Milford chronicle., 1903-09-11
TA1,NAGE
SERMON
o
By Rev.
FRANK DE- WITT TALN6AcE. 3. D..
Paator Of JeEsrEou Park Presby-
terign CAuroh, Chicago

Chicago. Sept. G.-An appropriate
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 be-
half of the "churchless millions The
text is Psalm civ. 23, Man goeth forth
unto his work and to has labor until
the eveAing."
"What time is It, mister?" the work
RTnn asked as I went through a large
factory. Twenty minutes past s.
answered "Ah, then" said he, Il
have forty minutes more labor before
/ am my own boss" The workman
kept on pounding five ten. fifteen.
twenty, twenty-five thirty, forty min
utes. During this interval, while the
minute hand was moving slowly around
the dial toward the numerical twelve,
that man and his colaborers continued
at their work. But no sooner did the
clock begin 10 strike g than a loud fac
tory 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 donncd their coats
and hats. The front and the side doors
Of the great building were a vortex
from which poured an Onrushing food
Of humanity. The electric cars and
the elevated trains and suburban ex-
presses were jammed and crowded by
the scattering employees not only
from one but from many stores and
factories Everywhere ia oar large
cities man go2th to his work and to
his labor" in the morning. In the even
ing hour man, for the most part has
finished his daily tasks and heads to-
ward home. Ny text rightly dcacribes
the social conditions of savidjc times.
1t as truthfully pictures the labor con-
ditions 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 10 he our theme. 1t is TO be our
subject for two reasons: First. because
tomorrow is Labor day. 1t is Il day
legalized as a holiday by the state leg
islatures. during which I'll thoughtful
men and women should discuss or
hear speeches upon the great problems
which affect the laboring classes. Such
a subject as "Labor's Evenings" natu-
rally grows out of Labor Sunday
service.
A Spiritual Problem.
II is our theme because this immi-
neut moral anI spiritual problem can
never be rightly solved by the laboring
man alone. lie needs the help OF SYM
pathetic men who have leisure to think
and plan and who have capital which
they can invest in educational appi-
ances that will yield them "a return in
higher efficiency and grateful loyalty
10 their interests The problem Of cap
ital and labor must be solved if ever
solved. by the Christian cooperation
both Of the rich and the poor; by Chris
tian phiiauth.Opists placing in their
employees hands the means by which
they can lift themselves up.
In the solution of this problem the
church of Christ should take "A pro>li-
nent part. 1t cannot afford to 20 on is
way Indifferent 10 the social conditions
which are fast becoming int3leruble.
The n.series Of the poor cry aloud un,o
Aeaveu. 70 whom have they Il right to
icOk for help ii not TO that institution
which Christ established for the re-
dempti0n of the world What can the
church DO for them? 1t may DO much,
and first among the agencies it may
employ | wouid place the institutional
chsrch. DO not imagine that the
church VIII bc deeecrated By such use
1t can never be more sacred temple
than when it provides a place in which
tie workingman viii be glad to spend
his evenings. This does not mean that
the future church of Christ is to be a
cSuce or a billiard hall. a bowling al
lc-. q lOunging place for smokers or n
free restaurant where tr0mps and beg
gHrs shall come to get something for
nothing. It does mean. however that
the church Of Jesus Christ is to be
0luetHluS more tian mere place OF
preaching and hearing. 1t is to be a
place of sacred practical helpfulness.
1t is to become eyes for the blind and
clothing for the naked and crutches for
the lame and food for the hungry and
e warm welcome for the friondless and
comfort for the hopeless. 1t 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-
tall some one says. Well / will In
the first place. find that the social in
stinct is a God implanted instinct. and
must and viii find vent out of the hui
man heart. The gregarious tendency is
strong in men. as it is in animals. Cat
tie travel in herds If farmer turns
out lis cows upon the mountain sides
he only has to place one bell upon one
COW Then it is easy for him 10 hud
the rest Of the herd Some years ago
ar inexperienced German came 10 live
in Pike county Pa, where I was 81
that time preaching. He set that whole
laughing. Why? In his lack