Christian Sociology Expounded
Oberlin News
The Oberlin Summer School of Christian Sociology has been in progress during the past week in Sturges Hall. This school, so called, consists of a series of lectures upon the various phases of society and the methods for curing poverty and removing the causes which produce it, each lecture followed by questions and discussions.
With the exception of Mr. S. P. Bush of the Pan Handle railroad, who was prevented from filling his engagement last Friday by important business, all of the foreign speakers engaged have responded promptly.
The addresses by Prof. John B. Clark of Amherst, Hon. C. S. Darrow and Z Swift Holbrook of Chicago, Prof. Weston of Cleveland, and Prof. T. N. Carver of Oberlin, would make a reliable textbook on the subject. The two addresses by Col. Carroll D. Wright, United States Commissioner of Labor, on the social unrest were among the best of the series. Col. Wright has no hobbies but takes a reasonable position. Dr. Washington Gladden's lectures were of course of a high order and his position on all questions will not lead men astray. The addresses by Thomas Morgan the Socialist, and Samuel Gompers, the representative of the labor unions, furnished a variety in the series of discussion. A spirited debate between these two champions in which a question of veracity was involved, furnished a conspicuous episode in the proceedings of Tuesday afternoon.
Robert Bandlow of Cleveland spoke on Saturday evening, giving interesting facts about labor organizations as a factor in preventing distress among workmen.
The address by Miss Jane Addams of Chicago, called out the largest attendance of the week. Miss Addams is an interesting woman and has a grand work in her hands. Last evening Mr. Nelson, a manufacturer of St. Louis, gave a plain, straightforward talk upon the benefits of co-operative business and explained the profit-sharing system adopted by his company.
Among those in attendance from abroad: Prof. Hoyt of the Auburn (N.Y.) Theological Seminary, Prof. Arthur Fairchild of Crete, Neb; Prof. J. K. Fairchild of Tabor, Ia; Rev. C. S. Mills, Rev. I. W. Metcalf, Rev. J. H. Hull, Mr. Mellen and Mr. Jenkins of Cleveland; Rev. C. J. Dole and Superintendent Ward of Lorain; Rev. W. F. Crafts of Allegheny, Pa; Rev. J. R. Nichols of Medina; Rev. A. D. Barber of Castalia; Rev. E. E. Brathwaite of St. Louis, Mo; and Prof. Coleman of Pennsylvania.
This evening James R. Sovereign of Philadelphia, Grand Master of the Knights of Labor, will speak. Friday morning Rev. Henry M. Tenney will deliver an address on "The Family"; in the afternoon Mr. Z. Swift Holbrook will occupy the hour assigned to Prof. Bosworth on the program, and in the evening Dr. Washington Gladden will speak on "Present Day Problems." Dr. Gladden is one of the sound men on living questions and should have a full house.
The series will close on Saturday morning with an address by Dr. Brand on "The Church and the Masses," a subject of which is receiving wide attention.
