The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-07-19
\ VIEWS OF
Y A WOMAN

COMETIMES 1 don't wonder that
there are people who do not feel
- wildly enthusiastic over church,
going. Frequently they are strangers
in city and have come from a place
where they knew everybody and were
accustomed to consideration and friend
ly interest and CHEEKY greetings. To
them Church home" meant some-
thing. They think it will mean some-
thing in their new surroundings; and
surely enough it does, but something
very different. OF course, when one
joins church, it ought to be the
church. One is not supposed to Join
the preacher or the organ or, strictly
speaking, the congregation. 1t is un-
derstood that the Lord will be there,
but as one old lady who had been
transferred to a new flock under a new
| shepherd. pathetically remarked:
There doesn't seem to be even the
same Lord here that there was in Mill
vile; somehow | don't feel acquainted
| with Him at ALL"
l know one lady who came to Scran-
ton and Immediately connected herself
with prominent church of whose de-
nomination she had long been a men,
Der. when I had been here three
years. she said, II knew precisely as
many people in that church as l did
when ! entered it at first. About the
only attention / ever received was a
frequent and insistent demand for con-
tributions."
Once she was approached by one of
the members and asked IL she did not
feel that she could do some church
work. u
Yes. she promptly replied, II do
feel that / could. l am very busy
woman''-adding with energy: but l
should be willing to devote considerable
time to serving on a reception commit
tee to make strangers feel at home in
your church," This lady had brought
letters of introduction to prominent
residents of our city from persons of
distinction elsewhere. She entered a
church noted for its good works. Like
several others, its so-called social"
affairs openly alleged to be created
solely for the benefit of newcomers,
have been known to give the bene-
iciaries violent attacks of pneumonia.
Why is it anyway? Scranton people
are not "stuck up" There are few
places where snobbishness Is so little
noticeable as here. Neither are we sus-
picious by nature. They say there Is
not spot on earth where the residents
are more cheerfully and willingly bum
coed and where they evince more alac-
rity in being taken in, than this same
Scranton of ours. Hence 1t cannot be
any overdeveloped bump IF caution
that leads us to be wary of the stran-
ger In the next pew. Is 1t selfishness.
greed of time, or simply an acute sense
of the Importance of attending stric v
to our own affairs? l wonder!
Most of our churches have a system |
of district visiting. Sometimes they |
hire somebody to do it for them, and |
on other occasions there is special |
dispensation of ladies who put on their |
second best gloves and an a,r of resig- |
nation and sally forth to call on the |
new people" much as they might pass |
in a plate of cold victuals through the |
window of quarantined house. If the |
new people" are very humble and |
indeed they may be CRATE |
full for this crumb of distinguished con- |
sideration. Often they are not humble |
and the district visitor is about as un- |
comfortable as she deserves to be.
One new conner to the city had an eX-
perience with the church visiting COM
mittee that she relates with glee.
"An imposing lady with eyeglasses |
and a stony stare was at the door one |
morning, and | happened to answer the
bell myself she promptly took me for |
tine maid and was not at all discon-