The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1898-12-05
THE HOME.
.City's Future
Rests on 1t.
STRONG ADDRESSES
Made by Able Speakers at
Mechanics Hall Meeting.


sIonary Society at Mechanics han vac.
terdav afterroo, .,,.,.' a,,I,. 80,
to,,d,d ~ ''ls Idiriy at
'''e 'Iaii peIhS not more than
| l"o-lhirds full; but the meeting was
one of much interest finn of lor,e,,1
suegastio,,s ..,,,.,, -. 'tei - ~
oot -, Inv '''7" meaning 10 lhose
NV thoroughly conversant with the
work. DR.. John C.. Berry nrasidart of
the society nresidad ond p -
Ma,,.;an, n - 'i'e "a
AN - ~ ana Rev Archibald
McCuuagh, d. D., assisted in the pro
gram, The speakers We're Rav Dr Nriv
sunerin+a,da,,t ,,e 60,
D.. '''7 soeie'y' 1IesluehI
lSerl " I'eV' A. 4. Conrad, D. D., Rev.
Alexander Lewis Phi. d.. and Rev
Willard Scott n n srt., .t.4, z..,
5o,bra o,,,,,.,. o., anu
Ol Oio SCUM CRurcn
Ieiaettd selections.
! DE- Berry opened the sDaalxing Artar
weIcornino- t,a oo,,,,,.,,,-,:..,, .....,-
- IS '''''''' li7 7P'Ne
"" 'He l"pIc OF the afternoon The
home and its Importance in Christian
work"
M. D.. .-.,
i'i'S Soi0'
] lhere was probably never q time
/ Wheh students OF social problems aGd
leaders IN the work Of The church were
more alive to the Importance Of tie
. IdHllIy as a fundamental institution OF
society than today; and if it is true
/ as is aVelred, that Christian sociology
/ Is the coming science. it is also true
! mat the Iamlly is the key TO its solu-
]
/ adVisedly place emphasis upon the
inner life Of the home as determining
/ ITS character rather than upon its Ell
/ yironment 1t is a mistake too fire.
( quently made and enc that has far
reaching and unfortunate results. To
take for granted that the emigTant
from the Old world, introduced into the
\ virile civilization, will, by the influence
! Of environment alone, he brought into
the life and spirit of q free Christian
1 citizenship. ] say that this is a mis-
/ take, and it is the MISTAKE which this
/ society is laboring to correct in t5e
4 city of Worcester. A regulated enNlF-
4 onment is Of course important hence
! the necessity of wise legislation backed
/ by a wholesome public sentiment, fot
the control of evils which menace the
! Welfare Of the community; but we
should never forget that the most eff
fective check to the evils that threat
en- the integrity of our civic life-intem-
4 perance, RIGHTEOUSNESS and pnlltica
/ corruption, is the application Of the
truths of Christianity TO the inner life
of the home,-there to foster and de-
| yelOp those lofty principles of man
hood and of citizenship which it is the
/ glory of Christianity to evolve.
Have we individually an interest il
the great missionary movements ailc
in the noble philanthroples OF our Gay
If so, and we stop to analyze our e,t-
| periences, We Will find IN the NaS1
! majority of cases, that this interest,"
has grown from the seed-thoughts ant
principles implanted in the Christlas
home.
True, to form the character of the
young and to mould them for the ser
vice of humanity and Of the state, l:
the legitimate work Of the Church o.
4 Christ; but that Christian organlzattGI
which waits to exert its influence uDOf
character through the appointed char
ncls of it's public services alone, VIII
reach only those whose irclinations atf
already toward the church. Poverty
moral apathy, social separation
or all act as potent factors in keeping
from our churches a considerable por
ton of the population in our cOmmuni
ty. and these must be sought out anl
Influenced in their homes, if won tO
nobler citizenship and for Christ
Brethren. we shall be disappointed j
we expect new families from beyon(
the sea. to come to the church before
the church goes to them. This truth j
clearly comprehended by the society
and is being as vigorously worked GU
as means at command viii permit.
We therefore come before you toGa'
with two requests for the coming year
Ejrst mat the income of the society
he increased by one thousand dollars
over the amount of last year; second
mat the interests of the society have
a mace i'm your prayers. Twice tn
sun, asked for would be "a wise invest
mont For a city of one hundred anC
fen Thousand people located in the Yer.
beart Of christian New England, just
iv proud of her schools, her churche
ard ali mat makes up a high type O
Igh,.isti.,n- civilization and with a prop
a,,t,[ yaIuation of a hundred millipl
3,I5ia,.el-for eucb a. city to give, b
J,,rine, fhe mast wear, less than fly
tbous9nd dollars for the support of
IT, I'D bring into sympathy with GU
nobler life the large foreign element il
an, midst. is but playing with tn
Great work we have in hand. Self in
ftareet To saw nothing of Christian duty
eternity demands a more vigorous ef
Fort In this respect.
lV ~, - ,,,arJ more. The advance Of tinl
olig mUlJ nc where we can nearG
no. az dawn of the last year of til
10 w