The Beaumont enterprise. [volume] (Beaumont, Tex.) 1904-current, 1904-10-03

4 nWl lnln every lApr hl hhsohllh''H
I ne did not hesitate to go 10 the hes
place available aud preach in ta'
! open air, and from him the wOrit
learned some important lessons
which many churches have since
/ that time used most cffectually, li'
shnwod In his busy life the same
I spirit everywhere, adapting himself
"a conditions as they presented new
nrnhlems. and thus the methods oi
Mclhodlsm were slowly evolved and
the church was sent out with free
dom Ia do its work. and with liberty
Ia change any form and method oi
work. so long as the change did not
come In conflict with the plain word
Of God,
General Booth was Methodist
preacher and seeing that some
changes were necessary In order Ia
make tho work succeed among the
poor and neglected classes Of English
city life, he gave the question scri-
Gus thought and soon came To the
conclusion that II would he better Ia
undertake the work IN method en-
tirclv different from that which was
fairly successful IN tho churches
among the more favored and enlight'
cncd, and from the hour OF his choice
Of the field Of work % largely Occn-
pied bv the Salvation Army, the
movement has grown IN power and
efficiency, and stands out today ms
one Of the most effective religious
agencies on earth in carrying out the
..,y, ~ nrnnnh tho nngnnl 10
every creature.
The Young Mems Christian Asso'
citation l. an other great institution
that illustrates the value of changing
the methods Of work to meet tho
changed conditions Of the times.
Formed in the United States about
the middle of the century. the asso'
Citations did not discover and clearly
define their proper sphere for twenty
years or more. During this time they
undertook precisely the same work
that active churches were doing. and
by the same old methods. Apart
from reading rooms and few libra
rics, they recogn ted no needs except
spiritual. 1t is significant fact that
after nearly twenty years of such eli
fOrs the association had not twenty
general secretaries. had erected no
buildings and had acquired no per
mancnt property. About 1850 they
discovered the need of changes in
the direction of the present order of
things and from the hour of the
adoption of new methods their pro-
grcss daes. In 1900. which was 90
years afterward, North America
had 1929 local associations with
about 25O,OOO members. There were
also nearly 400 buildings valued at
500, 100000 and the number of sal
aried officers was 1875. Thus when
religious, educational, physical and
social needs were provided for, null
titudcs found in this religious insti-
tuition what they were seeking and
thus they became accessible for rcli-
giOus work and were prevented from
drifting into channels OF vice.
The institutional church is nothing
more than an active church, with
every ordinary feature of church
work carried on in mrch the usual
way, but proiting ~ what has boon
shown TO be true IN the success CT
tho Salvation Army. Y. NJ. C.. A. and
n fcw churchcs that have for years
had some of tho features mentioned
and In he mentioned in the remain
dor Of this discourse. they have
wisely added some features to- tho
church work that have greatly in
creased the attendance upOn the SCR
vices and the addition to the church
by profession Of faith. and thi. takes
no account of the distress relieved.
of the culture bc"un. of tho enlarged
sympathy with the work Of tn"
church and the general improvement
of hubble morals
Morgan Chapel (McthodisD Bos-
ton, is used by DR.. Josiah Strong in
Il very instructive book entitled Re
ligiOuS Movements for Social Better
mcnt," as an illustration of the idea
herein advanced. This church is sit
uatCd in a thickly settled tenement
district and aims to be. as nearly as
pos iblC. self supporting. II is an old
church into which was grated the
new life five years ago. Bathing fa-
Cilitics being greatly needed in that
d
placed in the basement of the
church. \ nominal charge of five
cents made them more than self sup
porting and they have yielded a sur
plus cor the reading room.
\ .ChoOl Of handiGraft has been
opened, in which printing, cobbling,
tailoring. drcssmaking, and carpcn-
try are taught by volunteer inStruc-
tors. After time this school dcvcl-
opCd into "A cooperative industrial
work. which has been a great bcnc-
faction To many hundreds of ncccSSi.
tous people. Unemployed women are
set to work repairing garment
which have been contributed and
which are afterwards sold \ va
riCty uf CmpoymcntS is furnished for
idle mon An employment bureau
finds permanent positions for many.
instruction is given in vocal and
all kinds of Instrumental music, by
teachers from the various Boston con.
syrla'orics. 4 day nursery and kin
uu~Eart'u are iu successful operation.
and ChiIdrpn- industrial school
mrDr- Saturday afternoons. with an
average attendance of about 600. \
medical mission has been established
and several PHYSICIANS of th" cts
naN, volunteered their services
EVERY SATURDAY. night free cuncorf
i- given. which LASTS until eleven
O'Clock duru- which fDmUrcanc'
meeting I- conducted for The iu-truc
f.uu u' fhs 'ahu~rr.