Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1900-01-13


done by the church Of Christ In this
place to give the people In that part OF
the town the privileges and power Of
the life Of Christ, the life more abun-
dainty.
1.-THE houses down there are Of the
cheapest description. The people who
come out of them are far from well
dressed. The streets and alleys are
dirty and III smelling. and no one
cares to promenade for pleasure up
and down the sidewalks in that neigh
borhood. 1t is not safe place to go
to at night. The most frequent dis
turbances come from that part Of the
town. All the hard characters find ref
uge there. And let me say that | am
not now speaking of the working peo-
ple They are almost without excep-
ton law abiding. But in every town
like ours the floating population of vice
and crime seeks naturally that part OF
q town where the poorest houses are.
and the most saloons. and the greatest
darkness, both physical and moral.
"If there is part Of this town which
needs lifting up and cleaning and heal
ing and inspiring by the presence Of
the church of Christ, it Is right there
where there is no church. The people
on B street and for six or eight blocks
each side know the gospel. They have
large numbers of books and papers and
much Christian literature. They have
been taught the Bible truths; they are
familiar with them. OF what value Is
It, then. to continue to support on this
short street. so near together. seven
churches. Of as many different denomi-
nations. which have for their members
the respectable. moral people Of the
town? | do not mean to say that the
we'll to do. respectable people do not
need the influence of the church and
the preaching of the gospel. But they
can get these privileges without such a
fearful waste Of material and power.
If we had only three or four churches
on this street they would be enough.
We are wasting our Christianity with
the present arrangement. We are Civ
ing the rich and the educated and we'll
to do people seven times as much
church as we are giving the poor. the
ignorant and the struggling workers
in the tenement district. There Is no
question. there can be no question; that
all this is wrong. 1t Is opposed to ev-
cry principle that Christ advocated.
And in the face Of these plain facts.
which no one can dispute. there Is
duty before these churches on this
street which cannot be evaded without
denying the very purpose Of a church.
1t is that duty which am now going
to urge upon this Calvary church.
"It has been said by some Of the
ministers and members Of the churches
that we might combine in an effort and
build large and commodious mission
in the tenement district. But that. to
my mind. would not settle the problem
at all as it should be settled. 1t Is an
easy and a lazy thing for church men,
bers to put their hands In their pock-
cts and say to a few other church
members: we will help build a mis-
sion If you will run it after it is up.
We will attend our church up town
here while the mission is worked for
the poor people down there That is not
what will meet the needs of the situa-
ton. What that part Of Milton needs
Is the church Of Christ in it's mem!
bers-the whole church on the largest
possible scale. What ain now going
to propose, therefore. Is something
which believe Christ would advocate.
if not in the exact manner shall ex-
plain, at least in the same spirit"
Philip paused a moment and looked
over the congregation earnestly. The
expectation of the people was reused
almost to the point of sensation as he
went on:
81 have consulted competent authori-
ties, and they say that our church
building here could be moved from its
present foundation without serious
damage to the structure. 4 part of 1t
would have to be torn down to assist
the moving, but it could easily be re-
placed. The expense would not be
more than we could readily meet. We
are out of debt, and the property is
free from incumbrance. What | pro-
pose, therefore, is very simple thing
that we move our church edifice
down into the heart of the tenement
district. where we can buy a suitable
lot for q comparatively small sum. and
at once begin the work Of Christian
church in the very neighborhood where
such work Is most needed.
"There are certain objections to this
plan. | think they can be met by the
exercise Of the Christ spirit of sacrifice
and love- A great many members will
not be able to go that distance to at
tend service any more than the people
there at present can we'll come up here.
But there are six churches left on B
street. What Is to hinder any Chris
tian member of Calvary church from
working and fellowshiping with those
churches if he cannot put in his service
in the tenement district? None Of these
churches is crowded. They will well
come the advent of more members.
But the main strength OF tile plan