The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-02-21
MANKATO FREE PRESS.
INTO the saloon for what he really need

ed, which was-not liquor, but rest and
society, when he would have greatly
preferred to go into a church, if it
we're open, and he knew that he was
welcome. Why should not the church
be open almost every night in the week
or every night. 1t could have a
comfortable, CHEEKY room, with paper
and magazines and a library and few
tables with unexceptionable games
for the amusement of the young people.
1t could, with the help of of its own
consecrated talent, afford music and
elocution and lectures and discussions
that would be entertaining and pro-
ftable to tired men and women and
strangers, who cannot afford to pay
for such things. The church would
thus be ministering to the needs of the
people in way that some. the poor,
at least, would appreciate and would
naturally and justly increase her pow
or over them. The church will have
plenty of friends when she shows her
self friendly. She cannot expect the
people to highly prize or appreciate
her professions of interest in the peo-
pie, the common and poor people, sc
long as the latter believe that the
church people do not care to be asso-
ciated with them. do not say that
socials, suppers, and other things offer,
ed to the people for money are wrong.
If the people of the church and hel
friends outside the church desire tc
come together socially and are willing
to improve the occasion by putting
money into some of the treasures
of the church, that is all right,
and good may come out of it il
several ways. But the church Car
not reasonably expect large moral ant
evangelistic results from social func
tions that are gotten up for the pur
pose of making money. But when sh'
summons the social power of her peopl
to the task of throwing an environ
ment of Christian sociabiliyt aroun'
her own people, especially the younI
people committed to her charge, TO
the purpose of protecting them fror
evil and building them up in all tina
is good and wholesome, she will thel
become a great power for godlines
in the community.
| believe in the Young Mems Christ
ian Association and consider that tn
entertainment features of its work ar
the most important ones But almos
every function discharged by the Y
M. 9. A. could be better discharge
by individual churches, if they wer
alive to their privileges and obliga
tions. A pastor, with his officia
members, and his young people
societies and his church parlors and
church reading room and where it
practicable, a gymnasium for the boys
with such games as would not be oh
jectionable in the church parlors, wit
the music and elocution which hi
own members couId furnish and occas
ionally free lectures and open discus
sions and back of all else the consecra
ted homes of his people open to til
strangers who find their way into hi
church's social life, could do NOR
than the best equipped Y. NJ. G. A
to save young men, and while doini
} this, he wuld be promoting every in
terest of his own people and of tn
community. 1 would like to be th
pastor of such a church.
In the discussion which followe
Professors Nettleton and Cox and Mr.
Grannis heartily endorsed the sent
ments of the paper.