Evening star., 1895-10-23

unity but for the religious unity OF tne
world"
Church Extension.
"Chm ch Extension" was the subject for
discussion during the remainder of the
morning, and addresses were made by sew
eral of the department secretaries of the
A. U. A.
The first of these speakers was Rev
Ctas. w. Wendte of Oakland, Cal, super
intendent for the Pacific coast. whose name
has been prominently mentioned as a pos
sible successor to DR.. Shipper as pastor of
All Souls Church of this city. He is
mcst attractive speaker, and would un-
doubtedly make very popular pastor He
spoke Of the progress and possibilities OF
Unitarianism in the states Of California
Oregon and Washington. The intellectual
character of the people of these states, he
said, makes this faith particularly suited
to their needs. There is not town OF
5000 Inhabitants where Unitarian so
ciety could not be successfully kept up. Or
all the churches which have been started
but one has gone up, and that was the one
that went up in flames at San Diego Mr..
Wendte spoke at some length of the meth
DDS that might be adopted to further the
work in this section. and he laid especial
of the leading Unitarian ministers of the
east visit the Pacific coast to show the
people of that section what an Intellectual
set Of men are in this church.
In the South and West.
Rev. George L. CLANCY Of Atlanta, Ga,
department superintendent Of the southern
states, spoke Of the outlook for Unitarianism
in that part of the country. The times were
never more propitious. he said, and with the
wonderful advance in the south along all
lines the Unitarian Church is presented with
an opportunity such as it has never had be-
fore. Fifteen years ago there were but two
Unitarian churches in all the south land;
now there IS a line extending from Baltimore
on the north to San Antonio on the south
west. The harvest is ripe for the sickle. and
should be garnered without delay.
THE Opportunities of the Unitarian
Church in the Great Middle West" was the
subject of an address by Rev. Trowbridge
B. Forbush of Chicago. He gave similarly
hopeful view Of the situation in his Held of
work. There should be twenty missionaries
in that section, he said, instead Of two, as
at present. They would find all the work
they could do ready to their hands, not only
on Sundays, but on week days as well. An
occasional service would soon develop a
need for a regular church; the missionary
would soon become an itnerant, to be sue
ceeded in turn by the permanent pastor.
What Is wanted in the west, however, Is
not a mere theory of negation, but an active
religion. The people want church, not
merely a lecture hall. If this be furnished,
the future of Unitarianism in the west is
sure.
Rev. A. w. Gould Of Chicago also spoke of
the work in the west He said that, in his
cpinion, the money which had been poured
fromthe east into that section had done more
BARN than good, by tending to pauperize
the churches and making them dependent
Upon outside aid. Whenever this aid had
been withdrawn the churches had quickly
shown that they could take care of them
selves. THE west" said Mr.. Gould, has
to pay for everything else; 1t can afford to
pay for any religion 1t wants. What We
need is not more money, but more religion"
In conclusion. Mr.. Gould discussed the
problem of how best to educate the chill
d. en- into the Unitarian Church.
Rev. D. NJ. Wilson of Boston spoke briefly
of the situation in New England, the
stronghold of Untarianism
Unitarian Mission Work.
Rev. d. W. Morehouse superintendent OF
church extension work in the department
of the middle states and Canada, spoke on
"Our Missionary Methods" After describ-
ing the faulty methods that have been pur-
sued in the past, he proceeded to advocate
the adoption Of q more businesS-l1ke poncy
for the future Instead of dividing their
energies and resources among great many
feeble missionary undertakings, each be-
gun and prosecuted by single missionary
he would have all the missionary resources
and efforts of the denomination concen-
trated each year upon a few important
strategic points. By this means, he con-
tended, although fewer new and struggling
movements would be reported each year,
very many more self-supporting, vigorous
and useful churches would. in the course of
a few years, be successfully established.
Mr. Morehouse closed his address as fol-
lows:
such, as l have tried to describe them,
are the missionary methods which believe
are demanded by the conditions which con-
front us today. No intelligent observer of
the signs of the times will deny that in the
present state of knowledge and religious
thought a great reconstructive movement
in religion has become a necessity. Who
shall lead it? An attitude of wider hos
pitality to the truth than ours no one can
occupy. To more inclusive principles of in
tellectual freedom no one can hold. To a
freer spirit and higher ethical aim in re-
ligion and life no one appears to have yet
attained. And since by nothing short of
truth untrammeled. of intellectual freedom
of the most inclusive range, of spirit the
troadest and most catholic, and of ethical
aims the most righteous, will the true con-
structive movement in religion be inspired
and directed, why may We not hope to bear
an honorable part in the van of this great
movement that is destined-if We are faith
full to our trust-to establish religion on
broader and firmer foundations than ever,
and make 1t mightier force for good in
shaping the destinies of mankind? If we
are but true to the great opportunity that