The Oskaloosa herald., 1900-02-15

| familiar with them. OF what value is
/ 1t, 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
well 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
| 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 well
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 l am now going
10 urge upon this Calvary church.
/ 1T has been said by some Of the
ministers and members of the churches
that we might combine in an effort and
build a 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 lazy thing for church mem
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 men,
! bers-the whole church on the largest
possible scale. What | am now going
| to propose, therefore, is something
which believe Christ would advocate.
; if not in the exact manner l shall ex-
| plain, at least in the same spirit"
Philip paused moment and looked
over the congregation earnestly. The
expectation Of the people was reused
almost to the point of sensation as he
| went on:
II 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. A part Of it
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 suitable
lot for a 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 10 go that distance to at
| tend service any more than the people
there at present can well come up here.
But there are six churches left on B
street. What is to hinder any Chris
tan 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 the plan
which | propose lies in the fact that if
it be done it will be live illustration
| of the eagerness OF the church TO reach
and save men. The very sight of our
/ church moving down of from this
street 10 the lower part Of the town
| will be an object lesson to the people,
and the church will at once begin to
mean something TO them. Once estab-
lished there, we can work from 1t as
center. The distance ought TO be no
encouragement to any healthy person.
There is not young woman in this
church who is in the habit Of dancing
| who does not make twice as many
steps during an evening dancing party
as would be necessary TO take her TO the
tenement district and back again. Sure
~ any Christian church member is as
willing to endure fatigue and sacrifice
and to give as much time to help make
men and women better as he is TO have
a good time himself. Think for mo-
ment what this move which | propose
would mean 10 the life Of this town
and to our Christian growth. At pres
ent we go to church. We listen to a
good choir. we go home again, we have
pleasant Sunday school, we are all
comfortable and well clothed here, we
enjoy our services, we are not disturb
ed by the sight OF disagreeable or un-
congenial people.
But is that Christianity? Where do
the service and the self denial and the
working for mems souls come in? All.
my dear brothers and sisters, what is
this church really doing for the saliva
ton of men in this place? Is IL Chris