generally with a gymnasium attached, and with a host of young men
ready to make his acquaintance and surround him with Christian
influences. In many towns, the institution has developed from the
purely religious enterprise into a many-sided effort to give practical
educational training and to attract young men to it by the help it
renders them in secular pursuits. The institution as it now exists,
must be counted as one of the most beneficent in its far-reaching
influence that the century has produced.

HUMANITARIAN WORK.

Kindred in spirit, but differing essentially in operation, is the
institution, peculiarly a product of nineteenth century religion,
which we know as the Social or College Settlement. Though it does not
claim a distinctively religious character, its principles are so
thoroughly identical with Christianity, that no survey of the
religious life of the century would be complete without a recognition
of it. It is the spirit that brought the Founder of Christianity to
the earth, to live a lowly life among men, which inspires the Social
Settlement. It is generally an unostentatious house in some crowded
neighborhood, where the people are poor and life is hard. In the house
are a number of college-bred men, or women, who come in relays and
live there for a week or a month or longer. They do no missionary
work, do not preach, or denounce, or instruct their neighbors, but
they live among them a cleanly, helpful, friendly life, welcoming them
cordially as visitors, advising them if advice is sought, rendering
help in difficulties and being neighborly in the best sense of the
word. There are concerts in the house, exhibitions of pictures,
children's parties and amusements of various kinds to which all the
neighbors are welcome. Charity is no part of the Settlement's
programme. It does not give, but it extends a brotherly hand, and in a
spirit of friendship and equality seeks to do a brother's part in
brightening lowly lives. Hundreds of such institutions are in
operation on both sides the Atlantic. To the credit of this century be
it said that it has seen in these institutions the Parable of the Good
Samaritan made a living fact in intelligent organization.

Tending directly toward the same object, is the religious enterprise
now commonly known as the Institutional Church. It is a distinct gain
to the church if the people in its vicinity discover that it is
anxious to help them to a better and happier life