The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1905-02-26
SUNDAY VACCINATIONS.


Sunday inclinations are matters Of
environment. The question Of attend
ing the theater or church is settled,
according to ones inclination. A GER
tain element object to the ringing of
church bells on Sunday morning. II
often awakens them from teh s;upol
Of exhilirating exercise the night be-
fore in which gin fizzes and Manhat-
tans played an important part. The
churches object to theaters as tending
to a decentralization of the human race,
Every little while some minister de-
plores what he believes to be the fact
that the theaters are more successful
in securing audiences than are the
churches. It is true.
In Astoria there are more people
attending the theaters on Sunday than
go to the churches. In eastern cities
more people attend the churches and
theaters are not allowed to run, but
Astoria is a wide open town. where
everything and anything goes. and
there is no protest from the pulpit. The
theater has these advantages. II
changess its actors and its perform
ances frequently. II is always pre-
senting something new. The church
has the same message and the same
man in the pulpit from Sunday to Sum
day. "The gospel never grows old" is
the theory of pulpiteers.
In another important feature the
theater has the advantage. A re-
spectacle theater advertists thorough
ly and successfully. A large persent-
age Of its earnings go into modern ad-
vertising. 1t supports the home pa
per and the home paper gives It pref
erence. Seldom does the church spend
dollar for advertising, 1t usually ex-
poets its advertising free, and the
newspapers cheerfully give it, on the
theory, perhaps, that they are laying
up treasurers In heaven, where moth
and rust doth not corrupt. nor thieves
break through and steal. Years Of
contact, however, with newspaper at
taches, convinces US of the fact that
the only representative Of any depart
ment of newspaper who will land In
heaven, will be the printers devil.
And yet, the church draws. There
much be a reason. There is a reason
The church administers to a great
human need. 1t appeals to what is
highest and best in life. A great
vacuum requires to be filed. A great
longing clamors to be satisfied. Men
and women realize that they are three
fold beings and that to cultivate body
and mind alone is only two-thirds OF
culture. The man whose spiritual life
is atrophied may not feel this, but
the normal man does. This is the
churches opportunity and the reason
for its existence.
The church makes a mistake when
it fails to advertise. It has the best
thing in the world. The demand is al
ready created. There can be no sub
stitution. 1t has a monopoly. There
fore it should advertise. The church
also makes a mistake when it permits
its ministers to whine about churcn
attendance and call attention to the
success of the theaters and other
worldly entertainments. You never
catch theater manager deploring a
small house. He never whines In pub
lie. He talks big houses and works
for them, and he gets them. The
church is doing very well. Indeed
when one considers its methods, and
that Astoria is wide open town and
there are more advocates of vice than
of religion, it does surprisingly well
If with this tremendous advantage. II
would adapt itself somewhat to the
plane of the age ii would achieve the
greatest success it has ever known.