The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-07-20
MINING.
The Churches.

To would almost look as il there were
more churches than could be supported,
that is judging from the appeal to it's
members lately issued by one OF the
churches. Not long ago another of the
churches had TO dismiss the minister be-
cause the salary was not easily collected
The appeal referred to, a copy of which
was placed IN our hands on Saturday.
gives the Disbursements for the six
months ending June 30 as $1,512 81,
while the receipts we're only 81 ,463 03.
and even that amount included Sl76.93
for pew rent owing, leaving a deficit OF
Si9.5l. 1t would look, from the state
ments made in the appeal, that many of
its members take the saying that saliva
ton is free literally, and therefore see no
reason Tor paying towards the mainte-
nance Of the church and the minister
The appeal states that although the
church has "A resident membership of $40,
only 100 OF them contribute regularly.
and il should be remembered the church
here referred 60 is certainly not looked
upon as the poorest in the town, and
therefore it does seem that the members
alone should be well able to supply the
running expenses, as an average of 81
per month would give close upon $4,000
per annum.
Therecan benodoubt but that the field is
large enough for even more churches, but
somehow or other they do not appear to
get AZ many of us outsiders interested as
they might do, if they were to pursue a
more liberal policy, both religiously and
financially. We have heard many of the
outsiders, and people who in general are
literally disposed complain that the
churches are too grasping. and that they
appear 10 want to run too much-spread-
ing themselves over the running OF enter
tainments, selling cakes, thus interfering
with the bakeries, part OF whose business
is TO shell cakes-ths is not the only bust
ness those closely connected with the
church interfere witb-while the mana
gers OF the so-called church fairs go round
and collect articles from the storekeepers
aud then compete, and not fair compe-
tition at that, with the very people who
have helped them by selling the articles
at a much less price than the donor would
have sold them for in his store.
The News, from what it hears, believes
that if the churches would confne them
selves more to their own particular busl-
ne-s and show less grasping spirit they
would receive much more encouragement
from those outsiders. many OF whom can
not honestly or cOnscientiously join the
churches here on account OF the wall they
b we built around themselves in the
lapeo OF creeds, etc. There are hundreds
YES, probably thousands, OF good, hon.
est, God-loving people who indulge in a
glass Of beer and who, when told they
cannot do that and be christian, keep
on and prefer their beer TO such iliberal-
Ity. That these outsiders are not alto
'ther irreligious was shown by the large
nun Der OF them who attended the series
oil sermons delivered by the Rev. Dr.
Hunter last winter.
Many persons appear to think that if
the churches were conducted in a some
what similar manner 20 the Salvation
Army-o' course the drums and parades
would not be neeessary-but with more
vim, actually going out more into the
highways and byways and trying TO
gather ia these outsiders, their success
would be greater than it now appears to
be.