The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-11-24
Closer Relations Between Pastor and
Parishioner Declared to He Neces-
sary for Church's Good.
JUDGE HORIZONS ADDRESS
EMISSION OF THE SOCIAL UNION"
THE JURIsT's TOPIC.
The Rev. DR.. Mitchell, Of Cleveland,
Closes Large Meeting with ''The
Mission of q Methodist"

large and appreciative audience assem-
bled last night at the meeting Of the Meth
odist Social Union, held In the Meridian
street NJ. E. Church, to hear the addresses
Of John Farson and Judge Oliver H. Nor
ton, Of Chicago, and the Rev. Charles B.
Mitchell, pastor Of the First NJ. E. Church,
of Cleveland. The object of the Union is to
have the members of the different Methodist
churches of the city meet with their pas
tors on social basis and exchange ideas
not as parishioner and pastor, but as one
man to another. The eminent speakers
were brought to arouse local interest to-
ward further perfecting the work.
The principal speaker of the evening was
Mr.. Farson, who is the senior member of
the large banking firm of Farson, Leech G.
Co.. of Chicago. Mr.. Farson spoke at length
upon "The Advantages of the Social Union"
He said:
MIR. PARSONS ADDRESS.
1T is with unusual pleasure that 1 have
accepted the invitation Of your committee
to address you tonight. No social pleas
ures are rare as these gatherings Of our
own church people, and In Indiana. the
State of my birth, such associations give
me especial delight.
Tonight 1t Is my purpose to speak to
you briefly of the advantages of such a
social union as you are inaugurating 1t
is not long since these things were prac-
tically new in Methodism. There was a
time when the Thursday evening prayer
meeting was the only opportunity for So
cial intercourse among our members, and
a very dear, delightful time it was, too.
But we have found that with all the value
of these midweek prayer services there is
need that we meet together socially at
other times and in a somewhat different
way. Social unions such as yours are doing
their greatest good. l believe in emphasiz-
ing the needs OF social intercourse among
our members So strong are the ties which
bind Us in this holy relation of church
membership that we forgot at times that
we are a part OF world of human beings
men who need friction of other men tn
and moral endeavor. Man is a gregarious
animal, you know. We move in herds.
Normal man cannot do otherwise Our
church is great society and fraternity.
Ii is an imperfect fraternity IL there is no
place for the friendly greeting, the warm
clasp of the hand. the words of brotherly
counsel and sympathy cheer And now
weak and perfunctory these things have
become In many places. How much such
organizations as yours are doing to weld
us together in a real Christian brotherhood.
DISCUSSION SUGGESTED.
$50 strongly do I feel the need of these
associations, and so firmly do l believe that
our members are In many places drifting
apart simply because they do not have these
opportunities for intermingling with each
other. that 1 am frank to say / cannot join
heartily in the cry we hear from some quar-
ters of the church for the suppression of
certain forms OF amusement that young
people are prone TO dwell upon here; 1t is
forced to my mind. however. and l merely
suggest Ii to you as fitting question TO
be discussed by social convocation of our
people. Such questions VIII be discussed
here with far more freedom and far more
good results than In any other place.
Most valuable are the opportunities
which these Methodist Social Unions give
for the mutual exchange OF ideas upon the
important questions before our church peo-
CONTINUED ON PAGE s. COL. 60