The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-04-13
Rev. MIR. sweets Address

NV WI. SWSct = NuNTCSS.
Rev. John Il. Sweet gave a brief ad-
dress ON The Church Building in Its
Relation 10 National Problems" The
chairman called upon DR.. Hard. who in
troduced Professor Ward. of Syracuse
university. He delivered a short ad-
dress on the subject of Church Exten-
sion"
Rev. Manley 5. Harry. in speaking upon
the subject. The Church Building as
Factor in Practical Piety." mentioned
several personal experiences where
great and practical good had been ac-
complished by the erection OF churches
They had now 800 churches, and II
they were placed together sideways.
would extend a distance of over fifty-
two miles. Every time church was
opened IL meant more family worship.
better voting, more education. and the
general improvement of the morality Of
the district in which 1t was located.
Rev. DIR. Pearce's Address.
Rev. w. Fl. Pearce. who spoke on
The Church Building, a Social Need"
said:
While loneness oftentimes is to
social life. in its push and hurry. what
rests are in music, yet. after all, COM
panionship is a felt necessity every
where. Cattle in herds, fish in schools.
birds in fiocks and men in groups. To
be associated together is a law of our
nature 1t Is divinely implanted, and
wrought into the very texture Of our
being.
Some years ago judge pronounced
n sentence N
life upon culprit. The poor fated
man started to his feet, and in sobbing
words said: Judge. that is worse
than death. Can't you possibly change
1t to death sentence?'
We We're not created to live alone.
We were made for companionship. If
the multitudes throng the individual
and ne has no home into which he can
go, no church in which he can worship
and have fellowship, no fast clinging
friends with whom he can mingle and
to whom he can tell his aspirations and
whisper his griefs, his life will be an
Incarceration or a desolation.
Where shall we go?" Is the cry of
millions. Some say to the club room:
but its delights are only temporary,
they only touch the surface Of the great
deep wanting of our social nature and
leading down to predition through early
stages. Others say go to the lodges Of
the various fraternities, but somehow
they, at best, are only conventional,
and an endless routine Of paraphar-
~, "a, and while some Of them minister
most tenderly and helpfully in hours
Of great temporal distress and need,
and while We have nothing but words
Of commendation for many Of them,
yet there are experiences In our daily
life, and realms Of loneliness In our souls,
that lie far beyond their temporary re-
liefs and expedencies, and unless we
have some one Of kindred experience
with whom we can mingle and commun,
and to whom we can reveal the wants
and longings Of our souls. we will die
Of loneliness and unanswered question
ings.
Must Rcsrond to oar Nature.
Now the church, In the wide sweep of
It's ministratiOn, must respond to this
imperitiye demand Of our nature, IL q
response comes at all. IT must lay hold
of the whole man. II must ht itself
down around all Of his wants 1t must
touch Elm at every side Of his life, and
1t Is the mission Of the church, not It's
first mission by any means, but one OF
its important and imperative missions.
to provide for the social wants Of the
nassess. Reading rooms. as against
club rooms. intellectual and musical
as against theaters and
operas. Dorcasers and gymnaslums to
relieve loneliness, poverty and suffer-
ing and furnish wholesome physical
recreation, apart from all debaslng In
fiuences.
f,k, al 1u 10 NJ la,
world. 10 win and save 1t, and It should
aim as Christ did, 10 be all things to
all men. II by all means It might save
some. 1t should aim first and always
to a spiritual end. but In reaching that
end II should follow the example Of the
Master, and design sometimes to use
what might be considered as secular
means. The church cannot specialize
as II done In the sciences and industries.
for there IL no such thing az separating
the spiritual from the temporal and
secular. A mans spiritual self IL his
temporal and secular self, living under
spiritual conditions.
Whenever the church has attempted
to specialize and confine itself to a
mans spirit ur soul, apart from his
mind and body, II has made either |
or pharisees Of Its members, |
and vastly circumscrbed the realms of |
ITS imperial victories.
Dcpiivcs Itself Of Power.
If the church limits itself simply to |
the teaching Of the science of Chris |
caring but little, II anything, |
for the Intellectual. social and secular |
side of mans life. It deprives itself OF |
some of the most attractive and potent |
by which to capture |
and hold the splendid citadel of the |
soul, and not till the church lays hold |
Of the whole man will she be able to |
cover the strategetlc point by which !
she can command the whole field of I
restless humanity for Christ. And what |
we want today. and more than ever
before. as against the dissertation of