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REV. S. B. MCCORMICK, D.D., ON 



This very situation is developing in America a new set of 

 emotions, convictions, responsibilities, and obligations. Oat of 

 this, a new and better social order is in process. The frank, 

 naked individualism of the past is feeling the impact of the 

 social idea. The tremendous struggle in which the men of 

 America were compelled to engage in order to overcome nature, 

 to carve farm lands out of the limitless prairies, to open and 

 operate mines, to build cities, to construct railways and tele- 

 graph and telephone, to create wealth and surplus capital, to 

 lay strong and deep the foundations of political, social, educa- 

 tional and religious institutions, has been responsible for the 

 fact that one overmastering idea is that of production. This 

 problem had to be solved. Mills liad to be built. Labour had 

 to be secured. Capital had to be created. It is not strange, 

 therefore, from the standpoint of psychology as from the stand- 

 point of compulsion, that little attention relatively was given 

 to the equally important matter of distribution. This situation 

 is now undergoing rapid change. Men are coming to see that 

 the mere production of wealth, vital as it is to public well- 

 being, is not enough ; that its just distribution among those 

 who contributed to its creation is also a sacred obligation which 

 must neither be evaded nor deferred. 



The development of the social consciousness of a great 

 nation of individualists is a radical and marvellous process. 

 But it is a process which is going on in America. The final 

 result is not in doubt. Men of wealth all over our land are 

 recognizing the obligation and responsibilities possessions lay 

 upon them. They are giving thought to the best methods of 

 placing accumulated wealth to the public service. Not 

 Mr. Eockefeller and Mr. Carnegie only, but most men are 

 working out the problem as conscientiously as they know how. 

 A short while ago New York city gave four million dollars to 

 the work of the Christian Associations. My own city of 

 Pittsburg, in a public movement among the citizens, gave the 

 University of Pittsburg two million dollars. In every way 

 this new social idea is clothing itself in some concrete form of 

 service. City planning ; better housing ; education more per- 

 fectly adapted to the practical needs of the people ; legislation 

 on behalf of children and wage-earning women; bureaux to 

 aid the newly-arriving immigrant that he may go where he 

 ought, engage in the work he can do best, be protected from 

 those who would prey upon his ignorance of the customs of 

 the strange land ; the Christian Associations doing a work of 

 marvellous importance in surrounding young men and women 



