Telegram-herald., 1891-11-15
FOR APEOPLEy CHURCH
The Project strongly Advocatsd
BY Clergyman.
MISSIONS ARE IrPRlcIICiBLE
nsssnss the Expeass Wsssa Ne Re
Great ssa Pssiie fnssrsst Toe Usess~
t&ia 40 Sustain Ihss-As lnsss-
sstisS raik sa the ssb5ssl

hired, people put in charge of 10, itm
supplied with good sectarisn literature.
aud daily noon PRAYER meetings are
held, besides evening services which
vary IN character from time 70 time.
Ia MANY cases there are soup houses
and coffee houses run IN connection
with the mission. where one may pro-
cure food at q nominal price.
Many of the Christian people Of this
city have talked IN q vague sort OF
way OF having such q MISSION estatA
lished here bat nothing definite hss
ever been done. Miss Lura 4. Mans
the lady who is IN charge OF sThs
Lord-wili-take-csre-of-as'' school A
Dutton, has the subject of such
mission hear her heart. and
declares that II 40 one else viii under
take 10 establish one. she will, Knew
ng that the Lord will take care of tn
She has IN mind building cenfrsay
'ocsted on South Division street tlsst
'ou!d be procured, aud she knows Of q
nan and his wife who stand ready 10
undertake the care OF Il. She wonld
Ike TO interest the ministers of the city
n the project. bot she feels th the
iiyine cali for Il IN her own beat 70
strong enough 10 warrant her going
into IL even If she goes entirely alone.
The Rev. j. W. Reid wac asked what
he thought Of the scheme and the
probability of Us success, and replied:
The idea IL grand one, bot don't
believe II 10 practicable in Grand Rap
de. for the simple reason that IL
wouldn't have sufficient backing. Miss
Mains is very strong character. and IL
-he would give II her personal sup<s-
vision and establish soup house ora
restaurant ~ conjunction with II.
ion't doubt bat s.le would succeed"
SO far az the noon prayer meeting 10
concerned think that would bc = sue
cess. There are great manv people
who would be glad 10 run into such .
meeting for few minutes.
Miss Mains is woman Of wonderful
resources. and of infinite will power.
But she couldn't get the support of the
Pastors conference, for the reason
that there is lack Of harmony in that
n dy-not enough hberality OF thought.
Why II such subject was pre-
sented 10 them, some one would get up
and ask II DR.. Fluhrer was Co have
answered in the affirmative would in-
form them thew could count him out
then. And some other man would
make the same statement If Miss Tup-
ncr had anything To do with IT. lfn
was proposed 20 run such
n MISSION under the suspices
OF the Christian churches of the
city, the pastors conference would
only be following past methods IL they
GOT into a discussion as 10 what are the
Christian churches Of the city. Twice
there have been violent agitations IA
that body over the proposition 20 strike
out the word 'evangeiicaP from the
constitution. So | don't think Miss
Mains could get tho concerted heip of
the pastors OF the city, although the
object would certainly he one worthy
OF their best cooperation.
The closing of the protestant churches
on about three hundred OF the dats In
the wear IL certain ly a very seraons
matter. | don't believe ia II. In Soma
of the larger cii,es the churches are
omen every dav ~ the week. bnt that
practice 10 a ncS nne IA this country.
The subject 81 the evAneelization Of
this city u the one nearest and dearest
to my heart. and ! would be ciad 70
nse any snd every means % further 4.
The Salvation army - coing grand
work. pn thorough believer IN tha
Salvation afny--amoug the kind ~
people q wants 10 reach. Bot for those
who are on what might be called a
higher plane. there is almost nothing
one. Hundreds OF people come 10
.h;s city aud never find church home.
They 90 INTO church and walk ont
gain eyerv sunday FOR months or
years at a time and never have toe
east cordlaiity shown them. Such
Indifference on tie part OF
Christian people is conducive
10 unheiief ard skepticisni. People
don't take time-thsy haven't tine
70 study the ihiue out and prove 10
their own satisfaction tiiat such ncg-
ieci and indifference = not due to
christianity iisolf. I've kncwn chnrcE-
- 10 lope good psying me-ai'crs just bv
this lack of cordialisv. IL = a burning
question IN nv hesft 10 know what 20
10 with the Young men thai come here
sud ere never brought upoer christian
Influence. sne Hse eeref even Rfked 20
60 % church. The y. n. q. A 10 gup-
poted 10 get At them, hui II Goes not 30
4. If. too conservative. In come
fttift tHlfl ffi-ifi1 Ftr r'Hf tft3 fRf
new names. enquiries are made ~
boa riding houses tor strangers. nciph-
horhoods are watched for newcomers.
sad all these strangers are invited to
attend sonsr plsce Of ~ershD. Hns
very little OF that hind OF work 70 don.
ia Grand Rapids. The percenfsge OF
people that are brought Under the
notice Of the church . very small;
tie great masses Of the people vo
by our deors, and we hardly know they
are ID existence. If ] could only see
any vay 20 overcome the difficulty
some of the other pastors Of the city
sre IN hearty sympathy with THE van
piiization, but many of them isank back.
A year sro lsst summer there we con-
siderable agitation about ssissl'shinf q
propls's church, with meetings 81 Hart
mans hall every snndsy sftsrnoon One
man stood rsse7 70 back the project 70
the amount Of tsOe9. ard The matter
wss presented st ths pastors confer
snce. All she conference wsuld have
% do ~ouid bs 20 ran the platform.
But IL fell ihreugh. % about everything
else does thsf csils for concerted sctssu
On the re ft Of TIE ministers Of the city.
Would voc believe ~ souas of fhoss
men raised the ohiertior - fhst time
thst Il would have Rad effect or Their
morning congregation. .-ss 4 they fear