St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-08-31
The Ordinary Churches Fail
to Attract Large Masses
Of Citizens,
Who, However, Flock to Ser
vices Held in Public Au-
ditOriumS
And Places Where the Ser
vices Are Made Entertain
ing as Possible.

TIC MOIlu t-1dlls Los AAAfl'Js ohO -
synopsis Of his sermon reads:
81 have chosen this text because it
seems to be a rebuke to any of us when
we undertake to limit the field of work.
And | have undertaken TO speak on the
subject Of place Of worship because L
have had more or less injury, but
chiefly because we are face to face with
a years work, and some expression of
sentiment will be appropriate. As a
congregation we are located in thea
ter. Our work for the next year,
whether profitable or not, must be done
in this place. As 10 man can tell where
any of us will be at the end of that time,
it seems practical to face the question,
not as it may be in the future, but as it
is to-day. This is all | have to say of
the matter as it touches US personally.
But, taking the larger view, from this
point the question became interesting
on its intrinsic merits. The reverend
gentleman recalled the work of TheO-
GOre Parker and its influence. the church
inaugurated by Mr.. Murray in Boston,
those of Dr.. Thomas and Prof. Swing
in Chicago. and the markedly success
full work of DR.. Smith in the old Grand
opera house of St. Paul. These men
went into public auditOriumS. In every
case men fiOcked to their services as
doves TO the home, as
Swallows to the Rocks.
Explain it as we will. the fact remains
the same, and that fact is of Importance
to rs. In considering this subject we
are TO remember that theories of relig-
ious service are divided into two large
classes. The general results that
many people think most important are
produced without preaching. Goetherep-
resents a deep and powerful impression
made by singing the Dies lrae as the err
ing Gretchen kneelS at the altar. The
dramatic service of the Catholic church
and the ritual service Of the Episcopal
church are both complete without a
sermon. Indeed. the sermon is SO COM
pletely relegated TO a secondary place
in many sections of England that George
William Curtis. speaking of his expert
ence, said they were fifteen minutes
long and had no depth at all. Yet in
both cases strong churches have been
built up with the smallest aid for
preaching. But others are not so
helped. Swinging censers, supplied
acolyteS, bTaZen crosses and the accom-
paniments of such a service do not ap-
peal to them. Solomon built a temple
! that was a jewel in the nations crown.
| ers. But the nation caught and pre-
served the words of an Isaiah, who
came to the market place to find his
| congregation. Christ was sneered at in
| the temple,
DrIVen From the Synagogue,
| obliged to preach from boats, in groves
and on street corners; but the people
! would hear his message, and, although
! the most unconventional of all the sons
of God and prophets of truth, the
world made him the central figure of
history. 1t is a fact of great importance
| that there always has been in the world
a class of men who wanted to hear
| sacred truth from the lips of the preach
! er. delivered i'll some place where there
| was free atmosphere.
| know that people say sometimes
| that the feeling induced by the place is
secular and that the service is more like
an entertainment than like a religious
service. l admit the difficulty, but
hardly think that people feel in that
way very long. 1t seems to me that
| it is something that is odd only for a
few times. And if we are able to
! make the service entertaining are we TO
consider that fault as long as we sue
! ceed in making some man little more
cheerful, or lift the burden from some
weary back, or show the ray of hope to
| some sorroWing soul. When little boy.
! before capsules came into use, | was in
! the habit of taking quinine in its bitter
! ness: now children take it in capsules.
| ii does them good at all. il does them
Just as much good as il they had taken
it in all its bitterness. Your doctor or
derS
s Sea Voyage.
Is It less valuable because you have
! music and and pleasant friends? Allow
/ ing that we can make a service enter
tanning, if it does somebody good. is it
| not all the more worthy by being enter
tanning. Would you have advised a
| Cough to throw away that power by
which he was able so make US
see and hear and walk with
| living companions in living scenes?
| Would you have taken that away
and reduced HIM to a dry and abstract
| talker? Now sermons do most good
! by the influence that their ideas have,
which lodge in the minds OF men.
! When Mr.. Murray preached in Music
| hall his words were remembered by
| hundreds of young men. and one can
| hardly estimate their influence A man
said to me not long since, Il will never
| forget the impression when [ heard
| your congregation sing that beautiful
| hymn of Chadwick to the tune Of Aud
| Lang Syne.'" For myself. L like to see
people have a rational enjoyment, and
wish [ could make my service more en-
tertaining.
But we face more serious facts than
these in study of this subject. Outside
Of all churches there stands to-day a
| large population. 1t is composed of
men who have not made up their minds
whether the world is success or a fail
ure. One day it looks like a success. the
! next it looks like failure. And all the
time they are wondering whether it is
not as well to join the procession and
say LET US eat and drink for
TO-EorFOW we Die.''
And we all get into this mood some
times. We conclude Oftentimes that il
all ends in WEAKNESS. Two centuries
ago men believed so strongly that they
anchored to an opinion. and burnt eV
erybody who did not believe as they
did. The class who are completely
adrift at times. and Oscillating at Other
times, is very large. 1t is composed OF
people, just as good. just as kind anC
Just as eager to learn and TO help a:
may be found in any place. They were
| the people who supported Christ: they
were the people who made success pos
sible for st. Paul, and they were worthy
and desirable men and women. a serY
ice in an opera house viii touch thi:
class and put Us in touch with the very
| people we want TO reach. Churches thai
are mere social clubs will draw those
who. for the sake of fashion, enter then
doors, and all the shOddy crowd who
want to say that they sit near a person
OF a given name and tame; little com
pany of people drawn by mutual likes
will find mutual enjoyment, but they
will not help other people much, anC
they will not get near the people thai
all churches should desire to reach
There seems, then, the advantage o.
reaching the very people whom al
! should desire to reach.
All this may be said of the advantage
OF location. and then word may be-
said OF our theological position as an
I'll