The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-11-30
CITY PASTORS TO
JOIN In REFORM
They viii Cooperate with the New
Reform Committee.
SUGGESTION OF REV. DR.. CRAFTS
Pastors Committee Numbers six
Laymcn, Luther Keller, IL. NJ.
Boics, G., T. Reynolds, w. W. Lath-
rope, 4. II. sturges and -. G.. Nor
gan aud Seven Pastors--Aner an
Address by DIR. Crafts the Union
Decides to Take Upa Line of Sug-
Eestcd Reform study.

gestcd Reform study.
At meeting of the city Pastors
Union in the Young Mems Christian
Association parlors yesterday morning
it was decided to cooperate in the
reform movement inaugurated Sunday
by the Christian Endeavor and other
societies and n committee was appoint
ed to that end. Nearly thirty ministers
were present and destined to an ad-
dress by Rev DIR. W. +. Crafts. of
Washington, ID. c., who has instgated
the gambling, liquor and other cru
sadrs to be started soon by the church
societies
Rev. }. B. Sweet. of Simpson Metho-
dist church, was elected president of
the Union, ana Rev. G. w. Welsh, of
Calvary Reformed church was con-
tinued as secretary.
The committee appointed to coop
crate i'm the reform movement will
serve with the Reform committee ap-
pointed by the organization of the city.
The Pastors Union committee are
Rev. q. w. Welsh. secretary; Rev. Dr.
G. T.. Robinson. of the Second Preshy-
tern church; Rev. y. f. Chaffee. of
Asbury Methodist church; Rev.
Thomas De Gruchy, Of the Jackson
Street Baptist church; ReN f. n.
Swift of Grace Lutheran church. and
Rev. Dr. Joseph *. Dixon, of the Penn
Avenue Baptist church, and the follow
ing laymcn: Luther Keller Colonel II.
NJ, Boies. G. F. Reynolds. w. w La
throp, T.. t.. Sturges and u. G. Nor
gan. 1t is claimed by DR.. Crafts that
the committee will be aided by some
Of the Catholic clergy.
DIR. CRAFTS APPEAL.
DR.. Crafts address was an appeal
which has been applied To many
preachers meetings throughout the
country. 1t was heartily endorsed yes
terday as were the seven reform bills
mentioned by Dr. Crafts and now be-
fore congress He suggested a line of
topical reform study which the Union
decided to follow. At the next meeting
December &, THE New and True
Charity" will be discussed.
During Dr. Crafts address he said
That the church should promote social
ethics is confessed by resoundlng resolu-
tionS in behalf OF moral reforms in oc-
ClCSiastiCdl courts ana conferences, but,
]
committees of the Presbyterian assembly
and the Methodist general conference. no
! church committees have been appointed
| to carry out the resolutions. This ardu-
Gus work Is illogiCally left to "outside so
! Cieties." The churches should do more or
| less for moral reforms. They should
quit recognizing them as a part OF rell-
| gion by resolutions, or else follow up the
resolutions with organizations ana col
lcctionS, as when foreign missions. a
hundred years ago, was tardily reCog-
niaed, after like neglect as a part of the
gospel and so of church work.
The preachers meetings, originated in
I an individualstic and theological age,
! have not rcadjusted themselves to the
I new conditions OF an age of cities and Of
| social solidarity. The whole church. in
/ deed, needs rcadjusting, not in theology
/ but in methods, To the new occasions that
! teach new duties. This reimbursement
/ should begin in the theological seminary
where leaders are trained. But theolog-
! ical scminarcs are so far from the peo-
/ pie that they are last, rather than first,
/ 10 feel a forward movement.
INDIVIDUAL WORK.
/ In saving souls nothing is so effective
/ as individual work, but in the equally nee
| csSary but neglected work of saving So
I Cicty, to which the pastors are equally
!
! for saved souls they must act together.
! And it is for the leadership of this neg
! lcCtcd hemisphere of social and united
( work that the preachers meetings, it
| seems to me, have come to their kingdom
! in such a time as this.
Let one speaker take the relations of
education to morals and reforms, and re-
port annually in the third week in Jan
| uary, when occurs the worlds day of
| prayer for colleges, suggesting some prac-
/ ticable reforms for the local schools, or
In state or national laws. Let another
preacher take as his speciality municipal
! government, and report in the week con-
. tanning WashingtOn's birthday. Let an
/ other preacher master immigration, and
/ report in March and provide, by way of
/ application of his paper, for the distribu-
ton of literature on Sabbath observance
and total abstinence to all resident for
CI2nCrS in their own tongues by the
young peoples societies, who need sucn
religious exercise as much as the for
ctGucrs need the literature, for the young
peoples societies are not doing much
better than the older people in working
between meals. | believe there are more
heroes in the ministry than in any other
profession today; but that is saying ve?y
little. Christian lawyers are seldom
heard of in any Of the really strenuous
moral reforms except as hired attorneys
Doctors are scarce, for reforms would
bring them into conflict with some OF
their patients. Teachers, in these days
of political boards Of education, offer m.
their muzzlc when l come to speak II
their schools. Editors, secular and re-
ligious, are also rare birds in the reform
camp. Whether in temperance reform ol
Labor reform the preachers outnumbcl
all the other professions put together.
However, a wide observation persuade,
- 81, H.F 4l,N
preachers do not adequately press reform,
by word ana deed is that they have no
yet generally appreciated that there il
need to do anything but convert indivil
ualS.
SABBATH DEFENSE.
For Aprrs report the appropriate spe
cialty is Sabbath defense, with referenc,
go heading off the summer flood of Sab
ath-breaklng, and the appropriate weel