THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL QUESTIONS.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1443, 18 May 1912, Page 9

THE CHURCH AND SOCIAL QUESTIONS.

BISHOP GORE'S VIEWS. The second number of the "International Review of Mission," the quarterly issued by the Continuation Committee of tho World Missionary Conference, contains an interesting article by Bishop Gore, of Oxford, on "Foreign Missions and Social Questions." The Bishop deals with what ho calls "two great worldwide movements for the emancipation of man, which can claim tile sympathy of Christians"—that is, tho Labour movement in Europe and Nationalism in India and tho East generally. lie maintains that the Labour movement, in spito of its faults and exaggerations, ought in its broad lines to enlist tho sympathy and co-operation of all who call themselves Christians. The Churches, ho says, have been indifferent to the claims of Labour. Tlicy have been "much more

anxious to defend the rights of property than to protect; the poor; so much 'more ready at the best to comfort tho fallen and bind up the wounded in tho industrial struggle than to assert .(heir rightful clamour against the tyranny or injustice of the strong." The Bishop writes strongly as to the treatment of coloured peoples by tho white races. The latter went to America and Africa and the East after wealth, and wero unscrupulous. Tliey exploited the weak , peoples, or dispossessed them, or abused them, as suited their interest,

"and in the eyes of God we neither had nor can hove the right to do this." Tho Bishop holds, therefore, that the democratic movement, and the nationalist rising are ordained of God. "It is our cooperation as Christians that they should claim, and our' great contribution as Christians should ultimately he the demonstration that it is only through the faith in Christ that either movement can realise itself." The Gospel of Christ, with all its penetrating discipline, is what Labour needs, and a vigorous, believing, self-propagating,* and self-governing Church of the Chinese, or Japanese, or Indians, or Africans would he not only the greatest conceivable boon to the old Churches of Knrope and America, but also the greatest instrument towards tho realisation of the Divine purpose. Noiiliev Labour nor Nationalism looks upon Christianity as its friend, and, therefore, it is necessary (adds the Bishop) for the Churches and Christians "to make a great act of reasoned repentance."