SOCIAL REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1186, 22 July 1911, Page 9

SOCIAL REFORM.

united tree chukch. modera- .'■ .tor's.:.views. ;;. ;,-,.- : ; . Dr.-.Jnmes Wells, - - Moderator 'of." the United-Free Church.-Assembly, look as the subject of. his address from .the chair tho recent meeting at Edinburgh certain problems connected with!social reform. "During half a century," ho said, "I have ha-1 the amplest opportunities for studying these burning questions. I spent several years 111 the wynds of > Glasgow, a distrifltiohoseii as a 'mir.si(m field for the excellent reason that if'h.id the heaviest calendar of crime. iivtho city." Dr. Wells approves of the proposal to add sociology to the curriculum of divinity students,, but he warns his brother ministers that it is easy to-theorise .fur.the millions and miss the man. A bishop said lately that he had.learned mqro from tho poor than from books. "I still gratefully romembnr the genial evangelical, climate in the-class-room. of Dr. Francis Dejiizscli. A friend once asked him how, timid all the intellectual currents of his ago, he had preserved tho simplicity of the evangelical faith. Ho promptly replied, 'In my youth I witnessed the power of the Gospel among the poor.' Many at home have, had a similnr',experience'. ."'I do .feel Christ to. be'with me, and would like to, cet nearer' llim/'a friend once said to Dr. John Duncan. 'Yonder He is,' replied the doctor, -'seckinsr the lost, fio there and you will find Him.' They who act on this advico will instinctively and passionately strivo to foster all social ministries, owl bring tho legislation of earth nearer the legislation of heaven.' Dr. Wells condemned the idea of postponing the evangelising'.of.the poor fill.their olifward conditions • had been improved. As ho reminded his! hearers, many of the early Christians were slaves. '■ "The world has never seen a worse heredity and environment t-h'an theirs.. They slept in damn cave? and holes, or were chained in she-Is like cattle, and glad to get a little straw to lie on." The apostles had no power to soften these horrible conditions. Yet they preached to these slaves the glorious Gospel of Christ.