Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1886-02-11
CHURCH AND OTHER CHARITIES

WICHITA, Hans, Feb. Q, 1886.
Col NJ. NJ. Murdock
DEAR SIR You really ought TO recon-
slider your criticism on the benevolent col
lections of the First 81. L. church. You
evidently believe in everything progressing
but the church. The greatest institution of
time must stand still amid the general i'm
provement, and employ the methods and
contribute the means of fifty or hundred
years ago. The same argument pushed 10
its logical results would carry us back 30 the
days Of the weekly newspaper, the lumber
ing stage coach, and the lazy sail-boat. The
authorities of the church did not exceed the
limitations of reason when they laid an
assessment of $425 on membership of more
500 souls. 1t is less than one dollar each.
How much did the leading citizens of this
city contribute TO the last political cam
paigng Why, Colonel, there is not one of
you but would have rejoiced to get off for
one dollar apiece. What did the
late spiritual huhIbug cost the ciiti-
zens of this city, There were
no tears and loud lamentations over that
impious fraud and reckless waste Of money.
Certainly the church is doing grand and
noble work, and it ought TO receive the aid
and sympathy of every man who feels his
kinship TO humanity and his origin in the
Father-God. The city of Wichita voted
$4,000 in bonds to two great railroad cor
porations. That WAS well and grandly done.
The benevolences of the great Methodist
Episcopal church are intended to largely in
crease the sum total of human happiness, 20
elevate men to higher planes of truth and
goodness, and qualify them for blissful
eternity, and certainly no congregation
IL 4 6. nSr,l 1.1,
thaR one dollar apiece to such inconceiva-
men are filed with the spirit of Christ will
they make giving literally to His cause their
chief happiness and glory.
L. S. HoDGsoN.
We shall take no issue With our reverend
friend, approaching fully the spirit of his
words. But the congregation to which We
preach, and TO which he addresses himself
this morning, is so diverse from his that he
must not feel aggrieved if they don't agree
with him altogether. Outside Of the men,
bership of the churches nine out of ten will
endorse what we said as will many who are
inside. But let our kind pastor step outside
his present life of Christian sympathies and
spiritual comforts and step into the shoes OF
some of our business or professional men tor
q few months and he will couclude that the
present business of this life is begging, So
Letting and collecting. The Methods.
church is not, itself, very slow in collections,
never failing to pass the hat at every public
service and sending out committees at odd
times during week days to collect quartersge
for preachers salary, etc. Now when you
come to add TO the collections made by all
the churches, and all the church societies,
and Sunday schools, all the festivals gotten
up in the name of enterprise, in the name of
holidays and the ike, in the name of libra
ries, temperance, esangelists, relief corps,
visiting committees, homes, etc, ETC., what
we said will, perhaps appear more reason
able. Now We have taken no advantage of
our last say farther than to explain briefly,
but our friend Hodgson can have new hat
at or expense if eight business men out OF
every ten in Whichi;a don't fully endorse
our criticism.