Essays on the Social Gospel (Volume 73-154) Paperback -

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER IV THE SOCIAL, MISSION OF THE CHURCH OF TO-DAY It may be said that the Social mission of the lurch to-day isbpth, jnew Jn Jond .and. of greater urgency than in the past: not because pqygrjjlJLud- distress have increased ? for that is, to say the least, not capable of proof; nor - -- -- ? .... . -- jt ? ? --- -- because the Church is more negligent than before in works of charity ? quite thereyerse is true; nor yet because self-sacrificing and trained workers are less numerous thanjutherto ? on the contrary, they have neverbeen so numerous as now. In what sense, then, can the Church's task to-day be called new and more tifgent withTTiistory proves that new and urgent duties nevefcome to light during the dark days of declining movements. In the dreariness and distress that then prevail, all available energy must be exerted to hold fast at least the things that remain. It is only in a progressive agethat the obligation to new and higher action can be felt; and so at the present time it is just the progress we have already made that thrusts new tasks upon us. In indicating briefly the various lines along which we have advanced, I hope to say nothing with which you will not all agree. First, we have no longer to do with classes in a state of tutelage, but, though in some respects they may still be powerless, all have equal recognition, and a certain measure of education now belongs to all. I need not enter in further detail into this matter, in which the immense progress of the last century is clearly shown. It is only in small sequestered districts, or under special circumstances, that it is still possible for the relief of the poor to take the form of patriarchal care or patronage by the upper classes of those beneath them. Now that all classes ...