The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-06-06
TELLS WHY PEWS ARE EMPTY
CRITICIZES YOUNG MINISTERS
WHO DINE OUT.
He Declares That Nobody Embroid.
cred Slippers for Simon Peter or
Presented Paul With
Dressing Gown.

Rev. John Coyle. D. D., of Berkeley
created a mild sensation yesterday morn
ing at the weekly meeting of the Method
list Episcopal Ministers by reading pa
per on The Pulpit and the Empty Pew,
which contained matter Of highly inter
esting, if not sensational character. he
said
There are a great many empty pews in
churches Of every denomination. The dives
beer halls. dance halls, theaters ana on
lizard rooms do not lack for SUNDAY CON
gregations. There are no empty peWs III llest
places. Never was the standard Of preaching
as high as il is today. Never was there a
better-trained more highly cultured class OF
men ocCupving the pulpit What IS the cause
OF these empty pews, them What is II!
In ,rt a lev instances the inability OF a
church 10 cope with the stupeudous Industrial
and social evils a these modern days stands
confessed. The great seethinE mass ol men men
IS upon any II the great and vital questlohs Oh
the day. that is. the laboring populatlon-the
men who drop the ballots, and who make anu
unmake laws leaders ana pollucal parties ~, IL
proof Of this assertion our large city churChes
are pointed to ana the Qug T, - .. 7 no -;
where are the working men Inc greater pa /
OF the male element Is made w Of the profes-
sional the well-to-do and employing classes
one is constantly hearing OF the rlchesL Lle
most artstocratic the most fashionable churches
Of the city But underneath their arched and
frerte5 roofs one does not ind at Sunday wor-
shin the borny-ha nded sons Of toll. Their alb
the faCt that poor men and women will not
60 where competition in style Of dress Is
greater than they can meet. You have noticed
brethren this condition does not obtain in
Catholic churches.
The preaching Of the gospel has become too
much a matter Of business for what there is
in ii and many able preachers only feel called
TO a higher salary.
One Of the first requisites TO do vigorous work
is vigorous health. No athlete Of the Roman
arena ever needed better bone or blood nerve
ana sinew than the man who enters the Chris
tian ministry to-day. The day is passed when
dyspepsia and heavenly mindedness were
synonymous terms one reason why the
Apostles preached such powerful sermons was
they had plain. wholesome food. These early
ministers were never invited out to late sup
pers with chicken salad douGhnuts and ice
foot OF Simon Peter or presented Paul with a
velvet dressing gown and a gOld-headed cane.
These men had vigorous brains because they
had healthy blood.
one Of the sad thoughts in connection with
the Christian ministry to-day Is that the ranks
filed with young men who are the sons Of
poverty, whose training is carried forward
amid the most unfavOrahle surroundings for
vigorous health The theological student lives
at cheap boarding house, whose bill of fare
And after three years Of such depletion that
comes from light feeding and heavy work, he
steps gasping into the pulpit, so heavenly pale
that the mothers of Israel afraid that he
wiz corporate BEFORE he goes through his first
sermon.
% YOU suppose that If Paul had passed
through that kind of theological training ne
would have made Felix tremble? One glance
ot the old Romans eye would have made Paul
apolcg i,e for his intrusion. To reach the high
esr success he must have the gift OF common
sense For lack Of this how many men Of
splendid gifts and requirements have made a
miserable failure. believe there is a solution
and believe the pulpit must solve 1t.