Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1903-09-12

ing classes through tne SoSi"i 6"'S ~
ALWAYS been blest of God In marvel-
Gus way. A conspicuous illustration OF
that fact is seen in st. Georges Epis-
copal church Of New York city. Thls
was once the famous church or the
great DR.. Stephen Tying. This church
is situated in East Sixteenth street. A
short time after the good DR.. Tyng
died the wealthy parishioners or TINS
church began to move away. There
was great talk at one time of abandon
ing this site and going farther up town.
Then came DR.. Rainsford to this pulpit.
He is a big, warm hearted, practicai
Christian. What did he do? Desert
that magnificent downtown field to
Satan, as many Of our downtown
churches have done? No; he made st.
Georges parish right about face. lie
made that church appeal to the classes
around its very doors. He made 1t ac-
complish its work by appealing to the
neighborhood through the social gate.
The result is st. Georges Episcopalian
church. great as its former pastors
were. never did the good that 1t is do
ing today. 1t Is now appealing to the
great unchurched classes. Its parish
houses and social beehives are Dusy
Monday. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday as well as
having its church auditorium open on
Sunday. 1t is church of the glad
hand" and the every night welcome
as well as the church Of holy prayer"
What is true in reference to st.
Georges church is true of the Judson
Memorial church of New York and OF
Russell Conwell's church in Philadel-
phia and of the Park Presbyterian
church of Newark, n. j., and In one
sense of the Moody church of Chicago
Oh. why will not all Of the churches,
like those named, learn the value OF
doing their work by appealing to the
social instincts?
In the most congested parts Of our
cities the saloons have no difficulty to
live. They appeal to mankind through
the social gate. Upon their windows
see these words advertised everywhere:
Free Lunch" What does that mean!
Have the saloon keepers suddenly be-
come philanthropistsi Are they AMI
mated with the gospel desire to feed
| the Door and care for the starving
| Oh. no. The saloon keeper is man
shrewd and keen in business. He says:
"If | with a sandwich can only entice
my victims into my hell hole, then
can keep them here by the social In
| stinct. l will then surround them
with my hirelings and hold them III
grips of steel" There is an old saying
I'm church circles, Give the people q
free lunch and there Is no difficulty IN
collecting a crowd" If the saloor
keepers can afford to give free luncf
every morning, noon and night in the
service of the devil do not believe Il
moor policy once in awhile on a weel
night for the institutional church Il
give n free lunch" In the name o.
Christ.
Evil Influences to Counterhct.
When some months ago l wen
through the Chicago slums in compah.
with the officers Of the law, hunting
for the debauched husband or one o
nv church members. | found In man!
of these evil resorts that free vaude
Vile shows were given in order TO de
GOV and draw in crowds IL the Satan
| ic proprietor can afford to DO that
do not believe 1t out of place for Chris
fans on the week nights to oner re
fined social entertainments to gathe
the great unchurched masses into
chur- II fellowship in the name o
Christ.
When I go down the street OF MOI
day night, past church after churcl
tomblikc and silent and dark on a'
count of their closed doors, ana III
the billiard halls in full illuminate
and crowded with the young men q
orr land. know then that there
something wrong. | know that thes
Young men are not being appealed
In the name of Christ through the 81
ciol gate. know that the institution;
church is right when, to counlera'
: that evil influence. it throws VIC
omen It's church buildings and offers
rho voung men and women Of its neigl
! horhood libraries in which they ca
road the best books, and gymnasium
IN which they can develop their mu
clos. and places in which they can |
brought into the best of Christian a
sociatIon. You who decry the mlssic
of the institutional church, did yo
ever stop to realize that in the conges
e ed districts of your tenement building
there is hardly a public place Tor
workingman to go and get warm e
,, cent to q saloon, there Is hardly
nIoce where he can go to meet Il
i most sacred wants of his physical n
= ture except in a saloon? Therefore CT
we and dare we decry the mission
, the institutional church in furnlshl
wholesome and elevating amuseme
for the workingman ana resort
which he can spend pleasant socl
evening?
Il But" some one says, chow then
+ you distinguish between the work
u the social settlement and the WORK
= the institutional church," They q
Is Numerically different. They are
I far apart as the arctic and the anita
Is tic poles. They have en- rely differe
; purposes. The institutio al church
!. lieves that the social gate should
~ the strait gate" leading directly
~ the foot Of the cross. While the soc
'e settlement Is III nearly every instal
al managed by Christians and while 1t
ne inspired by Christian principles a
cK motives, it is compelled by the e
ne genctes of It's work to keep creed a
W. denomination in the background.
er opportunities Of getting In touch W
ls' men and women Of every faith and