Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-05

ureryp Viii appear IN lnSIdhfneutS w
Foreword-The Federal Council of
the Churches of Christ in America,
| at both of its quadrennial sessions,
committed to its commission on the
church and social service the task of
making such Investigations of indus
trial difficulties as would prove help
/ full To the churches. Previous reports
! have been issued of Industrial dissen.
Stems at South. Bethlehem, Pa, Mus.
| catine,- Ia, and Lawrence, Mass, all
of which have been approved by the
council. ,.--....s.. H.
These investigations are considered
| in the light of religious principles and
conditions, one of the efforts being to
make clear the relation between con-
ditions of religious activity and in.
/ dustrial wrong-doing.
1 At the second quadrennial council
at Chicago In 1872, the federal eoun-
Gil commission on home missions pre-
scented report on religious conditions
| in Colorado giving the results OF
state survey from which the following
| is a quotation: The committee was
compelled to report overlooking as
the major problem. The results OF the
investigations were surprise even to
those most intimately familiar with
western conditions. One hundred and
thirty-three places were found, rang
ing in population from $50 to 1000
souls, without Protestant churches Of
any kind; 100 OF these being also with.
out Roman Catholic church. Some
of them were rural communities, some
were mining communities scattered up
and down narrow valley, being diff
cult to care for because thus scatter.
Led. In addition to theDe, there were
42S communities of sufficient import
ance to have postoffices, but without
any churches. Whole counties were
found with no adequate religious
work
It therefp-e seemed especially de-
sirable = Ne present industrial sit
uation shou1u~.e investigated. and for
this reason report from Colorado was
first proposed.
The result shows that the above
mentioned report Of the. commission
on home missions was In the nature
of a prophecy. The churches and the
religious forces of Colorado as OF other
states and localitk were unprepared
i to meet the situat-sn.
i Neglected religious conditions can
l not help breeding social injustice and
lwrong-doing. and in order to meet
Esuch injustice and wrongdoing the
churches need clear spiritual vision,
and q thorough knowledge or plain
human facts Such situations also call
for cooperation and unity of action by
the churches.
This report was first submitted to
the social service commission Of the
Congregational churches. The mem
bers of the commission are. Fred b.
Hill, Mortified, Mimi; Henry NJ.
| Beardsley, Kansas City, Mo-; Graham
i Taylor, Chicago, H.; Washington Glad
den, Columbus, "; John p. Sanderson,
Il Chicago, H.; Fredk. A. Sumner, Mil
ford, Conn; Edwin B. Robinson, Hol-
yoke, Mass; Willard B. Thorpe, San
Diego, Cal; Arthur 2. Holt, Manhat-
tan, Kas.
Mr.. Atkinson was sent to Michigan
ana COLORADO by tAe social service
commission or the congregational
cnurcnes, and was by vote or the COM
nIItIee or oirecIIon OF the commission
on the church and social service OF
the FederaI Cooncll or the Cnurcnes OF
christ IN America, empowered TO rep
resent II IN Doth OF these inyestlga-
tons.
In an effort to make the inYestiga-
tions as complete and accurate as pOs-
stDfe, hr. Atkinson consulted, az lar
as ne was able, every ayallaDle man
on the ground, whose opportunity Tor
knowing the Iacts woulu make his
judgment valuable.
/ In writing the report reference has
peen made to every available printed
ldocumenI.
4 Inc facts used In this report are
based upon documents and papers, as
we'll as sworn testimony, IN the pos
session OF the social service commis-
SION OF the Congregational churches.
Inc Congregational commission ac-
lcepted the report and recommended ll
TO the commission on the church and
social service OF the Federal Council
of the Churches OF christ in America.
/ The report was received by the fed
eraI council commission on the church
and social service on June 10, 1914,
and, after. full consideration by its
committee of direction, was referred
to the entire membership OF the com
mission which voted that il should be
jpublisned as the report OF one OF its
associate secretaries.
i 1t was then considered by the adj
ministrative committee of the feder-
/ al council, and referred to special
committee on publication, which de
Icided upon its final form.
During this time correspondence was
carried on, covering period of four
months, with interested persons in Col
Dorado and the report was referred to
these persons, representing both the
Operators and the miners, in. order
that they might be given an Opportp-
Unity to make any necessary corree-
tons in it.