The herald., 1897-04-19
Increasing Value of Church
Property on Broadway
Mr.. MARBLES BUSINESSMEN
ADVISES METHoDIsTs TO HOLD
TO THE FIRST CHURCH
What Some of the Broadway Build
ings Bring In as Rents-Poor
Policy to Sell

OlOWluS 10 al iHtCitotih PoPSi ot'
ing the views of Col. John M. c. Marble
upon the subject of business methods as
applied to the management of church
finances. The paper is in the shape of a
contribution to the recent proceedings
of the Methodist Episcopal Social union.
Col Marble says:
Your committee, using the preroga-
tive that their position gives them the
right to, have assigned to me the subject,
1.-THE Greatest Need of Los Angeles
Methodisn." Such a subject should
have been assigned to one of greater
experience and larger capabilities in
church work. When leaders call there
is but one duty for the members, ie., to
respond as best they can.
What is the greatest need of Los An
geles Methodism? should say greater
development of conscience and a fuller
consecrated purse, quick release OF our
churches from debt and the creation of
a fund to help build new churches as
fast as they are needed. The first di-
vision of our subject was well present.
ed by learned moralist in this city re-
Gently. He voiced the principle that
and that politics as at present developed
cannot be depended upon to right wrong.
The Democrat may insist on free trade,
the Republican on tariff, the Populist
on free silver, each sure that his prin-
ciple will bring the perpetually happy
days, but experience proves they Will
not. 1t is not the policy of party we
need, but high principle. Put the
Democratic party in power for long
Vears wifh an Oyaru n o Inn irfr m q i0rifv
in the city of New York. and it will be-
come so corrupt and rotten as to be a
stencil in the nostrils of It's own adher-
ents. Put the Republican party In
power under same conditions in the city
of Philadelphia or Chicago and It needs
but few years to develop the same un-
satisfactory condition. There is moth
ing in the history of the Populist party
to warrant a hope, under same condi-
flons. of any better results. Ambition,
pride and selfishness ever suborn con-
science and even the chosen people
under such circumstances forget their
God and worship the golden calf, re-
peating the old story, old as the pages
of history, loss of conscience and fall of
man.
The learned teacher of morals here
fofore referred to sounds the keynote,
presses the true solution, that to bring
the coming happy time we can only de-
pend on religion, the science of develop
ing Conscience. When the conscience of
the nation is brought to the high plane
OF Christian ethics, happiness Will reign,
the nation permanently live, in fact the
millennium be here. Without such de-
velopment of the higher nature history
will continue to repeat itself. the nation
first becoming ripe. then rotten, and
return of savagery will follow. Some
monuments may remain, hints of former
greatness. but all history lost
The wise student of morals has COR
rectly diagnosed the case, develop con-
science IL you wish the nation to per-
manently live and bring joy to its peo-
pie. In other words, in the language of
the learned Steele, 1.-The world will
never be in any manner of order or tram
guilty until men are firmly convinced
that conscience, honor and credit are all
in one interest. and that without the
concurrence of the former the latter are
but impositions upon ourselves and
Others"
The awakening of the conscience of
people and its perfect development is
stupendous work, but that should not
daunt true-grit Methodist from en-
gaging in the fight. The small pebble
in the youthful David's hand caused the
giant to bite the dust. A Wesley, even
in this one nation, planted the seed that
to some extent has touched the con-
science of one-third of the people of this
land, and now shows over 100000 i'm
mediate followers. This in about the
span of two usual lives and wonderfully
illustrates the text that a grain of mus
tard seed quickly produces a tree in
which the fowls OF the air can find rest.
What is wanted is courage and intelli-
gent. persistent effort, dropping the
doubling Thomases to the rear, and it
would be difficult to anticipate what
this social union could accomplish.
One of the first things to learn is that
the whole Is greater than any part, and
that we must rise above the narrow.
selfish plane that does not reach beyond
our own barnyard 1t is not what is
best for Epworth, or Grace, or Asbury,
or even First Church. but what is best
for Methodism. We must WELD our
blows for the good of the whole rather
than the narrow part. Make our plans
such as will not only be best for our own
denomination, but will put such a stim-
ulus In all other denominations that will
the more quickly raise the conscience of
the people and create the perfect man.
AS to the second division Of our sub
5ect. the consecrated purse. the oppor-
tunity is now present. SO far as Meth
odism Is concerned, to acquire It, Such
an opportunity as will soon disappear
and never return II we do not quickly
embrace Ii now. First Church has 118
feet front on Broadway that should
never be permitted to be severed from
Methodism. but should be put in pro-
ductive form and it's income devoted
forever to build up the good works of
Methodism. The most rapidly growing
city of this country or probably of the
world, is Chicago. It Is the only import
ant city In which Methodism is growing
more rapidly than the growth Of popu-
lation. Why? Because they retain a
piece of property that has become bust
ness property. They put on 1t buildings
for rent. 1t has given the church of
that city large annual income to devote
to the best interests of Methodism, and
as result our grandest church and edu-
cational development Is there. 1t is
wisdom to follow good example. This
is mo mean CITY," but has a great fu-
ture, where such provisions will tell
wonderfully.
II you were to ask what should Meth
odism do here, 1 would say: "Incorpo-
rate the Methodist Episcopal Church
Extension and Benevolence Concern
agree on fair value for the Broadway
properties referred to and pay First
Church that sum for her properties.
Then vest them in the corporation re-
ferred to, improve them for business
purposes and devote the income per-
petually to church extension and be.
nevolences of the Methodist Episcopal
Church"
Accomplish this by making ND a sub
csriptlor Of not less than'the value Of the
1roa0way properties. Al times are