The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1903-04-03
INVADING THE sLUMs.
Fifth Chapter Of the Sermon Story BY
Dr.. F. B. Cowgirl.
From Mondays Daily.


his serial ''The Christian City" to his
last night and he dealt es
pecially with the slum element of the
city and the poor Many of these peo-
pie are never reached by the work of the
modern churches and the question natur-
ally arises, why? 1t is because the
have become the worshiping
phases Of the rich or is It because modern
Christians are 10th to minister to the
poor, needy and deplored who exist in
large numbers in all of our great cities
In this connection he described a meet
ing held by the Salvation Army and
compared their methods and results with
those pursued by the churches. To this
meeting three of the principal characters
of the story had gone, viz: Edith Shaw,
Ralph Martin and Henry Bigelow. Dur
ing the evening very wicked man had
been converted and as they walked home
these three were discussing the question Is
to how the workers in the Salvation
Army, often uncultured and uneducated,
could get up so much enthusiasm and do
so much good. Various reasons were
presented in explanation, which were all
good, but we quote Ralph Martin where
why these Salvationists succeed as well
as they do, Most of these people are
poor and often in need of brotherly
kindness and personal service. The
Salvationists who live among them gain
their affections through sympathy and
service. The average chruch member
can not so easily get hold of his uncon-
verified neighbor, who is well-to-do citi-
zen, abundantly able to take care of
himself. If the latter has sick wife or
child, he calls doctor, hires trained
nurse, and expects nothing from his
Christian neighbor but kindly inquiry
as to how the sick one is getting along.
The average church member has a poor
chance to put his unconverted neighbor
under obligations to him, and to use his
gratitude as a means of leading his to
Christ. 1t is otherwise with evangelis-
tic work among these very poor. | know
that man who was converted this eve
ming, and l know how Incorporate and
profane he has been, and how long and
hard they have been working for him.
After that poor fellows wife became
dangerously ill, the lassie captain and
some of her women nursed the sick wo-
man and kept her out of the grave. Then
this infdel got his eyes fairly open to
the fact that these Christians are good
people. He began to be under convic-
ton. He ceased to revile the Christ whom
these people worshipped. They gradual
ly drew him to Christ, and made their
victory complete tonight"
The thought in the entire chapter was
what can the church do to reach this
large and growing class of persons who
live the greater part of their lives under
evil influences. At the close of his SER
mon DR.. Cowgirl spoke particularly about
conditions in Mankato and said: ''The
citizens of Mankato are responsible for
seeing that the laws are enforced.
Whether or not these are enforced de-
pend on the ideals of the people. What
does the wide-open policy meant" He
said he did not know how the present ad-
ministration compared in its wide open
policy with those heretofore, but ne
was sure stricter policy should be OBJ
served. eff persons who are known not
to be careful as to the enforcement of the
laws are elected to office, the response
bility of such an election must rest in
great measure upon those who voted
for them, most of the responsibility
however, rests upon the official. Is there
any doubt as to whether our saloons
are open on Sunday? Is there any
doubt as to whether boys under the age
of twenty -one are allowed to enter sa-
looms and buy liquor? Is there any
doubt that in some of the saloons wine
rooms exist? Most certainly the saloons
can be closed according to law. Did not
President Roosevelt when police COM
missioner of the city of New York, close
the saloons according to law?" Why?
Simply because President Roosevelt was
a man with principle and backbone. Can
not mayor of the little city of Man
kato do as mueh?" Whenever citizen
says anything about these matters in
Mankato he is told to bring charges, but
this is something citizens usually do not
care to do, or do not have time to do.''
DIR. Cowgirl stated distinctly that he
was not talking nor did he intend to
talk about the present candidates for
mayor. SIT is the duty of the voters to
find out what these men stand for and
what they intend to do. 1t is for the
voter to decide as to which one will stand
for the strictest enforcement of the laws.
Which one will be inclined to make our
city good moral city"
TO CLOSE GROCERY STORES.