The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-09-13


 theme for the Sunday preceding Labor day, helpful and inspiring in its treat ment, is this discourse, in which the preacher makes special appeal in behalf of the "churchless millions" The text is Psalm civ, B. Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labor until the even- ing
 What time is it. mister?" the work man asked as 1 went through a large fac tory. "Twenty minutes past B." I an- swered "Ah then" said he, T have forty minutes more labor before I am my own boss" The workman kept on pounding-fve, ten, fifteen, twenty, twen- ty-five, thirty, forty minutes. During this interval, while the minute hand was moving slowly around the dial to- ward the numerical twelve, that man and his colaborers continued at their work. But no sooner did the clock begin to strike than a loud factory whistle was blown. Immediately the men and the women, the boys and girls alike, dropped their tasks and turned their backs upon the wheels and the leather bands. They took off their aprons and donned their coats and hats. The front and the side doors of the great building were vortex from which poured an onrushing flood of humanity The electric cars and the ele- vated trains and suburban expresses were damned and crowded by the scat tering employees not only from one but from many stores and factories. Every where in our large cities man goeth to his work and to his labor" in the morning. In the evening hour man, for the most part, has finished his daily tasks and heads toward home. My text rightly describes the social conditions of Davidic times. It as truthfull.- pictures the labor conditions of the present day.
 The ordinary average laboring man works from sun to sun. Now comes the practical and pertinent question, How is he to spend his evenings?' This Is to be our theme. It is to be our subject for two reasons: First because tomorrow is Labor day. It is a day legalized as a holiday by the state legislatures, during which all thoughtful men and women should discuss or hear speeches upon the great problems which affect the laborng classes. Such a subject as Labor Even ings" naturally grows out of a Labor Sum | day service.
 A Spritu... Problem.
 It is our theme because this imminent moral and spiritual problem can never | be rightly solved by the laboring man alone. He needs the help of sympathet- | ic men who have leisure to think and plan and who have capital which they can invest in educational appliances that will yield them a return in higher effi- ciency and grateful loyalty to their inter ests. The problem of capital and labor hA oalx al Inv ha Christian cooperation both of the rich and the poor; by Christian philanthropy ists placing in their employees hands the means by which they can lift themselves up.
 In this solution of this problem the church of Christ should take a prominent part It cannot affort to go on it's way indifferent to the social conditions which are fast becoming intolerable The mis- cries of the poor cry aloud unto heaven. To whom they have a right to look for help if not to that institution which Christ established for the redemption of the world. What can the church do for them? It may do much, and first among the agencies it may employ I would place the institutional church. Do not imag- inc that the church will be desecrated by such use. It can never be a more sacred temple than when it provides a place in which the worldngman will be glad to spend his evenings. This does not mean that the future church of Christ is to be a dance or a billiard hall, a bowling alley, a lounging place for smokers or free restaurant where tramps and beggars shall come to get something for nothing. It does mean, however, that the church of Jesus Christ Is to be something more than a mere place of preaching and hearing. It Is to be place of sacred practical helpfulness. It is to become eyes for the blind and clothing for the naked and crutches for the lame and food for the hungry and a warm welcome for the frendless and comfort for the hopeless. It is literally to be all things to all men. It is to be- come a place of social communion as well as of spiritual worship
 Please explain yourself more in de- tail" some one says. Well, I will. In the first place, I find that the social in stinct is a God implanted instinct, and must and will find vent out of the human heart The gregarlous tendency is strong in men, as 1t is in animals. Cattle travel in herds. If farmer turns out his cows upon the mountain sides he only has to place one bell upon one COW. Then 1t is easy for himto find the rest of the herd
 
 came to live in Pike county, Pa. where I was at that time preaching. He set that whole county laughing. Why? In his lack of knowledge of animal instinct he placed a different bell on every COW. Thus his herd of cows would go over those mountains changing their dscord- ant bells like a big orchestra tuning up its instruments for concert piece. It only needs one bell for one herd of cat tie. Cows always travel together The same law applies to sheep and horses and mostly to birds and fish. They love to be in each others society. They live in herds or flocks or schools. The social instincts in the human race, as in all animals, is. a God implanted instinct power on earth can help it. He will as- sociate with man in the church or else in the saloon or club or secret society He must and will find perpetual compan- ionship during his evening hours. The church should provide a place for the harmless indulgence of that craving.
 How to Reach the Masses.
 Statement second: I find by study of books and personal investigatinon that every church which has first been bap- tized by the Holy Spirit and then gone forth to reach the middle or the laboring classes through the social gate has al- ways been blest of God in a marvellous way A conspicuous illustration of that fact is seen in St. Georges Episcopal church of New York city. This was once the church of the great Dr. Stephen Tyng. This church is situated in East Sixteenth street A short time after the