directly in line with even the most radical socialist of the day. Political career Bliss had a lengthy and diverse political career while serving as a minister in the Episcopal church. For one his first political projects, Bliss helped found the American branch of the leftist-leaning Christian Social Union to condemn capitalism and push Christianity to take on a socialist agenda (1884 to 1887). Bliss also served as member of the Knights of Labor, beginning in 1886, advocating more moderate reform he believed would be a necessary foundation in order to achieve his socialist vision for America. In 1887 Bliss ran for Lieutenant Governorship of Massachusetts as a candidate of the Labor Party, but lost the election. Shortly after his political campaign for lieutenant Governor, Bliss founded the Society of Christian Socialists (SCS) in 1889. During that same time he also helped to create a Christian socialist newspaper called The Dawn, which he later bought in 1891 in order to bring a more socialist message to the paper. Much like his more general philosophy in regards to Christian Socialism, the goal of these projects were to the show that “the aim of socialism is embraced in the aim of christianity” and that the” teachings of Jesus Christ lead directly to some specific form of socialism”. During these years Bliss also edited and compiled many publications, including the Encyclopedia of Social Reform beginning in 1897. This was the definitive reference work on social movements published during the Progressive Era. Not only did it describe social movements, The Encyclopedia of Social Reform further articulated Bliss's belief that the church and organized religion were viable vehicles of social and economic revolution in America. Following his time with the Society of Christian Socialists and The Dawn, Bliss took on a job as an investigator for the Bureau of Labor from 1907 to 1909 to highlight and eventually improve working conditions for laborers. Bliss and the Christian Socialist Fellowship Bliss played an integral role within the Christian Socialist Fellowship. As the Fellowship convention, Bliss was elected to the Committee on Constitution, and his entire speech was included in the Christian Socialist Report of the conference. After 1910 he accepted a position within the Committee on Literature to write a series of Sunday school lessons through a socialist lens. That same year he also became one of the contributing editors to the newspaper of the fellowship