William Dwight Porter Bliss
Encyclopedia
William Dwight Porter Bliss (1856 - 1926) was an American Christian Socialist writer, editor, and activist. He is remembered as a pioneer historian of the world socialist movement.
, Turkey
on August 20, 1856, the son of Christian
missionaries
there. He was educated at Phillips Academy, Andover and the Hartford Theological Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut
.
He acted as pastor following his graduation in 1882. He first served Congregationalist
communities and then Episcopalian churches.
, a movement which sought to apply the teachings of Christ to modern social difficulties, caused, they believed, by industrialization and urbanization. In 1889 Bliss organised the first Christian Socialist Society in the United States. He was also the editor of The Dawn, the official magazine of the society.
In 1887 Bliss attempted to become the Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts
but lost the election. He had stood on the Labor Party
ticket. He served as an investigator for the Bureau of Labor
.
Bliss lectured extensively on labor and social reform. He edited and compiled many publications, including the Encyclopædia of Social Reform in 1897.
In World War I
, he did educational work among French
and Belgian
soldiers interned in Switzerland
.
until his death in that city on October 8, 1926.
Bliss is honored together with Richard Theodore Ely with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA)
on October 8.
Early life
William Dwight Porter Bliss was born in ConstantinopleIstanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
on August 20, 1856, the son of Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
missionaries
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
there. He was educated at Phillips Academy, Andover and the Hartford Theological Seminary in Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
.
He acted as pastor following his graduation in 1882. He first served Congregationalist
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
communities and then Episcopalian churches.
Political career
In the 1880s Bliss became interested in Christian SocialismChristian socialism
Christian socialism generally refers to those on the Christian left whose politics are both Christian and socialist and who see these two philosophies as being interrelated. This category can include Liberation theology and the doctrine of the social gospel...
, a movement which sought to apply the teachings of Christ to modern social difficulties, caused, they believed, by industrialization and urbanization. In 1889 Bliss organised the first Christian Socialist Society in the United States. He was also the editor of The Dawn, the official magazine of the society.
In 1887 Bliss attempted to become the Lieutenant-Governor of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
but lost the election. He had stood on the Labor Party
American Labor Party
The American Labor Party was a political party in the United States established in 1936 which was active almost exclusively in the state of New York. The organization was founded by labor leaders and former members of the Socialist Party who had established themselves as the Social Democratic...
ticket. He served as an investigator for the Bureau of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
.
Bliss lectured extensively on labor and social reform. He edited and compiled many publications, including the Encyclopædia of Social Reform in 1897.
In World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he did educational work among French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
soldiers interned in Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
.
Death and legacy
After the War, Bliss returned to the United States and preached in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
until his death in that city on October 8, 1926.
Bliss is honored together with Richard Theodore Ely with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA)
Calendar of saints (Episcopal Church in the United States of America)
The veneration of saints in the Episcopal Church is a continuation of an ancient tradition from the early Church which honors important people of the Christian faith. The usage of the term "saint" is similar to Roman Catholic and Orthodox traditions. Those in the Anglo-Catholic tradition may...
on October 8.
Works
- Socialism in the Church of England. Boston: n.p., 1888.
- What Is Christian Socialism? Boston: Society of Christian Socialists, 1890.
- What Christian Socialism Is. Boston: Office of the Dawn, 1894.
- Objections to Christian Socialism. Boston: Office of the Dawn, 1894.
- The Social Faith of the Catholic Church: Or, the Lesson of Fellowship in Unity: A Sermon for Trinity Sunday. Boston: Office of the Dawn, 1894.
- What Is Socialism?" Roslindale, MA: The Dawn, 1894.
- A Handbook of Socialism: A Statement of Socialism in its Various Aspects, and a History of Socialism in All Countries. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1895.
- Arbitration and Conciliation in Industrial Disputes. Boston: Church Social Union, 1895.
- American Trade Unions. Boston: Church Social Union, 1896.
- What To Do: A Programme of Christian Socialism. San Francisco: Rembaugh, n.d. [1890s].
- A Plea for the Union of the Reform Forces with the Democratic Party. New York: Commercial Printing House, n.d. [c. 1900].
- "What is Done for the Unemployed in European Countries," Bulletin of the Bureau of Labor, no. 76, pp. 741-934.
- The New Encyclopedia of Social Reform. Co-editor with Rudolph Michael Binder and Edward Page Gaston. New York: Funk and Wagnalls, 1908.