The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-10-04
THE PEOPLES CHURCH"
A NEW RELIGIOUS MOVEMENT
STARTED IN WASHINGTON.
The First Service to BE Held in the
Academy of Music To-day-Whst Its
Founder, Rev. Alexander Kent, Says
of the Movement.

"The People Church." non-sectarian and
independent organization, will have its first
service this morning at IL o'clock in the Acad-
emy of Music. These services will be the out
come of an effort made in this city to organize
a church which will appeal to the great
masses who, during recent years, have drifted
away from the established churches from one
cause or another. The leader of this move
ment is Rev. Alexander Kent, who for
many years was the pastor OF the
Universslist Church, corner Of Thirteenth and
L streets. He voluntarily resigned from that
church on account of his liberal views and
engaged in business. He found that the COM
petition was such as to be incompatible with
his Christian belief, and he has gone back to
the ministry. A HERALD reporter was cor
daily received by the promoter Of this new
church yesterday. Rev. Mr.. Kent is middle
aged man, with benevolent face, which i'm
presses one with its esrnestness and sincerity.
'sOur object,n said Mr.. Kent, ''is to reach
that mass who through advanced ideas or
changes in belief has drifted away from our
churches and now never enter one. We wish
to provide method of worship for the poorer
classes who find that the question of money
enters largely into religion, and that in order
to go to church they must pay pew rent
they cannot afford. They are off the belief
that those who do the hard labor should
favors and the common teachings, to be
patient and endure is not an acceptable one.
This is just an effort on our part to bring
these people back to worship. The services to-
morrow will be of simple nature. There
will be a sermon by myself on 'The Peoples
Church-1ts Reasons Cor Being" The ex-
penses Will be betrayed by voluntary sub
scrIptions and contributions. Nothing will be
demanded. The object of the movement is
the furtherance Of practical or applied
Christianity: that is, the bringing Of men and
women into vital and active sympathy with the
Christian purpose and spirit rather than
making converts to any particular system
of doctrine or belief. The Christian purpose,
as we understand it, is to draw the thought
and heart of men to righteousness; to bring
life, individual and collective into harmony
with its requirements, and to establish society
in the love and practice Of Justice. The
Christian spirit is the spirit OF sonship and
brotherhood, the spirit of reverence for truth
and goodness; the spirit Of devotion to man
as man, irrespective of all accidents Of birth
or culture, race, or station. We would have
this purpose and spirit carried into the con-
duct OF life, into business, into politics, into
society. We would have these shape our
legislation, mould our institutions, and give
character to our nation. But acceptance of
these truths will not be made condition of
membership. Sympathy with our purpose and
desire to work with us for its al anment is all
we ask. Most cordially, therefor we invite
all who are in sympathy with our aims, to joir
US in our effort.'