The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1902-02-21
ANOTHER CLUB.
Mems Club of Centenary Methodist
Church Organized.

going by that name. IL Is the men
club of the Centenary Methodist
church. The organization was COM
2leted last evening at the mems sup
per held in the church parlors. DR..
Andrews president, Professor U. Q.
Cox vice president, Professor @. E.
Nettleton secretary, Mr.. George W.
5ugden treasurer. The organization
proposes to promote acquaintance and
goodfellowship among the men be-
longing to and affiliated with the
church through family connections and
other wise, and to look especially after
the development of the building fund
of the church. 1t proposes for time
at least, to meet at the supper hour
on the first and third Mondays of each
month. The ladies of the Aid society
prepare and serve the supper, which
is simple yet substantial meal, con-
sistent with good digestion, piety
and high mentality. While the MEM
bers are eating, some one of their num-
Der or some invited guest reads a
paper or makes speech, on some sub
ject of Importance, and when the
meal is finished, the subject is dis
cussed about the tables. The reader
of the paper takes his turn eating,
while the others discuss and digest
the topic of the evening. The club
offers membership to all men of the
church and organization and any
others who sympathize with the pur-
poses of the organization and would
like to join it. 1t is understood that
the men come from their offices and
other places of business int heir work
ing costumes, without going home to
make themselves more presentable,
and the gathering which begins at 6
p. M, will be dispersed by 8 O'Clock.
Those who need to return to bust
ness Immediately after supper are
free to do so, though many remained
last evening until eight O'Clock. 1t
is believed to be practicable in this
way to get the men together often,
as it provides for supper at small ex-
pense, and social hour or two at a
time which will not interfere with
after supper business or social engage
ments or an evening at home.
Last evening, DR.. Cowgirl read a
paper on "The Church Of the Open
Door, He said in substance The
church has two problems to solve.
One is the problem of knowing what
the church ought to proclaim as the
divine message, and especially what
phases of the divine teaching should
be emphasized and what applica-
tions should be made of Christian
truth to the life of the people. The
other proDIem IS that OF reaching the
people with the message, of getting
the attention of the people to the truths
of the gospel. AS to the first problem
it is now quite generally felt that
those doctrines which are in the fore
front of the Christ's' teaching, are the
ones entitled to emphasis in the
teaching of the church. Among these
certainly are the reality of God, the
divinity and authority of Jesus Christ,
the influence of the Holy Spirit in
changing the life of man, the witness
of the spirit, the cretainty of future
life of rewards and punishments, and
those great fundamental virtues which
go to make up what we call morality.
AS to the second problem, it is finding
many solutions, or attempts at solution,
in our time. One of the solutions pro-
posed is the institutional church. Such
a church proposes not only to preach
the gospel, but to minister in many
practical ways to the neeus of the peo-
pie. The institutional church is espec-
tally adapted to the needs Of the work
in the tenement regions of our great
cities and in the slums. The kinder
garten, the night school, the intelli-
gence Office, the coffee house, the gym
nasium, the library and reading room,
free lectures and musical entertain
ments are am ong the provisions made
by the institutional church Off the
help Of the people.
No such church is needed in small
cities like Mankato. And yet, posi-
bly,, some of the features of the institu-
tional church might proftably be
grated upon the ordinary city or viii
lage church. I believe that the church
should minister more fruitfully and
powerfully to the social life for its own
people and that of the community
than it ordinarily does. The social
environment of an individual, old or
young, rich or poor, has much to do
with the moral and spiritual trend of
his life.. Sermons, prayer meetings
and Sunday schools will not save to the
church those whose social environment
is unfavorable to Christianity. The
church should offer social opportunity
and social pleasure and social influence
of the right kind to all its people. 1t
should be social center and bond. 1t
should cement it's own people together
socially and offer an agreeable and
helpful social life to those who will
otherwise suffer from bad society or
social neglect. In the parlors of the
church, the rich and poor should come
and those who have lacked
for culture should have
the privilege of mingling with those
whose company will be helpful to
them. Here the homeless young men
and the family of strangers in the