The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-11-18
BAPTIST PASTORS
HOLD CONFERENCE
Discuss Conditions of Religious
Work and Suggest Means
of Betterment.

'The church has the best commodity
in the world to offer to men-and it
pursues the most foolish policy in doing
it," said Rev. A. T. Fowler, of Calvary
Baptist church, last evening in an adj
dress before the evangelistic confer
ence at the First Baptist church of this
city.
would one of you business men who
are here this evening"" he inquired,
'send out man to sell goods for you
who had not sense of obligation to
you and confidence in the goods he was
offering for sale?"
DR.. Fowler's topic was, "The Revival
We Need" which he treated in it's
broad sense, and in its application re-
verified to the primary causes of the
need of asrevival of Christianity First
he referred to the great inventions of
recent years and the advancement in
industrial methods, which, as he said,
although superseding hand labor, had
not made life more easy and leisurely,
but had increased the demands upon
mems time. He spoke also of the So
cial life of today as occupying more
time and attention than in times past.
Social Affairs Keep People From
Church.
'Why, are there not more of the
members of our churches here to-
night?" he asked. "They were unable
/ to come by reason of their engage
ments; one is at a concert, another is
attending little gathering at the
home of a friend, and others are at
tending to other social duties of va
rieus kinds; and so they are unable to
be here"
These conditions Of the present time,
he said, allow less time than was for
merly given to the contemplative side
of life.
He spoke also of the progress that
has been made in scientific study even
within the past five or three years,
and the encroachment of psychology
into the domain of religion, with the
resultant tendency to set aside dogma
altogether. This reputation of dogma
he deplored, comparing it with the
breaking of the goblet in which is
contained the pure water to refresh
him who is thirsty.
Decay of Home Religion.
'eYou can never win an Indifferent
world with an Indifferent church." he
said. "The revival must begin with the
church. the house of God. One thing
we suffer from today is a decay Of
home religion. The father should lead
in prayer and in religious teaching. In
the time of the ancient Jews the father
of family was it's priest. Abraham
raised his tent and built his altar. The
tent was a light structure which might
have been blown away by strong
wind, but when it came to the building
of the altar he used great stones, heWn
rock as we are told, that were SYM
bolical of the stability Of the religion
of his God. Our religion must begin
in the home and it will then naturally
extend to the church. What we need
is deepened sense of Cod"
To Rev. G. E. Ferris, Of La Crosse,
was assigned the topic, "Our Part in
It., and he spoke at some length upon
the duties of the church and the duties
of the clergy. He strongly advocated
the idea of the pastors of the larger
city churches going at times into the
weaker churches to help the work
there, and argued that in doing so they
would also help themselves. They
would broaden their scope of observa-
ton, and in talking to small congrega-
ton would perhaps get away from the
poetic and abstract view of life and
talk from the heart.
Conference Continues Today.
The conference opened with the serv-
ice of last night and will continue to-
day with meetings at o'clock and 7:45.
The afternoon meeting will be led by
Rev. C. C. Markham and will consist of
report on churches by Rev. E. r.
Pope, addresses by Rev. G. f. Holt on
"The Human Factors in the Success of
the Early Church." Rev. H. B. Steel
man, "The Words of Christ to His
Workmen," and Rev. C. C. Markham,
1.-THE Needs of Men"
Rev. r. M. West will lead the evening
service and addresses will be delivered
as follows: Where the Responsibility
and Gifts for Evangelism Rest" Rev.
r. M. West; what More May the
Preacher Do?" George p. Lyman, and
What More May the Layman Do?"
Rev. w. w. Dawley.