The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-05

I'm the Protestant Church IL was Zoo. 30
| with an Increase OF population OF over
| so 600 the increase IN church mem
bership. including all denominations,
was only a Httle over 5000. There ousnl
! Ia ne an Increase in church membership
I'm Rrool,lvn of at least one-half of the
increass i'm population. 1t as reasonable
10 expect II. and the church Is not hold
ing Iis own so long as NJ docsn get IL.
S,che neighborhOod in which nay
church Is located Is what might De call
ei church-going neighborhood. y
short time ago my assistant went on a
u,tie tour around here and found sew
| s.rt,g families I'm a radius OF few
hicSks mat had moved in here within
xrssr and the members of which were
churcb members in The places from
| which they came, but had not allied
,han,selves with any church since COM
sn,, 49, RrooIlyn. Nothing could be more
s,,,Sling i.s no my mind than actual
bbin,,..h members giving up the prac-
~ ~ going regularly 10 Il house uf
| worship on SUNNY
REVISION NEEDED.
or an, of ths opinion that church
| ,,athoJs need revision. A more earnest
e,'angeIistlc spirit is what we want The
cbn,cb sbould not wait Tor the people
to conn. 10 h. when h is apparent that
n vtaIts I'm vain. IN should 80 out and
reach the people. Heretofore evangel-
istic movements have almost all teen
ontside of the church, and 50 not as
fr,Jitful as they might be- But when the
church is itself awakened to the relig-
IONS deslAutiOn Of the con munity, and
10 n fun realization of facts as they
really are she has tha means to supply
what IL needed. and 1t js her duty 10
see that the people are reached. / am
delighted TO say that have never seen
rs.f gs,fftif f,ff htr
ministers than has been shown this
fan. with the awakening 10 the condi-
tions has come a determination TO inn
prove them, and at once. The greatest
was shown at Mondays
meeting Of the Presbytery. and already
made up OF ministers and
church members are at work devising
WAYS and means to end, the growing
Indifference 70 the church and it's work
II have no hesitation in mentioning
two or three things which I'm my opln-
ion have injured the church in the eyes
OF outsiders Theological controversy I'm
the past is one thing and another Is the
discussion Of the higher criticism, which
is perhaps. well and right I'm the class
room of a theological seminary. but out
of place in the pulpit. Then again there
Is the emphasis placed on the social |
Side OF church work-the soup kitchen, !
tho gymnasium and such devices, which |
have been used 20 reach the people, Dut /
which have mnimlzed the force Of the |
church. | bslieve i'm all OF these things |
IN their place. but the people can get |
them outside of the church. The bust
ness OF rhe church is 10 emphasize The
spiritual anil 10 bring man into har-
mony with his God.
For the first time in it's history the
Brcoklyn Presbytery spent three hours
Monday discussing the unchurched |
masses il decided 10 have special |
meetings for prayer each Saturday af-
hernoon. at 1870 o'clock, for ministers.
elders. deacOns and trustees OF the |
churches. and 10 ask divine help In the |
work before us We have invited Dwight |
/. Moody 10 help us in our work. The
whole Church Of Brooklyn is aroused |
and we mean 10 stir things up. In my /
church the Rev. G.. Campbell Morgan OF |
London is TO conduct meetings on Oct. |
Is. 10 ana 90 Mr.. Morgan IS a powerful |
preacher and has done evangelistic |
vv-r--fk- at UvUT TtTT WOTT1- Trp and MT. I
Moody between them will start things !
going and YOU can be very sure that |
the clergy Of Brooklyn will keep them |
going If II is in their power to do So"