The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-02
B1PTIsT MINISTER'S, views.
Ftne Music and Pretty Girl. ms Auxiliary co
Success In n Church.

"The Best Financial Basis for the Sup
port OF Public Worship" wns the subject Of
paper which the Row. Halsey Knapp OF Brook
Ign read before the Baptist minsters Mt their
meeting on Monday morning. Brother Knapp
spokc OF the hardships and restraint which
lack OF cash imposed upon many churches. and
condemned many practices rcsortcd TO for tho
purpose Of raising money. THE church build
ing" he said. is Il sacred odihce consecrated
TO tho Lord and. after having been used for this
purpose, should mover be allowed. under any
consideration. to he sold for debt or in any way
to pass into the hands of persons who will use
1t for any other purpose than worship. just
think OF the organ. which has accompanied the
singing OF hymns to our Maker. being tuned to
the service OF the devil. great error Is frc-
qucntly made in the building Of churches. Thcy
should not be built except in conviction of the
will Of God. and not to crafty ambition or
pique. This is the secret of many church fall
urcs. A church has no right to employ pnstor
at n larger salary than II can afford to pay.
Don't renr too stylish ediiiccs. Better build
cheapy and mcany. and own your building.
than Worship God in n costly temple over which
hangs n heavy mortgage. We must not solicit
money from ungodly persons, nor accept IL
gotten gains. such Ms the product of rum-scll-
ing. We mus, not attract people toour churches
by our fine music or a fine array of pretty girls;
This Is nm adultcration OF wOrship which God
regards as an insult, II IL n refuge Of lies.
Ministers complain that tho rich won't give.
That is purity their own fault. Let these non
giving rich people be disciplined for covetous-
ness even at the expense Of new form OF
church govnrnmcnt"
Brother Maui said he did not snderstani
whit Brother Knapp meant 10y saying that
church organs were sonnet mos tuned 10 the ser.
vice OF the devil Brother Knapp rosc and said
hastily: mean that they play operate music
Thut's devil enough for me-
Brother Rhodes disscntcd from the notion ~
building cheaply and meanly. Alnny church
Is kept poor by il. Better have house that will
attract the people, oven though you have to- run
in debt to do IT, When he took charge Of his
society in Brooklyn they were worshipping in
hall They had 81 900 in bunk and nj his
lnstigation built n church which cost ss5.OQQ;
Their running expenses arc $1,000 year; All
their bills are promptly paid. His salary Is al
WAYS puid when II IL due. and has been. for that
fuse cash from ungodly people. Get al the
Brother Smondson said that now we had no
holy 81 holcs. rs was the ease I'm the days OF
Solumon's temple. His church was no more ga
cred than the house in which he lived. He
would as soon give n concert. lecture. or cnter-
taininent ol any kind to raise money In his
church us to give 1t in his own parlor or hired
brother Simmons didn't approve the pow
rent system. hut would tnke all the money he
could get from sinners. Iheir interest IN the
church was in proportion To the amount they
contributed To liz suSienhnce.
Brother Spclmnn leuiOredl thought the ques-
ton OF how To get money was the most dlnirult
conundrum of the age 70 solve. lie would take
all the cash be could get, no matter whore II
came from. He didn't know how men nude
their money. and he wasn't responsible for
what he diln know.
Brother Potter condemned cheap church edi-
fees. Their church huildings wore disgrace
10 the Baptist nomination. The Bautists had
only three or four churches In New York city
which could bo called decent. People - To Eu-
rope to study church architecture, but they
don't look among Baptist churches in America
for that purpose. lie liked lively music Many
] of our popular Sunday school hymns have a
waltz movement. and the grand old Pleyels
hymn affords very good music 10 dance 10y.
Brother Adams thought that one Of the most
/ degrading church practices was sending chill
dren among persons who are not Christians.
ask ing them to Please buy n ticket 10 our con-
/ cert: only twenty-five cents" He did not be-
! lievc il was right for churches 10 run IN debt.
/ our koman Catholic brethren set us an eX-
! ample In thls matter which is worthy OF our
/ imitation. With them. no church IS too good 70
worship God in if they own IT, ANY church is
| too good II it Is not theirs. II Archbishop
/ Hughes had begun 10 build the FINN avenue
Cathedral when he located its SITE II would
/ have been killing blow tQ the church. 1t will
! hc ycnTs before IL il completed. but when II Is
| done those who worship there will never be dis
| turOed 10y u threatening mortgage.