The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-28

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service Is IN America. China, or Africa.
| Ihe church needs to grasp the truth
| that this world is to be saved by hu-
man beings working together for the
common good, and that God is best
worshiped and gloriTicd by that
work I'm humanity. Rev. l.. q. Peabody
says: The church is not deposit
| OF opinion, but source of spiritual
energy. II mighty social dynamic.
fountain OF redemrtivc life"
business OF the Church.
do not think II is material whether
the various church organizations, us
distinct corporate bodies, engage in
this service. or whether It is under
taken by individual mombcrs of
churches on their own initiative. or as
part of some non ecclesiastical o.
Sanization. In either event ii IL the
church's work. and the business OF
the church Is to arouse in its ndhcrents
sense of their individual social obli-
cations. and to constantly pour into
their hearts spiritual renewal, strength
and energy.
But Notwithstanding these truths
thcrc is popular notion that religion
should be kept in a sort of cold storage
plant, To be taken out and used on
stated occasions, and that IL has no
possible connection with business and
politics. Perhaps 1t is because of The
complete separation Of religion from
the affairs or business and public lite
that men have come TO regard the
Christian faith an unreasonable
and unintclliScnt' superstition. But
until religion does indeed become IA So
cal dynamic ana entcrsinto practical,
orcry-day life. taking hold of and
purifying business and business men.
politics and politicians, our civiiiaa-
ton must remain chaotic, fun OF OPP
preston and injustice on one side. and
of unrest and hatred on the other.
Religion cannot accomplish that to-
wards which 1t over tcnds--thc pcrfcc- (
ton OF humanity--and Legislation cam
not be the righteous expression OF the |
VIII and ideals OF the people until re-
llgion has permeated politics.
At present women form the large
majority Of Christian believers; they
constitute by far the larger proper
ton of the church's membership, and
carry on the greater part of It's work.
If. then, the church Is the bearer of
Christ's message to the world, If wo- I
men form the bulk of the churchs
organization, and II Christs message
TO this age is that of social service. il
Is essential that they shall find by
what means they Gun best accomplish !
that service.
When the call of religion Is for
wider, more general service, can wo- |.
men stand apart and attempt to main ,
tain their individual homes as Isolated [!
Kingdoms, saying, This is our sphere;
we ask nothing more in the way of
service than can he found within our
own homes? No thoughtful person
can answer this question in the afiir-
native Indeed, we are frequently
told that women need not worry about
voting: that they can und every or
portunity for doing good without in
torfcring with politics.
Argument Is I'nIInclous.
Any one who says that women can
render effective social service without
political self-cXpression and power
has not followed closely the history of |,
our own time. ! do not suppose there
is group of social workers in this
country who has not attempted 10 put
through various legislative reforms
which they saw lay at the very root
OF the work they had in hand On
the contrary, opponents OF woman suf-
fraSc have stated that IL is because
women can better effect Legislation
without the ballot than with 1t that
they should continue their work with
out political recognition. In our own
state. as elsewhere. this argument has
proved 10 he an utterly fallaclous one.
y very powerful counter-ergument is
that Tho greater number OF better
ment workers all over the country
strongly indorsc woman suffrage.
prominent among them that great wo-
man, Jane Adams.
Ii we could only realize the fact
that those working for the general
good must have organization and CO.
operation in public life just as truly
as we must have organization in the
church. would see the question of
woman suffrage in different light.
II is perfectly true that one woman
cannot accomplish anything with one
vote. but this argument is equally true
of mems votes, and II IL only by CO.
operation that the votes of any class
can become effective
1t is because of the awakening OF
woman's civic conscience and grow
ing conviction within her that she
owes duty TO society beyond the con-
fines of her own home and circle of
acquaintances. and because she be-
lieves that one OF the most effective
and direct ways towards helping hui
manity in It's upward struggle is by
using legislation. not for the fostering
and promotion of certain commercial
or class interests but for the develop
ment, protection and education of the
masses. that women are throwing
heart and soul into the struggle for
enfranchiscmcnt.
There is "A inc crusading spirit in
many of the suffrage agitators akin
to that which animated the knights
of the Cross in the Middle Ages. but
With this difference: For love of Christ
the Crusaders sacrificed thousands of
lives that they might do honor at His
tomb, while for love Of Christ and
Ills human brothers many social
worker ana suffragist seeks TO honor
the son of God and Son of Man by
fastening the day when His likeness
viii he raised mp in humanity.
do not claim a more religious
spirit. nor a more unsclfish attitude for
sumragists than for anti-sunra 8 lists.
per sc. But believe that II any one
looks closely ana carefully into this
matter they must recognize the moral
conviction underlying every phase OF
it's agitation. ana that il Is not rights"
which women arc NcckinS. but the