PRESENT CONDITIONS 261 



present lines, and the injection of a higher meaning into 

 our present ways. This, at any rate, is the aspect of reform 

 to which I shall venture to call your attention. 



Now, a clearer consciousness of the good that is already 

 in the world, is, I believe, the same thing as a clearer under- 

 standing of the meaning of the social world and of the_ 

 great principles which bind its structure together. For to 

 understand an object is to see through its defects to the 

 positive qualities that constitute it ; and nothing is ever 

 made up of its own shortcomings. Hence, we must place 

 our faith irLevolution rather than in revolution. Any good 

 that can be done in the future must first of all be firmly 

 fixed in the good at present working in the world. To 

 reform society we must recognize the need and form a 

 clear estimate of the possibility of making much more of 

 the forces of social welfare already at work amongst us. 



How, then, is this to be accomplished ? I am tempted 

 to offer a very simple answer, in which we shall all agree : 

 It is by bringing more men, more good men, to share in 

 the great enterprize of improving our social life. The 

 workers in this field, numerous as they are, are all too 

 few. The obligations of citizenship are not felt so widely 

 nor so deeply as they ought to be. 



In order that we may realize this fact, I must discuss 

 shortly the present condition of matters, and endeavour to 

 put quite plainly the results of my own observation. If 

 in any respect they are partial or incorrect, your wider 

 experience of the practical affairs of the city will enable 

 you to modify them. Is it not true that, many as are the 

 workers in the various departments of the social field, their 

 number is not great in comparison with the whole number 

 of good men in the city? If you look through the lists 



