The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-17
OVERRIDING THE nUsINEss.
How the Christian Denominations Fight
Ono Another In Their Struggle
Against Satan.
81. III. Ecob in Independent. }

lulness or the denomlnatlonal sys
tom in this State of Colorado. Let
it be distinctly understood that this
State is in no wise exceptional. Our
State missionaries, I know them, arc
faithful, able, laborious, godly mon.
They are victims of the system. The
>Methodists; Baptists, Presbyterians,
Congregationalists and Christians
have separate systems Of missions.
The Catholics aud Episcopalians
have their own peculiar State work.
| The two latter denominations are
not considered in this article. Five
State missionaries are busy travelling
over the State looking after denomi-
national interests. One good man
with an assistant could do all the
work; but it must be remembered
that these men do not have separate
parts OF the State assigned them, but
they follow each other in tho same
track. Let us take concrete case.
Here is a little village of four hun
dred inhabitanta, 1t "has future"
Accordingly all the denominations
are eager to get foothold there. We
find Congregational church Of tif-
teen members, Methodist church of
twelve members, u Baptist church of
twenty members, n Presbyterian
church of six members, Christian
church Of three members; aud very
likely the place is visited by an Epis-
copalian and a Catholic priest who
hold services occasionally in private
houses. This is no uncommon case.
Five or six State missionaries are
employed to look after this little
hamlet. They come in Indian file,
troading upon one another's heels.
One man could do the work as we'll.
The salaries Of these men with their
expenses average two thousand dol
lars year. That is very conserv-
atiye estimate. Here on this one
item is an expenditure of twelve OF
fifteen thousand dollars where three
or four would be ample. Then each
OF these forlorn little churches must
have pastor. Here again is waste
OF men and money, five or six-fold
above what is either necessary or be-
neticent. Then comes the question
of housing these little churches. This
is, if anything, the most exasperat-
ing part of the problem. Instead of
one commodious, ,well-appointed
house of worship which would meet
the demands Of so small community
and at the same time compel their
admiration and respect, we have
three or four, possibly five or six,
wretched little structures, that are a
travesty on the name of church.
Here likewise the waste is manifold.
Now, il orc wishes to SEQ tho con-
dition of tho West he has but to
multiply this typical case by thous
ands and tons of thousands. It is
my deliberate judgment that the
West is as bodily overchurched as
the East. The work of the next ten
years ought to be that of thinning
ont churches rather than planting
more TO appreciate that statement
wo need only recall the experience
of the famous Yale Band. Word
went out that a number of the choic-
est young men of the graduating
class of Yale Seminary had offered
themselves to the board of home mis-
sions with tho express understand
ing that thoy were to be sent into
the destitute regions of the West.
The religious press rang with praises
for this devoted band. Glowing pro-
phecies for the future Of homo mis-
sions filled the air. The story was
rehearsed joyfully in the churches.
What was the sequel? Two of these
young heroes were sent to the Pacif-
ic slope. One of them was assigned
to forlorn little church which was
struggling for the breath oflife with
four or five other forlorn little
churches in tho forloin little town.
He was no moro needed there than
he was on 5th avenue in New York.
In the bitterness Of his soul he pub.
lished his protest: "That letter cost
us thirty thousand dollars" There
lies logical genesis for your mis-
| ~. lol>k, l,n-o -