St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-01-11
Church SOciabIes.
BY Rev. C. II. Smith, Pittsford, VT.

lneV 90 not SeeIn 10 NC IeSdIue'
usually as means OF grace. News
papers critioise or poke fun. Church
leaders are apt to speak OF them hal
apologetcaly as kind of conces
sion to the young and worldly
minded, bait to draw the unwil
ling-one can hardly say unsuspect-
ing--6sh into the gospel net.
Church sociables are either d useful
and respectable institution or they
are not. Ii not, the fact ought to be
admitted frankly and they should be
banished from church lie. We shall
lose nothing in the end by being true
to our convictions. But if they are
both useful and respectable or can be
made so, apologies are not in order;
the sociable has a rightful place
among the activities OF the church,
and deserves careful attention.
In most cases there is no difficulty
in securing a good attendance at
these gatherings. People will come
without urging, even in stormy
weather. A few statistics in hand
from group Of country churches
show that a hundred or more per-
sons may be expected at church
sociable whether it is held often or
only once or twice a year. At an
ordinary weeknight prayermeeting
from fifteen to forty persons is the
usual number present. II the design
is that the sociable shall serve as
bait for the praytrmeeting, it must
be admitted that the fish show con.
siderable skill in getting the bait
without the hook.
But must we assume that those
who attend sociables and absent
themselves from the prayermeeting
are sinners above others? MAY it
not be that they find in the sociable
elements which meet their needs and
which they do not find in prayer
as ordinarily carried on?
There is in it free, unrestrained,
cheerful intercourse which is often
painfully lacking in prayermeetpg.
t does people good to meet their
leighbors and shake hands. They
ike to talk things over, they crave
ompanionship. Their needs are
net in the social gathering. 1t is
legitimate part OF church work to
to them. Souls are saved
y friendship and comradeship as
veil as by prayers and exhortations.
Sociables have been made much { {
y one church for number of years.
'eople seem to enjoy coming to
hem. They seem to serve a useful
urpose in the life of the church.
hey are held on Friday evenings,
nee IN two weeks from November =
o April in the commodious lecture
Dom OF the church. Here all feel
themselves equally at home, and all
1eet on a common level. Ten cents
charged for admission. This
honey goes into the treasury Of the
aides Aid Society which has the
versight Of the sociabes. 1t is
nall enough not to be burdensome
, any one; it saves the sociable
ON seeming to be a money making
fair, and at the same time in the
purse of the season amounts to
iough to help out materially on
,urch expenses.
The supper usually consists of
'lls, cold meat, doughnuts, cake
nd coffee. 1t is furnished and served
three or four ladies who. having
lken their turn, are not called upon
gain during the year. After supper
lere is little music and a reading =
recitation. A game like matching r
,overbs brings people out of the
'rners and starts conversation.
alter the young people have some
'iet game in one part of the room
lille the older ones visit in another. c
'op)e leave when they choose and
are on their way home before ten
clock. Everything is informal, the
Dor OF preparation is not great. @
pleasant evening is provided, peo.