Milford chronicle., 1903-09-11

Delus or uOCkS OI StuoblS. ne aoNAHa
instinct in the human race. as in all
animals. is a God implanted instinct.
Man will associate with man. and no
power on earth can help it. He will
associate with man in the church or
else in the saloon or club or secret So
ciety. He must and will find perpetual
companionship during his evening
hours. The church should provide a
place for the harmless indulgence Of
that craving.
How TO Reach the Masses.
Statement second: l find by study OF
books and personal investigation that
every church which has first been bap-
tized by the Holy Spirit and then gone
forth 10 reach the middle or the labor
ing classes through the social gate has
always been blest of God in marvel
Gus way. A conspicuous illustration or
that fact is seen in st. Georges Epis-
copai church of New York city. This
was snce the famous church of the
great DR.. Stephen Tying. This church
is situated in East Sixteenth street A
short time after the good Dr. Tying
died the wealthy parisAioners Of this
church began to move away. There
was great talk at one time Of abandon
ing this sEe and going farther up town.
Then came DR.. Rainsford to this pulpit
lie is big, warm hearted, practical
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. He
made that church appeal to the classes
around its very doors. He made il ac-
complish its work by appealing to tie
neighBorhood through the social gate.
The result is st. Georges Episcopaiian
church, great as its former pastors
were. never did the good that it is do
ing today. 1t is now appealing TO the
great unchurched classes. Its parish
houses and social beehives are busy
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs
day, Friday and Saturday as well as
having its church auditorium open on
Sunday. 1t is a 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 JuGson
Memorial church of New York and of
Russell Conwelrs 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 al Of the churches
like those named, learn the value of
doing their work by appealing TO the
social instincts?
In the most c0ngasted parts of our
cities the saloons have 10 difficulty to
live They appeal to mankind through
the social gate. Upon their windows l
see these words advertised everywhere:
Free Lunch" What does that mean?
Have the saloon keepers suddenly be-
come philunthropists? Are they ami
mated with the gospel desire TO feed
the poor and care for tie starving?
Oh no. The saloon keeper is man
shrewd and keen in business. lie says:
IF / with sandwich can only entice
my victims into MY he'll holc. then l
can keep them here by the social in
stinct. l viii then surround them
with my hireliRgs and hold them in
grips of steel" There is an old saying
in church circles. Give the people a
free lunch and there is no difficulty in
collecting crowd" If the saloon
keepers can afford to give free lunch
every morning. noon and night in TIE
service of the devil 10 not believe it
a poor policy once in awhile on a week
night for the institutional church TO
give free lunch" in the name Of
Christ.