Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-11
snobbery and Other Affects
tions of Church People De-
cried by President Clark
CASTE SPIRIT is DEPLoRED
Declared as Greatest Obstacles to the
Advancement Of Religious Education
in the United States Too Much
Summing by the People of the
Church-Church Convention.

snobbery by church members were de-
moral advancement at the initial ses-
sion of the great convention to revive
religious education in the United States
held at the auditorium last evening.
President Francis e. Clark, of the Unit
ed Society OF Christian Endeavor scor-
ed "the horrid spirit of CASTE as he
called it. and the recent tendency to
dip into the tainted regions of the un
der world"
1--WE have had too much Summing
of late years and too little genuine
fellowship among our church members
who are in different social grades de-
clared the speaker. Many who will
patponize the Salvation Army, support
a mission, or even hold meetings In
brothel. will have exceedingly little to
do with other young people in their
own churches who are honestly canning
their own living behind the counter or
at the carpenters bench. The social
committee of the young peoples soci-
ETY. is but the expression of the social
religious life of the young people. and it
lis constantly doing its best to destroy
this snobbery and obliterate these I'M
holy distinctions"
President Clark pointed out how re-
forms in these respects could be
brought about thru the proper handling
of the young peoples societies.
1t was notable gathering that filled
the auditorium from the stage TO the
topmost gallery, and the speakers pro-
phesied that the action taken by the
convention in the next two days would
change in a measure the religious his
tory of America. This will be done
thru the formation of national organl-
zation for the improvement OF religious
and moral education in the United
States, thru the Sunday school and
other agencies. A movement is 10 be
started that will reach into the homes,
the schools, and into either quarters.
From every part of the country came
religious teachers, editors, ministers.
and superintendents of Sunday schools.
Nearly hundred college presidents are
said to be here at the convention. The
number of ministers and other Chris
tan workers would be hard to estimate.
President James B. Angel. of the I'm
iversity of Michigan, presided at the
Auditorium meeting. He was intro
duced as the presiding officer by Pro-
fessor FraTk X. Sanders, of Yale uni
versity, president of the council of sew
enty in charge of the convention. At
ter scripture reading by the Rev. DR..
Charles II. Snedeker. rector OF st.
Paul's Procathedral of Cincinnati, and
prayer by the Rev. DIR. III. P. De Forest,
pastor of Woodward avenue Congrega-
tional church OF Detroit, the call for the
convention was read by Professor c. w.
Votaw of the University of Chicago,
recorder of the council of seventy.
The Next Step Forward in Religious
Education" was the theme announced
for the evening. The speakers We're
President Angell President Clark of the
Christian Endeavorers, Walter l.. Her.
vey, examiner board of education, New
York city; the Rev. DR.. William c. Bitt-
ing. pastor Mount Norris Baptist
church, New York city, and President
J. w. Bashford Of Ohio Wesleyan uni
versity.
President Angel outlined in degree
the purposes Of the convention. He said
that it could not be denied that the
world was passing thru period of
transition in respect to religious
thought and doctrine. He pointed out
that there We're many differences of
opinion on minor points, but that there
was unanimity in the great object of
improving moral and religious educa-
ton.
How the church should be carried
thru the change from the old position
to the new, and how children should be
best instructed. considering the some-
what confused ideas of the parents,
were points that he said We're to be
taken under advisement by the con-
yention.