Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-26
a. 20 MA~4>A-A~|
For Sunday Reading. !
All Sorts Of Opinions.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
What One Church is poina.

What one Church Is Doing.
DR.. Greer left st. Bartholomew re-
Gently, perhaps the most powerful sim
gle Protestant organization in the
world, church that spends more two
hundred thousand dollars year. the
old edifice remodeled and crowded to
the doors of Sunday morning, par-
ish house in the midst Of the mael-
strom of east side life, six Sunday
schools aggregating two thousand
members, two in English, one In ar
menian, one In Chinese, one in German,
one In Swedish; industrial schools.
clubs, an employment bureau that OBJ
tains positions for one hundred people
a week, clinic that cares, for one
hundred and fifty girls day, n board
ing house for girls and many other inn
portant cogs in an immense and con-
stantly active machine OF religious and
philanthropic endeavor. 1t was built
UP piece by piece, getting greater sup
port as 1t proved itself. just as any
factory or business grows. Men in
vested their money for Christian and
philanthropic work at st. Bartholo-
news for the same reason that they
invested other money in certain rail-
roads--because they felt that the man
at the head knew how to use it, which
probably also accounts for the fact
that some churches are prosperous
while many have large debts. A glance
at the financial statement shows the
solid basis of the church. The pew
rents, with the regular offerings, cover
current expenses. The income Of the
parish house work pays nearly one
third It's total cost, and nearly every
society. bureau, or club is approxi-
mately self-supporttng. The church
gave last year upwards Of $4,000 to
outside religious work, and had bal
ance at the end Of the year.
e. The Leakage From the Churches.
Statistics furnished by New YORK
correspondent to the Baptist Standard
show that in two Of the five borroughs
of that city Protestant Christianity has
lost ground, numerically speaking dur
ing the past year. Another New YORK
pastor was reported recently to have
said in public address that In four
blocks comprising city square over
1900 people were found who hac Tor
merly been church members, but VINO
do not now even attend church serv-
tees. The Standard comments OH this
unpleasant reading"
These depressing conditions are NOT
peculiar to New York, for pastors ana
Christian workers in all parts OF the
country have much the same story TO
tell Not only is there no general ana
widespread spiritual awakening, but
the church loses each year by deser-
ton many Of those who have been
brought into it's membership. Almost
every city parish has within Its boun-
DIARIES as many people who have for
merly been identified with church work
and are now divorced from 1t as there
are members in good standing In the
churches Of the neighborhood. II the
time honored doctrine of the final per-
severance of the saints is true either q
multitude Of unsaved people have been
brought into our churches, or men and
women can go a long way in irldiffer-
ence to Christian work and worship
without endangering their eternal well
fare.
Men and women who have been
church members, and, in many cases,
active workers, are disassociating
themselves for organized Christianity,
and In such numbers as may well COM
pei the solicitious attention Of those
who desire the perpetuity and growth
of the church. The numbers reported
in the annual minutes Of our associa-