Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1878-01-09

1t was but natural, perhaps necessarily
so, that the epidemic OF costly church-build-
ing which swept over the country few
years ago should be succeeded by an ep-
idemic of church debt-paying. And to meet
the emergency exactly, a Chicago gentleman
whether clergyman or layman we do not
know-seems to have been specially called
to the work and endowed with remarkable
gifts in the line of his calling. Accordingly
we hear of HIM in several of our larger cities,
session, debts of several hundred thousand
dollars which have hung for years like mill
stones about the necks of the largest and
most popular churches. But the energetic
crusade of this wonderful dnbt-raiser re-
veals perhaps more distinctly than would
have been shown in any other way the wide
spread influence the spirit of reckless extrav-
lgance has obtained in church enterprise.
Indeed, it is only excelled by that which has
wrought such disaster in secular affairs.
With that delightful confidence in the flu
ure so characteristic of inflated periods in
secular matters, it is seen that church organ
ization after church organization have gone
On cheerfully taking upon themselves debt
burdens of thousands upon thousands of dol
lars, with the vague notion that somehow
the Lord would provide" " The Christians
faith SAYS the New York Times, " is beau
iful and sublime. Inspired byit, men have
.ubdued Kingdoms, wrought righteousness
lnd obtained promises but this is not the
,ort of faith which should lead men TO think
hey can glorify God with borrowed money
II is a shame aud mockery TO dedicate
with solemn rites church ediiice shinged
Ill over with mortgages. 1t may he argued
ia defense, that -" fine church will draw"
hat more people will come in and help pay
he debt, if they see pile of carved stone
decorated with stained glass and sumptuous
| upholstery but when the time of shrlnkage
Omes, the members of the church stagger
under burdens greater than they can bear,
The fact that Mr., kimball has found such
Wild and important field for labor is a
sufficient comment upon the condition of
the churches, and it is tu lac hoped that the
lesson OF the facts will he taken home. In
commenting upon Mr.. Kmball's work, our
contemporary further says " 1t is a noble
undertaking, and he may very Justly be
called a missionary in a new field, lie has
been instrumental in bringing about new
and much needed form in church enterprise.
He might however, have hren spared these
labors, if, before his time, another mission
AIRY had preached the gospel of keeping ont
of debt" 1t is not too late, we think, for the
preaching of this gospel, even now. Mr.
kimball's work is noble one, but it lnnot
be made too prominent in this connection
that his success isdue TO the fact that it has
been permitted by the exigencies of tn,
moment, and that such measures c,,nno
be relied upon rs means of relief fo
churches that may hereafter nuwisely be
come involved in similar difficulties. Mr.
! Kimball may justly bc called mission a
in new field" but it is a field that vii
= soon be worked over Nor can the work o
= the church debt-payer be tolerated As PEI
manent professional labor.