Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1914-07-03
An Address Before The Social
Service League.


Social Service League at its annual meet
ing in Germantown, Md:
In looking back over the years that are
past, we feel that we have much for which
to be grateful. and that in our hearts, and
in our words, the keynote of this meeting
today should be gratitude to God for His
loving care over us, for the guidance OF
His hand, and for the success with which
he has crowned our efforts in this depart
ment of His work. Wondrously have we
been led from service to service, in His
Name, comforting the feeble minded, sup
porting the weak, remembering the poor. and
charging those who are rich in this world
that they be ready to give and glad to dis
tribute. There are in our hearts also loving
thanks to each and all who have so loyalty
stood by us, giving US their help and en-
couragement in so many ways.
Has not this been the secret of our sue
cessful endeavors in the past, and with
this spirit of loyalty dominating our mem
beTs, may we not hope to do great things
in the future?
The Social Service League of Montgomery
County was the result, or rather the out
growth, of a simple appeal for help from a
poor, unfortunate girl.
God truly moves in mysterious way
His wonders to perform" and no one of us
can rightly estimate the extent of the in
fluence of single act of our lives. 1t, like
the tiny stream, goes on and on, ever
widening and deepening its course until it
reaches the shores of eternity.
The unavoidable casting about from in
dividual to society and from society back
to the individual in order for the proper
response to the above appeal, formed the
nucleus of an agitation over the county,
which resulted in the organization of our
present society. Our Heavenly Father in
the carrying on of His work in the world
and the perfecting of His plans. sees fit
to make use of human agencies and raises
up for the work just those who are fitted.
And here, in passing, without wishing to be
personal, we would like to record the names
of the two persons to whom were given
the vision that brings the light" the light
that is now shedding its warm rays of love
and sympathy into all the dark corners of
our county. namely, the late Rev. Thomas
}. Packard and Mrs H. j. Finley, DIR. Pack
ard having served as one of the league s
first presidents The league was formed, as
you know, in Rockville in the year 1908. its
object being to assist in the care of the
poor, of the sick, especially tuberculosis
cases. and of destitute and deficient chill
dren in the county; to direct public atten-
ton to the cause and the prevention of
disease and suffering, and to arouse general
interest in securing proper provision for
the needy in their homes and in institu-
tons Many of the representative citizens
of our county were present at the Organiza-
ton meeting, enrolling their names as
charter members. whose loving loyalty and
support have been so sustaining through
out the years. Had we the pen of ready
writer, there is nothing we would not tell
of the details of our work. for we are quite
sure it would not fail to interest each one
of us. However. on one subject we cannot
fOrbear, namely our visiting nurse. Mrs
Bernadine Means. who. we are quite sure
needs no introduction. forit is she who i:
ever the most welcome visitor in any o.
our homes in times of sickness and sorrow
and trouble. Should you meet her. 20,
could not fail to recognize the sweet. brigh
smile and the CHEEKY look of veritabl
angel of mercy. And do you know tina
last year this little nurse made 1888 visits
II all-day and 20 all-nieht visits Sh,
made 1925 new calls. resulting in So pa
| tients. She has visiting list of Sd. o
these 43 are tubercular. OF her patients
So recovered or became convalescent He
work is largely instructive, for the protec.
ton of families and neighborhoods threat
ened with infection by those who are sick
And this is your nurse. Her time. her ener
ges and her efforts are for you and your.
whatsoever they are needed.
The social question is the one question
Christianity never ceases to ask, and vel
how very few of us really understand the
meaning of the term social service. II il
neither a fad nor novelty. The name il
new. but the thing itself is as old as tn,
church and has an unbroken history from
the day of Pentecost. Ii is something out
side of religion-religiOn is and must bt
the heart and soul of il all. II meanl
nothing but religion coming into reality In
everyday life. the divine ideal descending
upon human society and transforming il
from glory to glory even as by the spirit oil
God. In the Bible. in the 58th chapter o.
Isaiah, in the 5th and 9th verses. we fine
the definition Of social service in a nut
shell. 1t reads thus. ITO loose the bondi
Of wickedness, to undo the heavy burden.
and to let the oppressed 90 free. and tina
we break every yoke to deal thy bread t
the hungry and that thou bring the poo
that are cast out to thy house and wheI
thou seest the naked that thou cover him.
So comprehensive, and yet so explicit, 81
plain that wayfaring man need not err
therein.
We have but to turn our eyes to GU
Great Examplar. when we are in doubt
who went about doing good. Jesus in hi.
life and work on earth differed most char
acteristically from the Scribes and tn,
Pharisees. They were theologically. eccle
siastically interested in men He was hu
manly devoted to them. They were priests
lie was brother Theirs was a temple
service His was a social service in thu
streets and fields and homes Of the com
mon people. The common people heart
Him gladly.
The church is fast learning in these las
days that the call of Jesus is not into tn,
temple. but into the streets not into thu
clustered life. but into the open life /; no