The San Francisco call., 1897-11-09
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DR.. B. F. Clark of 1909 Sutter street ad-
dressed a group of Christian ministers
yesterday in a way that they Will not soon
forget, in a way seldom heard from the
Iaity and on themes that will cause con-
sidera bic after discussion.
The bold Iayman called his paper "a
Voice From the Pew" and it seems to
have been a distinctly audible sound that
disturbed the silence. In the course of
his remarks he was bold enough to lay
many charges at the door of the ministry
Before he made his charges he warned his
hearers that, however direct his accusa-
lions might appear, he meant all IN the
spirit of kindness. While many disagreed
with their critic, there was no acrimony
in the discussion that followed the read
ing of the paper.
The oratorical doctor was not at all
backward in telling his professional
hearers that they had been asleep and
hat Satan had robbed them of true re-
zion during their slum ber. This news
80 broke in the following words:
Gentlemen, the devil has stolen your gem
while you slept and left you merely the
setting. IS it any wonder that our pews are
empty, that our treasury is depleted, that
strife and discoTd sit enthroned in our
churches, that liD service and formality are
prominent features OF modern service
Christ has been too long chained in his
temple by he hands of his erratic friends. 1t
IS time 10 break off these shackles and give
his truth freedom. What are we doing for law
and order? What for irebriates? What for
the social evil What Tor the secret vices,
which, God save the mark sit straight up in
our pews What Tor Christian citizenship
Christ must be enthroned in the leading
sentient hearts OF man in all the walks OF life.
Proceeding in his sweeping Indictment
= - hot Ha
greatly feared that organized charities
had been allowed to usurp the true func-
tions OF Christianity; that the church
ought to bestir itself TO do things that are
now being done by various societies, and
that religion as represented by the
churches was allied far too much with
wealth and monopoly. He continued as
follows:
Until the church ceases its hair-splitting
and discord over theological questions and
takes up the truer ana broader ministry OF
christ where he laid Il down in ministering
both to physical and spiritual things of men,
IL Will continue to fail far short OF the great
purposes OF its divine head.
That the doctor is dissatisfied with the
existing order of things, that he believes
there age many social and economic evils
that the church should help to redress, ap.
pears from the following:
The modern church is creating far too little
disturbance IN Inc afalrs OF this world TO De
safely iden titled with true religion. The
church too largely assumes the same relation
TO wealth and fashion that is assumed by
all other supplcants at these shrines The
cringing attitude OF :the pulpit toward the
pew-fts f6wning sychopancy In the presence
o is1aJely wealth, pomp and fashion, for fear
of giving offer to the source of its material
supply. results in prostituting the church of
the living God to base and ignoble ends.
In conclusion the speaker arraig1sd
the ministry in general terms for sub
serviency to wealth and established idea S.
He said the hospitals and Mag ialen
asylum-, as we'll as the great places of
charity are all usurping the true function
OF the church, thereby weakening its
efficiency in all the great works intended
by the living God TO be carried o1t by his
great institution, the church of Christ.