Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-10-05

influence. upward in its circulation and adver-
Using business. The increase is o steady,
healthful one.
A NEW CHURCH MOVEMENT.
Meeting of tho Peoples Church ut the
Academy of Music Yesterday.
A LARGE ATTENDANCE AND soNE GOOD MUSIC
REV. Mr. KEsT's ADDRESS SETTING FORTH TUE
PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW oRGASIzATIoS AND
THE REASONS For IT'S RxIsIExcE.
A congregation tina. in point Of numbers and
quaity would have done credit to almost any
church gathered at the Academy of Music yes
terday morning at IL to participate in tie start
ing of new church. which it was stated would
be known az the Peoples church and would be
as free from sectarianism as such an institution
could possibly be. 1t is in itself protest
against the existing order Of things and is sup
posed to have room within it for all who desire
& better social system and q moral upbuilding
OF the people regardless Of creed half nun
dred or more adherents Of the new movement,
under the leadership of Rev. Alexander Kent,
formerly pastor of the Universslist Church,
have been holding preliminary meetings for
several weeks past, and 1t was seen that
enough interest was being taken to insure
reasonable success a public meeting was called
for yesterday morning The congregation that
gathered was even larger than had been hoped
for and was sufficient TO I'll the lower floor Of
the theater. In the seats were placed slips on
which were printed three hymns BY Longfel-
low. Whittier and Isaac Watts. In addition
there we're cards to be filed out promising id
hcrence aEd a weekly contribution to the new
church. These were apparently signed very
freely ard placed in the contribution baskets
tEa. were passed around by the ushers after
.i.e sermon.
On the stage was a reading desk banked IN
with potted plants and behind Il were seated
Rev. Mr.. Kent. DR.. ". kimball, formerly pas
tor o: the Unitarian Church, and Prof. STRAIT
ton. who led the singing. An orchestra of
twelve young people under the leadership of
Prof. r. &. Bernays rendered some delightful
music that was considerably above that usually
heard on Sunday. They gave the Gdagios from
Hayden's quartet, Nos. l and 2, with excellent
effect
REV. Mr.. KENTs ADDRESS.
The address sermon of the new pastor was
perhaps the most interesting feature Of the
services. inasmuch as in it he laid down the prin
ciples that are to guide the newly formed set OF
worshippers. He began without text and
with the simple remark that il bis pur-
pose to discuss the Peoples church and its
ception to the word church might ask why
they had not called it society. association or
club. None OF these, he said, conveyed
proper idea of the scope or purpose Of the
movement and those who object to the word
church might find reasons for objectinS to the
other words used TO qualify it and church was
used Ill preference because of its connection
with all that is best and most permanent Iii
religion No denomination has been able to
monopolize it. 1t is true that the great currents
of rellpIouS feeling I'm taken nm, va nj
of foreign material that has become con-
founded with the church and for which some
people would hold it responsible. But it is
no more a part of the church than the mud and
drift of the real Potomac are part of the ideal
river. We should not discard the word church
because of the errors and wrongs committed in
her name.
The Christ movement was in the beginning
movement to reform and transform the life Of
all mankind, and the movement that He inau-
gurated was not in the interest of any class or
nation. but fer all mankind. The name taken
for the organization was the most general one
known to the people of that time, the ecclesia
or gathering OF the whole people.
WHY ITS PRESENT NAME.
Mr. Kent said this was called the Peoples
church because it started i'll the interest of the
people and is intended to be a medium through
which the people might in reverent way voice
their ideas of justice and thoughts of right.
minister to the good of man as we'll. All things
are ours but ours to be used in building up a
noble manhood HE unmanly man makes
them the instrument of his own degradation
and the special function OF the church may be
clearly seen ~ this point Hitherto it has laid
too little stress upon the virtues of manliness
and womanliness and too much upon particular
dogmas- The character of the churchman has
lacked even more than that of the wor lding
those genial and generous traits that form a
HON ,fn nj
important things those that have been
neglected, and it is the purpose of the Peoples
church to call attention to these, the most i'm
portant features of the Christian character.
Christianity is not concerned with saving a few
out Of the many. The individual may not work
out his own destiny regardless of the fate OF
the rest. Individuality is the best develop
ment of the one member to mt him for the best
good of the whole body. The poor formed the
greater part Of the followers of Christ. but
since then the church has alienated the poor
The rich have taken possession and it has be-
come identified with praying and fasting and
not with manhood and brotherhood. This is
one reason for the existence of tine Peoples
church.
MORE MANHOOD WANTED II BUSINESS
ITO be more explicit" he said 1--WE want more
manhood in our business life. Manliress in our
business relations is the chief requirement of
Christian ethics. One might say that the most
II.
True and all important are these but these
truths have been followed that neither the
one the other has been much benefited
thereby. We must have a more sturdy indie
pendence on the part of the individual A
man should earn his own living and not simply
get it. This makes the chief distinction be-
tween the public benefactor and the thief. The
state has recognized this BY suppressing GER
tain forms OF lotteries. but The business spec
uiating in the necessaries Of life is Just a. bad
The speaker would not reflect upon the II tn
engaged in the business They are as Horror
able as many men who prosecute legal bust
ness by iilcgitiniate. means. The recent failure
of New York stock broker who was attempt
ing to make cOrIeI in one of the cereals
called forth many expressions of sympathy for
the man. and yet il he had succeeded in his Ell
forts il would have brought the greatest suf-
fering npon the masses. When we have mapli-
ness an business relations We will have none of
this and men will not be willing to live upon
the earnings OF others. Manliness would never
patronize nor Keep a saloon or gambling house.
NASLISEss N POLITICS
I'VE want manliness in politics. II our gov
eminent is no longer FOR the people it is be-
cause it is no longer o: and by the people We
want manliness IN religion. using that word in
the narrow sense. This means that we want
freedom in thought aud in investigation. The
attitude taken by the churches drives forth
the brightest minds and ablest men. The ex-