The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1899-12-15
PILGRIM BROTHERHOOD.
Discusses the Question Why Church
Fails To Reach the Masses.
A Very Interesting Meeting Of the New
Society for the Study Of Social
Problems

The meeting OF the Pilgrim Brother
hood in the parlors Of the First Congre-
gational church, Thursday evening
brought out good attendance, consid-
ering the dsagreeable weather.
II was an open meeting, the ladies'
being invited, and good many Of the
gentler sex were present.
After transaction OF little routine
business. the discussion was opened on
the question: "Has the Church Failed
10 Reach the Masses through mis-
conception Of Christ's Teaching
K. B. Duncan opened the discussion,
taking the position that the church had
reached the masses to a great extent by,
advancing their ideas OF morality and
developing their benovelence and
spiritual attribute.
Mr.. Gilbert followed. His idea was
that the church had not reached the
masses az IL should have done, because
both Christians and non.Christians had
often violated the ten commandments,
which we're the fundamental laws OF
God for the regulation Of human life.
G.. NJ. Powers came next lie
argued that the church had not reached
the masses az il ought, backing this
proposition with the fact that, after
three hundred years of the exclusive
teaching Of Christianity in this country,
only 30 per cent Of the people were COM
municants OF the church
one reason why the church had not
reached the masses was that il had
emphasized the necessity Of Il public
oral confession OF belief in Christ a. Of
fundamental importance TO the salvation
OF the soul, without placing equal em-
phasis upon the necessity of Christian =
living a life OF Christlike character.
Under the present industrial system,
whore every mans hands is raised in
bitter comparative wareiare against his
brother, II will be impossible to lead
a true Christian life aud at the same
time conduct successful business
Many proiessed followers Of Christ, in
good standing in the church, were living
lives, inside the law and sanctioned by
society, that would cause tho lowly
Nazarene. were lie here, to cast them
from the temple rs lie did the money
changers OF old. The only way in which
the masses can be reached, would be fol
the shurch TO cease 20 uphold an In
dustrial system which is 50 far out ol
harmony with Chrst's teachings.
IT. B. Tuthill could not agree Will
the last speaker as 20 the iniquity of The
comparative system, lie thought the
masses could be reached by Christians
leading more pure Christian life. liz
thought that many today were leading
true Christian lives, aud the world wac
gradually. growing better.
Mr.. Maxon thought that in discus
sions OF n is kind ii was customary "a
lay the sus Of the world upon the bust
mess man, while others were equally or
more guilty; that the average business
man was conscientious and upright in
his dealings. His definition of the busi'
ness man seemed TO exclude ticket
agents and he thought the latter as
likely To make short change as tho
former 10 be unfair ia his dealings
Prot. Collier followed with very i'm.
terestng talk in which he took the posi-
tion that our ideas of Christianity were
becoming eyolutionizedi that the ideals
We were seeking are elusive Ia the
sense that they are slipping ON, as We
advance, and keeping ever ahead of us.
After few remarks by Mr., lIetric,
IA. W Dennis and Pres, John Balne,
the discussion was closed by Rev, W, G,
Kantner,
MIR. Hantner thought the world was
growing better aud the ideals Of man
moro pure; that the masses had been
reached in an ethical sense, but that the
churches in the past had been ton
much occupied in advancing their own
ideas OF theology, rather than the true
teachings of Christ. The idea oi the
universal iatherhood Of God had not
been grasped in the past by the church,
Today the drift oi thought in the church
was more toward that and more en-.
phasis was heine laid upon the uniyei-
sal brotherhood Of man.
AZ the next meeting, which will be an
open one, ON the evening OF pec. 2ith,
the question 10 be discussed is; "Why
DO Men Not Attend Churchg"
The Brotherhood hopes that some oi
the men who DO not attend church may