PREFACE

́T is really remarkable how large a place the term "social service" has come to occupy in modern speech. The pulpit and press have apparently combined in an earnest endeavor to proclaim the gospel of intelligent, persevering and Christian help.

The fine words of the apostle Paul, "No man liveth unto himself," are being emphasized in many practical ways, and the noble sentiment of William Cullen Bryant, echoing as they do the life-message of the Christ, whose succinct biography of five words -"Who went about doing good"-is being incarnated in an ever-increasing number of lives.

"Dear ties of mutual succor bind

The children of our feeble race;
And if our brethren were not kind,
This earth were but a weary place.

We lean on others as we walk

Life's twilight path, with pitfalls strewn; And 'twere an idle boast to talk

Of treading that dim path alone.

Amid the snares misfortune lays
Unseen beneath the steps of all,
Blest is the love that seeks to raise,

And stay, and strengthen those who fall;
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Till, taught by Him who for our sake
Bore every form of life's distress,
With every passing year we make

The sum of human sorrow less."

The "sum of human sorrow" is a huge aggregate, and constitutes a mighty challenge to all who profess the name of the "Son of Man," humanity's "Elder Brother." A huge task, indeed, and viewed in the light of merely human resources alone, a task well calculated to discourage to the point of despair. But the doubtful question, "Who is sufficient for these things?" is sufficiently answered by the assurance, "I can do all things through Christ strengthening me." Then we must recognize the power there is in union, and see the inspiration as well as the good sense there is in the old adage, "Many hands make light work." The point here to be emphasized is the availability of the power adequate to the accomplishment of the task, given that the will to do the spirit of service-be developed.

In all the world there is not an intelligent human being so lowly in circumstance, or meagre in endowment, as not to be necessary in some part of the great field of human endeavor; not one for whom "the Lord of the harvest" has no commission. Take two of our Lord's parables, The laborers in the vine

yard, (Matt. xx:1-16); and the two sons, (Matt. xxi:28-32), and the inclusive character of His commission is made plain. These parables, read with care and prayer, will emphasize the command and reveal the need and incite the prayer for such enduement of will and power as are essential to swift and sustained obedience.

more.

The number of books written and published on Christianity applied to social wellbeing during the past forty years, Dr. J. H. W. Stuckenberg's book on "Christian Sociology," was published in 1880,-is very considerable. Nor is this surprising, for so varied and insistent are the needs of society that increasing ability in meeting these needs has been matched by increasing ability for discovering By way of suggestion, think of some forms of this diversity as expressed in current sociological teaching, teaching of a distinctively constructive character, aiming at the elucidation of man's social nature, the place and meaning of religion in social service, the present significance of reason and faith, -knowledge and repentance,-regeneration and reformation, in a word, the renewed life. Then as corollaries, the enlarged content of the original commission of Jesus adapted to modern needs, not contrary to but accordant with that original. "Go, teach!" and in order that it may be done well, plant

schools and build colleges; "Go heal!" and that your healing ministry prove effective, found hospitals in which the results of finest experimentation in costly laboratory may be efficiently utilized. Establish settlements, whose successes shall be enhanced by the products of institutional churches;-discover the essential relation between purity and doctrine, righteousness and peace, and then multiply the number and extend the influence of societies devoted thereto; recognizing the superiority of reason to force, brain over brawn, mind above matter, make boards of arbitration count more than military staffs, and forthright frankness in truth-loving and truthtelling statesmanship outweigh the dubious and devious processes of discredited secret diplomacy;give new voice to the gospel of help through the poetry of love, the poetry and love of I Cor. xiii; -the old antithesis of "master and man" be lost in the new synthesis of a common partnership, in which the capitalist's investment of wealth is equalled by the investment of the inventor's brain, the mechanic's skill, the laborer's brawn;-the rights of woman; the effective protection of children;-in a word, all that is integral to intelligent obedience to the divine mandate, "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself," must be realized as comprehended in the final commission of Jesus Christ, which, accom