men who are regarded
rs authorities on these subjects. and
who are consulted by the leaders in
social work outside the hurch The
svolntlon m the thinking of men with
regard To the function of the church
concerning modern social r-oblems has
not caught these home mission agen-
cies mapping.
The church has come out in pro-
nounccment upon certain economic
conditions which might we'll have been
set forth by The workers themselves.
They could not have been more en-
phatic and concrete. But perhaps the
chief function Of the church i'm these
matters is that of supplying the men
and women who are the leaders in So
cial reform affairs. A study of over
a thousand professional social workers
as To church affiliation shows that of
those who were associated charity
workers 90 per cent were church mem
bers and OF general social workers II
per cent were church members.
AS a matter of fact, the church prac-
tically controls through it's membership
nearly every great philanthropic move
ment of any consequence. Glance at
the list of directors and verify this
statement. Practically all of the money
that goes to the hospitals, orphan asy-
lufns. Tub n charitable institutions
of various kinds comes from church
people. Without them these could not
exist. Recognizing that there is a
great work to be o i'm the matter Of
social reform which must reach down
to fundamental things. let 1t not be
forgotten that the wounded in life's
battle must meanwhile be cared for. To
these h church ministers freely. At
the same time ii. is developing most of
those who will fight for the bigger
things in social reform.
Eugenics . Success Here.
marguerite MOOerS Marshall in the Nov