The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1894-02-07
THE wATcHMAN AND soUTHRoN FEBRUARY. z. 1894.
BUSINESS METHODS IN RELI.
GIOUS WORK.

BUSINESS METHODS IN REL1-
GIOUs WORK.
The following is along the line Of MIR.
Browns sermon in our last issue, and
We publish it for the benefit of all
concerned.
(From an address by William Reynolds,
reported in "The Sunday School Advance"
(Michiganl.
The outlook is very bright. In
what respect? One is. we have better
architecture than formerly. We are
building better churches, and those more
adapted for our work. 1t used to be
that all the money was spent on the
upstairs part of a church, and tire place
where the work was done,-the feeder
of the church,-was down in cellar or
basement. We want better buildings,
and l think one great educator along
this line was the Worlds Sunday
school Building at Chicago, in which
all of us were interested,-B. F..
Jacobs especially, as be will have to
pay about $4,000 shortage. I believe
it will be great uplift, as hundreds
who visited it said they should build
on the plan of that model building.
We want buildings that will be utilized
more, and not shut up niuety-niue
one-hundredths of the time. | am
through giving to such churches. We
want to get down to common sense
along this line.
1never saw a time you could interest
more men-6usiness men-in the work
of the Sunday-school. This is work
for the laity. The ministers have been
doing it all, and want to say the world
will never by converted by ministers
alone. any more than few generals
could win battle without their men
What would you think Of a private
who would simply sit on the fence and
yell "Hurrah p to his general. and
give him a Cbautauqua salute7 Busi-
ness men are putting in their business
tact for religion. Some people think God
is giving US two kind Of sense.-good,
hard, common sense for business, and a
soft. ethereal kind for religious work.
We want only one kiod-the former
and that right straight through. A
gentleman wrote me-he is successful
life.ipsurance man. and you know how
persistent he must be-asking how be
could make the school of which he was
superintendent success. / told him
to use the same business tact he had
used in making his business such a
success, to read few books, and work
along certain lines.
I went home,. and meeting the
brother, asked him how he got along.
He replied: "The attendance has
doubled. and the pastor says be never
saw such work done" ''How did you
do it?" I asked. ''Just as you told
me- I went right at it, using the
same tact l use in my business. If .
man refused to teach class. l kept
right at him, and be had to yield" |
tell you it gladdens the heart Of a
pastor to have such man for his right
hand man,-a deacon for instance.
There so many deacons who amount to
nothing g,-regular wooden deacous.
believe / could cut out just about as
good a deacon of block Of wood if |
had sharp knife Those men have
taken VOW that they will do all they
can for the church. When you say
that you'll pay such bill at certain
time, you expect to pay it. | wish
would realize it is a more solemn
thing to VOW to God than man. 1t is
about time we wake up, and remember
what vow to God means.
stood last night before three hun
dred lost men. Having three hours in
Chicago before my train left, went
up to the Pacific Mission, as I frequently
do, and they asked me to speak. The
audience was made up Of three hundred
poor, miserable wrecks of humanity
men with no money, and who are
kicked out of even the saloons. Did
you ever think Of it? God gives US
the best at the last while the Devil
gives bis victims the best at first l
should have been just like these men
had it not been for the grace Of God
He bestows his marvellous love upon
us, and raises us up to be heirs Of God.
He lets US be co-workers with bin.
What higher honor it is! Let US
improve our methods, aud try to do bet
FOR uork