Official proceedings of the annual meeting: 1923

228'

THE CHURCH

sin and righteousness, forgiveness, and regeneration cannot be reduced to theological
algebra.
Thus, regarded as institutions having a distinct place in the life of a community,
the churches and social agencies both render and receive mutual aid. It would be a
pity if any rivalry should grow up between them. The growing sweep of social work is
vastly greater than anything the church can ever undertake or should ever undertake.
This fact itself, however, makes clear the social function of the church. It, no more
than the school, will be replaced by specialized agencies of society. It will continue
its manifold ministration to human needs, but its primary function is educational
rather than directive or administrative. It must conform its teachings and practices
to the actual facts which social experiment furnishes; but, relieved from the pressure
of innumerable social duties, the church can more effectively devote itself to its own task
of producing men and women of faith and good will, and of training them in the art of
co-operative living. It can thus become the manual training-school of social service
rather than its exclusive agent. It may be that some of us may have to change our
conception as to what the church is and even change our estimates of the ultimate value
of human life, but such changes will be toward a better mutual understanding between
institutions which seek to answer problems set by maladjustments in life. Institutions
which seek to make men more brotherly by inculcating a faith in the God of love will
furnish the material for a new society. Agencies for rendering social service effective
will organize this material and train it for service. If both will heartily co-operate
in the pursuit of fraternity, they can not only ameliorate human ills but set up social
practices which shall evolve a more moral, more permanent, and more equitable social
order. Upon such co-operation confidence may hopefully rest. For, recognizing that
social service is a means rather than a goal, it will accustom our world to that attitude
of mind and that social behavior which individuals and classes and nations must possess
if ever mankind is to realize that it is more blessed to give justice than to fight for rights.
THE RELATION OF THE CHURCH TO SOCIAL WORKERS
Dr. Alice Saloman, Berlin, Germany
It is with great diffidence that I attempt to add a few words to the addresses which
we have listened to tonight. It seems exceedingly presuming for a laywoman to speak
after we have heard two men, who by their very calling, are entitled and privileged to
deal with the subject of the day. Yet I feel that in a way the evening would remain
incomplete if one of the social workers who is working outside the church did not present her ideas on the relation of the church and the social work of the present day.
I will not approach this subject in a general way. I would rather deal with it from
one particular point of view. I will not inquire how far the social work is directly
affected by the church, but will speak on the relation of the church to the social worker
himself, to social workers as a body. I will try to point out what the social worker
receives from the church and, let me say in all due humility, what he or she can give
back to it. That means I will speak on the underlying principles of social work.
The question before me is therefore how it is possible for people of different nations,
classes, professions, and creeds to meet here together in a unity of purpose, in a spirit
of co-operation and mutual good will. What is there in social work which draws us