Year: 1879

SOCIAL ETHICs-LECTURE by PROFESSOR FELIX


ADLER.


Professor Adlers subject was .'Social Ethics" He
said THE first impulse of many people upon the
approach of any great danger to deny its existence
The wisest policy, they think, is to say nothing
about it, But If the plague approaches it will not
avail to avert the peril if all agree to say nothing
about It, There must be warnings. SO must there
be warnings also against the moral plague the social
pest Of anarchy that is beginning to infect the civ
ilized countries of Europe and America. The social
condition of Europe at the present day is such to
give ground for serious apprehensions. In England
attempts constantly being made to cut down the
wages of the employed classes and to increase the
hours Of labor. The workingmen resist but are
quished, and in large numbers are thrown upon
Of affairs arc even more alarming. The
socialist party counts well nigh half a
people groan under the weight Of the burdens inn
posed by the military establishment. They demand
relief from excessive taxation Instead OF that the
OF iron will who rules their affairs says in the
spirit of ancient despotism:- :-"R you complain of
your burdens will yet add to them; il whips do
you to reason. In Italy, France Spain also revolu-
tionary fe-ment is working. In Russia, under the
rsdicslism is being nurtured. We may at any day
see tho fires that are now smouldering under their
ashes start forth into widespread conagrations In
this country the distress OF the poor Is by
so ncute, has It had time to become chronic.
Yet should not indulge In hasty self-congratua-
ton. W.


WHAT pnopUcEs THE TENEMENT HOUSE SYSTEM.


Greatly are favored on many accounts. there
is one particularly in which enjoy advantage.
The question has lately been put, Why the tenement
house people should crowd into our cities, consider
lug the vast unoccupied spaces that would remain
open to them? The is that 1t is in the nature
OF the modern industrial system to gather the people
in knots and thus to generate pauperism. Tho fac
tory attracts populations the Of the factory
raises the price Of land; the workman live IN
the vicinity OF his place of work; the tendency OF
wages Is toward minimum. Hence. since the work
the price Of such land Is high. since their
small it follows that many OF them must crowd to-
gether narrow plots OF land and hence the origin
Of the tenement house. Hence the social question.
Of which the tenement is, Ms 1t were, the symbol.
II factory placed in the midst OF the Garden of
q water power the howers would disappear in the
neighborhood OF the establishment. and miserable
population would dwell around about 1t. The fac
tory ties population to the SOIL However wide the
open territory Of our country may be- that will not
development Of the most shocking poverty in these
centres. America. however, is placed in fortunate
position by having an incacnlaole plenit1de OF nn-
therefore. for experiments in social improvement.
These experiments. however, should be initiated
without delay, the people reused to consciousness
OF their Importance, aud the moral questions UNDER


lying them be publicly discussed with earnest courage
and tireless iteration.


WHAT Is RELIGION?


Before concluding the subject however, there is
one other point which desire to touch upon. 1t
has been said the work OF social relief the education
of poor childron, attempts at cooperation and col
onizaton excellent in their way, but it Is mis-
take to suppose that they religion So knowl-
edge is excellent and art Is excellent but not there
| fore religion. In the pursuit Of knowledge, of
duty, the conferrng OF benefits Others bring us
only into finite relations with nature and with
| fellow men. But religion would bear us. as on
eagles wings. into the heights and depths of tine in
finite. And concede this, that dare not lose the
thought Of the infinite. There is strange law gov
| erning our personal relations. When examine
| them find that they IN reality not
| personal. The nation worships not WASH
| by that name The great OF the world glide.
while they live. into something spiritual The
| Alcxanders and Cromwells, could they be seen as
| they werc would seem little beside their fame.
true greatness OF the great consists in thisnat they
suggest tie highest greatness. So 1t Is i'll friendship
and in love- love thee. fricnd. as behold in thee
| part OF that affection after which ycarn. Not
| firm and holy our bond. The illusion OF absolute
perfection in the beloved object has been called by
ilstarrcd Heloise the holy OF love. 1t Is
more, Ii is the divinaton of personal truth. Much
| chsrity-the love Of humanity. not 80
| much interested in these swarmng thons-
] ands OF the poor individuals. Not
to their wants. their palms, their actions. do seek
| to awaken interest. That would be charity In the
ordinary sense But point to an essential injustice
in their condition, and call ali who are willing.
in the OF the everlasting law OF justice, to
establish justice, to- build mp moral perfection on
earth. to fulhl the Supreme law Of the Universeto
help, not for the sake of helping these these
women. but to help for righteousness sake This is
charity IN q religious sense. And do you wonder,
them that the greatest and wsest teachers OF rcg-
ion, the whose words still quicken and recreate
souls haveever taught the gospel OF social per-
lection the outcome OF their princpes7 They
follow the truest inspiration in so doing; thcy
veal the natural religion in that gospel.