Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1883-01-24
How TO Do 1t.


1t is very common to scoff at modern
churches as "social clubs;' but after all
there is New Testament authority for giving
no little prominence to social life in the
church. The early Christians, we are told,
went from house to house, not only praising
God, but breaking bread and eating their
meat. There are not few families in every
community who have very little elevating
society except such as the church affords.
To give the young people something else to
do one evening in the week than TO dance,
and the old people something else than to
gossip, is a most useful service. The church
that knows how to conduct successfully and
well what is with doubtful grammar called
a church sociable," knows how to prac-
tice as well as to preach brotherly love.
How to do this is a problem which not a
few churches have found too much for their
solution. 1t really is difficult problem.
When we invite our friends to our homes
we select our guests so as to secure homo
geneous company. We manage introduc-
tions so as to bring people Of like tastes to-
gether. We guard against monopolizing
of the conversation by one or two, and the
breaking up of the whole company into little
cliques and coteries. But the church gath
ering is necessarily Heterogeneous. 1t is al
most necessarily under no social leadership.
1t is apt to be crowd instead of club, and
sometimes waters heart-burnings and quar-
rels instead of friendships and fraternal fel-
lowships. A correspondent thus tells US
how one church has solved this perpetual
problem of church life : "On Sunday the
minister reads notice like this The
church social will meet this week on Thurs
day evening in the church parlors, with Mrs.
S. and Mrs. b A cordial invitation is given
to all, particularly to any stranger in the con-
gregation.' Then Mrs. S. and Mrs. B. lay their
plans as carefully as either would do if she
were giving large party at her home,
though the details differ. When the even
ing comes the guests are shown, as they
arrive, into the cloak room by one of Mrs
BIS sons, and when they come into the par
lors are met by the two ladies, who receive
them. bringing the right people together,
and with the aid of their especial assistants
see to it that none are without introductions.
Flowers on the small tables give the rooms
festive air. Everything that can be
thought of is done to prevent stiffness or a
feeling Of strangeness anywhere. If Mrs.
S., who has been abroad, chooses, she brings
her stereoscope and photographs, and hovers
round the group who gather about them,
ready 10 answer questions, and these foreign
pictures are treat to many who do not
have them at home. Mrs. B g daughter
has gift for story telling and is apt to have
circle of young people listening to her
some part of the evening. There is no set
literary entertainment, only now and then
song or some playing, or an amateur string
quartet, or the young people coax the min
lister, who is something of an elocutionist, to
give reading. 1t is all quite informal and
no more than might happen in any home
gathering" There are refreshments of a
simple character. There is a collection at
the close which generally pays the cost of
the supper. The supper itself is wholly un-
der the charge of the ladies who give the
entertainment. The essence of the plan is
to put each church "sociable" into the
hands of one or two ladies, and leave them
to manage it with as absolute control as
if it were given by their invitation at their
own home. The plan has certainly some
great advantages and the fact that it has
proved success on actual trial is not the
least among them.