The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1905-08-24
OPEN AIR SERVICES
Will be Conducted by Revs. Swimmer
ton and Henderson Upon the
Band Stand on Sunday.
Vocal and Instrumental Music Among
the Features-You are All In
vited to be Present.

vited to be Present.
Next Sunday evening, Aug. 9th,
the Congregationalists and Methodists
will unite in holding an open-air SER
vice on the band stand. Rev. Hen
derson will have charge of the pre-
liminary parts of the service and
Rev. Swinnerton Of the Methodist
church will deliver popular gospel
discourse. Arrangements have been
made for first-class music under the
direction of Mr.. Brown, Princeton's
popular band master. Only familiar
hymns will be sung that all may join
heartily in the singing. Seats will be
provided for all. The service will
begin at S p. m. sharp. If the weather
should prove unfavOrable the meeting
will be transferred to the Methodist
church.
From the very beginning of the
Christian church there have been ad-
herents and opponents who have be-
lieved in adapting themselves to all
sorts Of conditions and exigencies.
The Master himself frequently ad-
dressed large audiences on the noun
tain side, in the green fields, and be-
side the cool refreshing lakes. The
early disciples followed his example
and wherever people congregated
there they were willing to expound
their conception of the gospel, and it
is fact worthy of note that large
audiences heard them daily. Even
the pagan philosophers of Greece were
alive to the advantages of open-air
gatherings. Their theaters were built
on the side of an acropolis, with no
roof but the blue dome of heaven. In
these theaters the best Greek literature
was presented to the common people.
It was here that the tragedies Of
Aeschydes and Sophocles, and Euri-
pides, the comedies of Aristophanes
and the writings of many great men
of the past were acted and read in the
sight and hearing of vast multitudes
of people. Many of these outdoor
theaters are visited by travellers today
and are perpstus1 reminders 81 the
value of such places for public gath
erings. History records the valiant
service of Savonarola who on the
streets of Florence proclaimed great
religious revival, the necessity of
righteous living, and the coming of a
foreign invader as the scourge of God
upon the wicked, and demanded the
restoration of political liberty to
Florence; of Martin Luther who seized
every opportunity of proclaiming his
views to the people of Germany until
every adherent of his tenets became a
preacher and upon the house tops and
in the fields and market places pro-
claimed the gospel of Christ; of Cath
Ole priests and missionaries of every
denomination who have practically
begun their work in every cline with
no roof to shelter them from the ele-
ments and yet under such adverse
conditions their cause has triumphed.
In more modern times we have John
Huss, John Calvin, and John Wesley,
the three immortal Johns of history,
all OF whom were most popular field
preachers. Our religion does not
demand that we shall swelter in poorly
ventilated buildings when there is
room and air enough outside. In
large cities churches are taking to
their tents during the hot summer
months and the result is that thou
sands Of people who are kindly dis
posed towards the church, but do not
care to be shut in during the hot
weather, are the most enthusiastic at
tendants of these tent meetings. There
was time when people lacerated
their flesh and in other ways tortured
themselves thinking they we're doing
God service. Their prototypes are
ever present. Still with the passing
years people are beginning to realize
that comfort is conducive to religious
development and that to sit in a hot
building sweating under the collar
and enduring the tormants of the in
habitants: hades is not productive of
the best results religiously. Flexi-
bility and adaptability are valuable
elements in church economy. and in a
climate where the thermometer rises
to over one hundred in the shade a
little more cool air mixed with the
gospel would be a very acceptable
combination. These desirable ele-
ments will be provided next Sunday
evening on the band stand
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