The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1915-11-18

rather than wait Tor opportunity to
come. He called upon the people OF
the church to CO -operats with secular
agencies public and private, to know
needs are, and then to act, to CO.
operate.
The second speaker was Rev. Au.
gustine Elmendorf, OF Newark, NJ. j.,
whose subject was THE Necessity For
and the Work of Social Service" II
was Mr.. Elmendorf who brought to
the attention of Richmond people be-
fore him a condition that he declared
should be improved. Mr.. Elmendorf
during the course of his talk. told OF
visiting the Richmond City. Jail and
finding there in idleness some 200
prisoners, serving terms OF thirty days
to twelve months. In this case he
pointed out field for labor, an OPP
portunity for service which win be OF
great benefit In relieving a most har-
rowing condition.
Why Jail Breed Crime.
In the jails Of the country, he said,
where prisoners are confined in idle
ness. crime breeds. and criminals who
have been In most jail and in jails
most become heroes In the eyes OF jail
inmates. He told of one case in which
prisoners literally sat at the feet OF
a fellow-prisoner who has been in
thirty-six jails in thirty-six different
States and listened with admiration to
his tales.
The men in the jails, he said, should
be given something to do or they will,
in idleness. chafe under restraint and
plan ways in which to beat the law
when free again.
Mr.. Elmendorf declared that the
measure OF the man Is the measure
Of the service he gives. He asserted
the same applies equally to the
church, to the parish and to the do
cese. He defined social service as
the practical application Of the sec
ond commandment. Thou shalt love
thy neighbor as myself
Helping Those Who Need.
The speaker pointed out the neei
for recreation places in the Industrial
cities as elsewhere. He deplored the
Lact that In many places the pubic
Fairgrounds are the streets ami ex-
pressed the desire that all who heard
him should use their influence and
bend their efforts toward securing
proper playground and receation ia
cilities. He spoke of the borrow OF
unemployment as 1t comes in times
of depression upon thou sands of fam
lilies, pointed to those jhases of in
dustrial life as Offering 4 promising
field. He commended the State and
public employment bureaus which as
sist in finding employment for the
unemployed and in relieving suffer-
ing.
He devoted portions OF his address
to the almshouses. the hospitals. the
asylurns for the insane and for the
epiieptic and declared that one Of rhe
things that the church ought TO do
Is to arouse the public conscience to
all such problems. Missions, he said
are a great work for many reasons.
and one of the reasons he singled out
as being missions leading to social
service. He concluded with an appeal
for organized effort and for Corpora
ton in the parishes and In the do
ceses in the carrying on Of the great
labor OF the church that Is foupd in
social service.
The presiding officer at last night
mars meeting was Rt. Rev. James II
I Darlington. bishop of Harrisburg.
/ The synod yesterday afternoon re-
ceved the report OF the provincial so
cial service commission. read by Rev.
F. NJ. Kirkus. OF Maryland. The re-
! port reviewed the work done during
the first year OF the comm ,ssion in
the province, showing that splendid
organization has been effected. and
indicating that much greater work
! will be accomplished during the COM
/ ing year
Social Uplift Accomplished.
THE large cities within the
province" the report points out, "fur-
nection with this work. and notable
among them are Philadelphia and
Washington
! I'm Washington the Church is re-
, sponsibie for the Satteriee House,
/ established with view to the re-
generation of the most degraded
negro residential section of the Dis
trict Of Columbia. In lancaster, Pa,
the leader. in a phenominelly sue
cessful campaign against vice. Is the
rector of one OF the leading Episcopal
churches. In Richmond. the presi-
dent of the Virginia Hygiene Associa-
ton is a clergyman OF our Church. In
i Baltimore one Of our representative
/ laymen is well-known leader in the
Maryland Anti-Saloon movement. In
| Pittsburg the Church has been ac-
tive in furthering the suppression OF
obscene literature and In prom oting
State legislation concerning child
labor local option, moving picture
censorship and the like.
I'm. Washington fortnightly con-
ferences are regularly organized for
education along scientific lines. These
are specific instances which indicate
the character of the diocesan reports
/ The report sets forth that In the
smaller communities the work Is
more effective when it la carried on
by the workers in civic capacity rath-
err than as representatives OF the
Church. THE Christian principle"
! it says in this connection. us the
very essence Of these movements for
social betterment and economic jus
tice, but the mere suspicion Of Sec
/ tartan bias might easily prove to be
destructive to them.
/ The report concludes with a sug-
sestion for plan Of self education
along social service lines, 'the need
Of which Is keenfy felt" In con-
clusion
The Destructive Fnctors.
| st would be hard to decide which
Is the most destructive Of the social
welfare OF any community--a COM
plete inactivity on the part Of its
best citizens, or the misdirected en-
! thusiasm Of committees and in
dividuals urgently bent on doing
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