Wheeling majority. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1907-192?, 1912-01-11
CHURCH MUST CHOOSE
FOR OR AGAINST POOR
Pittsburgh Leader Says NJ. and r.
Movement VIII Have Busy
Time II in Earnest.

Il
Time II in Earnest.
%
The Men and Religion Forward
Movement is attracting much editorial
attention. Not all comments of the
soft and pointless kind, however.
The Pittsburgh Leader. discussing
the surprise Of some Of the M, and r.
leaders when they met actual condi-
lions, tells them that they will find
conditions more troublesome than
theories, and that the church must de-
eide whether it Is with the exploiters
or the exploited if it is going to tackle
realities. The editorial, in part, is as
follows: u
I'm Boston there are 5000 girls
working for S. week, while it costs
them $12 a week to live respectfully.
The church faces the question Of what
Christianity can do to remedy such
conditions.
sThis is the worried confession OF
Mr.. Nesbitt, one Of the leaders in the
Men and Religion Forward Movement,
which another leader, Mr.. Rood, said,
few weeks ago, is trying to get re-
ligion out of cold storage. Mr.. Nesbit
was speaking Of the work of himself
and a committee in Boston.
's9Jo wonder he is worried. 1t would
worry any conscientious man to ruA
into such a fact unexpectedly, It is
taken for granted that he came upon
the Boston conditions unexpectedly.
because he expresses surprise, and
because, also, he names Boston.
'.Mr. Nesbitt should have known,
anybody could have told him, that
Pittsburgh probably has some. and
that New York, Chicago and Philadel-
phia have many more than Boston's
5000 girls who are trying to live on IS
week, while it costs $12 to do it.
IF Mr.. Nesbit is surprised and dis
tressed at what he and his committee
found in Boston It is positively painful
to merely imagine what he will suffer
when he finds that similar conditions
exist in every large city.
Bibles Madeb y Poorly Paid Girls.
sSome time ago DR.. Arundel. until
recently rector Of Trinity church Of
this city, shocked and startled his con
gregation by declaring that the young
girl who bound aBible. which he held
up, did not earn enough to live on,
and then cast the book down to de-
clare that we should have no such
Bibles In churches.
sMr. Nesbitt says the leaders and
workers ID the Men and Religion For
ward Movement realize the stupendous
size Of their job. If they do they will
accomplish much more than if they
only think they know.
.In word, the plan Is to see fire
ligion can be practiced. It can be
preached, but the church workers pro
pose now to see whether It can be put
upon d working basis. They want to
try to mack it q part Of every mans
daily life. II the workers in the Men
and Religion Forward Movement do
not vet realize the task ahead Of them,
they win soon learn what it means.
1T is i hopeful sign that the church
realizes that It has an obligation, 2
duty. IN getting in close to the lives
Of the Workingmen. which is indicated
81 the declaration Of Mr.. Nesbit thai
the church faces the problem Of what
Christianity can do to remedy the con
ditions which force young girls to n
bor for S. a week when It costs them
$40 week to live.
When the church sets about e
solve social and industrial problems !
will learn that conditions are muel
more troublesome than theories.
a0ed Knows, Poor Answer.
Ihe church has been too ready =
| the past, near and remote, to answer
piously, God knows when asked som.
serious questions Affecting TIE welfare