LEAGUE OF LIBERAL CHRISTIAN THOUGHT AND SOCIAL SERVICE. A league founded in connection with the New Theology (q.v.). A more convenient designation is " The Liberal-Christian League." The President was Mr. R. J. Campbell. The objects. briefly described, were spiritual fellowship, theological freedom, and social regeneration. The League, as originally con stituted in June 190S was called " The League of Pro gressive Thought and Social Service," or, more popularly.
The Procxessive League." By February 1909 the sub scribing membership had increased to between three and four thousaud. Mr. Campbell said of the League (The New Theology, popular edition) : " Not only does it aim at providing spiritual fellowship for those whose religious sympathies are with the New Theology, but it seeks to articulate the social movement of the age from the side of liberal Christianity." Some time before the actual foundation of the League the " Christian Common wealth " had begun to register the names of persons who were prepared to unite in such a movement. The objects. as defined more completely, were fivefold. (1) To pro vide a common meeting-ground and fellowship for those who are in sympathy with liberal Christianity and all progressive religious thought. (2) To study impartially the various manifestations of religious experience, and to make known the assured results of the historic and scientific study of religion. (3) To promote the systematic
study of social questions from the spiritual and moral as well as from the economic point of view in the light of the best available knowledge and experience: to create a sense of individual, civic, and national responsibility for removing unjust social conditions: to encourage men and women to be trained and organized for social work. (4) To work for a social and economic reconstruction of society which shall secure the fullest opportunities and the most favourable environment for individual develop ment. and shall have as its goal co-operation for life instead of competition for existence. (5) To promote the development of international goodwill by concentrating attention upon and seeking to strengthen the forces that make for peace and union among the nations. The League had three departments. (1) League Studies Department. The purpose of this is obvious. (2) Social Service Department. The members of this department were to do practical work of a useful social character. (3) League Service Department. In this department, the service took the form of arranging meetings, bazaars, concerts, etc., in aid of the funds. A corps of special preachers. Pioneer Preachers, was organised. " whose work is to carry the League gospel into fresh fields." See the popular edition of R. J. Campbell's New Theology.