Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-12-12
SOCIAL SERVICE URGED.
Churches Of Christ Have Way Pointed
For Community Advancement,

l u
st. Louis. Dec. ll.-z-At today's ses-
sion of the quadrennial meeting of the
Federal Council Of the Churches OF
Christ in America, the Rev. Worth NJ,
Tippy. of Vanderbilt University. read
the report OF the commission on the
church and social service, outlining an
exhaustive program, of general scc:al
welfare.
The attitude of the church to recre-
alton was one of the subjects on which
he laid stress. This attitude, he said.
has been on the whole critical and
negative: it should now become sympa-
thetic, positive, and aggressive 1t
should be commended that it is chris
tian service. natural expression of
christian love. 'sh 7,.-'at
"A direct way in which the churches
are in a position to- contribute to this
need is by enlarging their work as
neighborhood centers. Their possible
contribution is very significant, due to
the fact that there are 20I,sas protest
ant churches in the United States, and
that they are thoroughly organized and
firmly established in the heart OF every
community" ~
The commission urged better organ
ization among the churches for educa-
ton for social service, and discussed
the relation of the pulpit TO politics 1t
said, in part:
In their relation TO public officials,
ministers, evangelsts, and ministers
associations are urged to reduce she
prevailing attitude of criticism toward
public servants and to adopt one OF
sympathy and corporation, reserSng
public attacks. as workingmen reserve
the strike, to be used only as a last re-
sort. The remarkable advance in niu-
nicipal government in the United states
during the last decade justifies such
change of attitude" a,4.
1t also took up the problem Of unem-
ployment, and declared that when d
period of unemployment due to indus
trial depression strikes a community, il
is immensely important for the churches
to organize in great way, to meet the
emergency" o.. -9,
The present moment" it continued,
when the industry OF the nation is at
fcod-tide, when the problem is not to
find work but to get workers, is an op-
perfume time, in which to think thru
the problems of unemployment in order
to obriate future crises so far as that
may be possible, and TO prepare for an
emergency of Unemployment, should IL
arise" ..--.s.
The problems of housing, CONNER
cia!ized vice, prison reform, overwork.
standard living wage and others were
discussed with attention given also TO
the equal status of women. The churcn
has been backward in the matter of the
woman's cause, according to the com
mission. and in conclusion it says:
" In the present CRISIS of the relation
of the sexes. due in part to the cul
mination of the movement for the free
dom of women coincident with the eco
nomic changes Of the war. We urge tina!
the churches W lend their aid 10 ths
women; that they use their utmost en-
deavors to protect the home and to
safeguard those women, particularly
those girls, who go out from 1t into in
dustry: that they stand for the prin
ciples Of equality 6r-recompense where
there is equal service, and for full free
dom ofientrante into the, world work:
that they reinforce the spirit OF chiv-
airy towards" Nv omerY, these
changed conditions.s,r,