TO-DAY we stand in the grey dawn of a
era. The shadows are lifting, and the mountain
peaks above us are golden in the first gleam of day.
A sincere belief that inquiry will elicit the truth,
which alone can make us free, has brought about
the growth of tolerance in the minds of Christian
Englishmen, and the misery and despair which are
directly paralysing millions, and indirectly sadden-
ing thousands of lives in all classes, are slowly but
surely bearing their fruit in the conviction that
wrongdoing and injustice are at the root of our
social anarchy. The creed that little can be done
by man to lighten the burden of suffering of his
brothers is finally discredited. Last January,
before an audience in London, a professed political
economist said that "it is now apparent to all that
the long and bitter controversy between economists
and human beings has ended in the conversion of
the economists." In another part of this issue will
be found striking confirmation of this view, drawn
from contemporary literature.
but our success by our cause." MILFORD.
BY POST, 1d.
YEARLY, 1s. 6d. )
are bound to investigate every proposed scheme of
social reform, and to follow it out at any cost, if it
would have met the commendation of the Poor Man
of Nazareth." To the Radical, the Democrat, and
the Socialist we say, with the deepest sympathy
with their motives and their aims, that no legisla-
tive reform, no equalisation of voting power, no re-
distribution of wealth will effect the results they
desire. Can the world be made happy by Acts of
Parliament alone? Will those who now will not
stir a finger to get votes use their electoral power
truly well? Would the Socialist's object be really
gained if every man in England were as wealthy as
an alderman or an archbishop? We wish to go
deeper into the heart of the matter than that.
We shall find in dealing with matters of present
interest that one political party may be more often
on our side than the other; we shall find ourselves
probably obliged to speak against the crimes and
follies of certain strata of society nearly as strongly
as the Christian communists of eighteen centuries
But we disclaim any political bias; we declare
ago.
that class hatreds and class prejudices shall be ex-
cluded from our pages, and that to us "class" griev-
ances have no meaning, for-
"Labouring man and labouring woman
Have one sorrow and one shame.
Everything that's done inhuman
Injures all of them the same."
Signs are not wanting to show that social disruption or social reform must shortly take place. "Bitter voices say it, voices of battle and of famine through all the world, which must be heard some We declare for day, who ever keeps silence." social reform. Who is on our side? To professing Christians we say, "You are bound to follow in your The belief that not hate but love is the law of life social life the commands you acknowledge in your will cleanse our most vehement protests from the private life. As men of business, and as citizens, bitter personalities and disgraceful imputations of whatever your shade of belief, you are bound to motive that too often supply the place of argument remember to 'Do justice and judgment.' You' and patient discussion. If we believe our opinions