Morning journal and courier., 1890-03-18
THE UNCONVENTIONAL CLUB.

! union of. Congregational churches for that snd. A we'll known writer, Rev. Dr. Josiah Strong. has said: "Our land is broad enough for . thousand million Americans, born in whatever land, but not large enough for | these diverse clements among us which re- fuse to be of us." The same writer, in that | book, "Our Country" mentions l tho city, or city life, as one of the peculiar | perils threatening our people, since the dan- | Rerous elements of our society, chiefly immi- grafton, intemperance, socialism and wealth, arc there multiplied and localized. The social problems which owe their origin to one or more of these or kindred agencies receive as they demand the thoughtful consideration of every public spirited citizen. For, while many of the problems of our city life are as yet by no means as serious here as they are in New York or Chicago, yet the evils in which they originated had their days of in- fancy even in Chicago and they have grown to their present threatening proportions there either through lack of counteracting effort or through the inadequacy of such effort.
 The careful observer does not fail to note that while magazine writers and public teach era are prolific in valuable suggestions de- signed for the redemption of society from it's chronic maladies, so that the people are fa- miliar with the subject in . general and the- oretical way, yet this very theoretical infor- nation often covers vast amount of practt- cal ignorance. am reminded of the inex- perienced operator in Wall street who, after making $1 ,000 speculating in Western Union stock, developed interest enough in 1t to in- quire, "Where does the Western Union rail. road run to anywayT' Without saying aught In disparagement or criticism of the intelli- gent effort of social reformers to ameliorate the sufferipgs of the people and improve their condition, take 1t that in this Chris- tian assemblage the statement will arouse no controversy that thorough application of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the needs of the people would of itself settle many question which now baffies the ingenuity of the most conscientious students of social science.
 Here again we are confronted with prob- lem, the attempted solution of which has taxed Christian invention to its utmost. The church affords the opportunity for the pre-. sentation of gospel truth to the people. Plainly no social distinctions should ob- struct this divinely appointed channel and yet, unfortunately, those distinctions have | invaded the portals of the church and 1t is not uncommon to find there among profess | ing Christians the same caste spirit which | divides society outside the church relation. A pew rental system, employed because it affords convenient method of raising the revsnus necessary for church support, (not | an unworthy motive in itselD, puts the best seats in the church beyond the reach of the | poorer classes and helps to foster in them Q | spirit of discomfort and enlargement Other causes have combined to create an apparent | ly impossible gulf between the church and the world. This gulf must in some way be bridgsd before the church can effectively perform It's benefcent mission in the world. In this connection the story of the officer of Mississippi valley church who told re- formed drunksrd who applied for admission to the church that there were no vacancies in its membership at that time, is suggestive if not true.
 In theory we all delight in that conception | of the church which makes her the appointed source of infinite blessing to mankind, the | embodiment of the divine command of love | to man as we'll as God. In practice we our- selves have to confess that we have contrib. uted somewhat toward that condition of things which has given the world some oc- casion for the hackneyed complaint that the church organization partakes oftentimes more of the nature of @ religious and exclu- intslligently in earnest to faithfully perform It's Christly mission. For while a church is doing grand and legitimate work, even when confined to its own congregation and when accessions to it's membership are lamentably small, and while we need have little sympathy for the cheap criticism of those malcontents found in every community | WuO uhto CuOICu03 DeChu6o they Cauuob mAke them avenues for the circulation of their own cratic ideas. yet we must not forget that in the enlarged and scriptural idea of the church she is represented as vivifying force in community. "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O, the oity of God" are the words of the sacred psalmist. "For Zion's sake, T writes the inspired prophet, twill I moi sels pii9' pr nos soa 1s:t fss ans sS: righteousness thereof go forth as brightness and the salvation thereof as lamp that buYneth < and the Gsntiles shall sec thy righteousness and all kings thy glory. "Ye are the salt of the earth, v are the light of the world," said Christ; "Le your light SO shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven" Such words when ut tered meant something vastly more than talk ing one's ease in high-priced psws and listen Ing to artistic music and ablo sermons. They mean vastly mora to-day. They imply inti
 mate contact between the church member who listen to soul.inspiring music and heart
 stirring words from the pulpit and the mel
 and women outside the church who consti
 tute what is called the "world." This in
 wolves sacrifice. but . sacrifice which W
 ought to gladly make if we are truly his an, | possess what in "Ecce Homo" is termed tn , "snthusissm of humanity in Christians,
 said to be "not only their supreme but thei
 only law" If we are reluctant to make tn
 sacrifice does not the prophetic voice call
 us, "Awake, awake, put on thy strength,
 Zion; put on thy beautiful garments, o Jsrr
 salemi"
 It is a hopeful sign when the importanG
 of personal contact between the church an . the world receives, as it is receiving to-dsJ
 the best thought of some of our wisest meI
 In proof of this one has but to read the dis - tipguished consideration given to the subjet
 in the published reports of the proceeding
 of the Christian Workers convention an
 that of the Evangelical alliance. Howev.
 much the irreligious may scoff at the pietist !. professions of nominal Christians, who
 there to offer one word of criticism of simp
 self denying acts of sympathy and love p,
 forth by Christ's followers in his nam
 Truly it Ia the touch of nature that mak
 the world akin."
 !. And now what is it that flinders the prot
 ress of this work in our city as in many otl = CTS and makes it possible to speak of Il
 gulf between the church and the worldl IT
 fault apparently Is not entirely ohargeab
 against pulpit or pew. Surely our clergy (
 not lack in ability, enthusiasm, devotie . and practical zeal and among our churt
 members we know of many whose lives
 selfsacrince are shining examples of Il
 power of this personal contact. We mus
 then, analyze our methods of work if '
 would discover the defect of our system. " secular activity, as society becomes more a, v more complex, individual effort is beil
 supplemented by association and co-oper
 ton. The world, realizing the tremendo , power of concurrent action, has utilized Il }, power to its own selfish purposes, perverti
 1t to the formation of gigantic trusts and 1 = to other illegitimate channels. What col
 petition has failed to accomplish
 comes an easy task when 1t
 comes m object of concert ii. action. But shall the children of light
 less wise than those of the world2 Has I
 competition between church organization although greatly magni6ed by the enemies R. the church, been, in truth, it's great 1
 proacha Is 1t not undeniable that whatev
 justification there may be for business rivi
 ", it's existence between churches Is det
 mental to spiritual developments Morrow
 in view of the interest which Christian ps pie feel In city evangelization and, inde' 1 in view of the efforts made to that end,
 there not in this work, as result of lack
 united effort by the different churches, mu
 of what has been denominated Ca wich
 waste of powerq' The same rules govern
 religious work as in secular. Organizati
 and co-opsration are no less important in
 sI,> nkba 1ood ma dira