The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1906-04-13
BY GUY T., ~VlskNlskKl.

BY GUY T. VlSNNlSkkl.
Copyright, 1906, by Guy T. Viskniskki.)
Shortly after the close of the civil
war a Baptist preacher. who was then
part of Chemung county, N. Y, found
it necessary to drive TO Horse Heads,
also IN Chemung county. He . with
him his elder son. then about six years
old. Having finished the business that
called him to Horse Heads. he drove u
few miles further, to l1lmira, principal
~ because he was anxious TO see the
church there which had Il billiard table.
a bowling alley and some cooking APP
paratus in its basement. THESE lnno-
vations, widely heralded had stirred up
no end OF controversy among laSmen
and clergymen all through that portion
of New York.
Arriving at the church. man and boy
hitched the horse. found the church
doors locked, and had to content them
selves with an outside view of the
structure and what glimpses they could
get OF its interior by peering in TIE
basement windows. Then they regained
their buggy, and as they started off the
father contided to the son that he had
thought long Owe the innovations. at
first had been decidedly opposed to
such methods, but now was convinced
that they We're conceived in wisdom.
The pastor of this then remarkable
CnurCn WAS lNe lIeN. Ut. ii'pitldS IA
Beecher, a half-brother OF Henry Ward
Beecher. 1t was he who had placed
the billiard table, the bowling alley and
the cooking apparatus in the church's
basement, and he who, in the words of
Lyman Abbott, built up an institution
al church before the Institutional
church had been heard of. and it re
ceived, in its equipment. OF u of its
class"
The Original institutional Church.
Singular as 1t may seem the it,sti-
tutional church was not heard of until
twenty-three years after the visit of the
Baptist preacher and his son to the
Elmira Congregational church.
In 1883 Berkeley Temple. Boston.
adopted distinctiveiy new methods OF
work. President William j. Tucker. OF
Dartmouth college. came to the temple
to deliver an address. and in the course
of it spoke OF the new work as insti-
tutional. There was a bright reporter
present, the definition stuck in his mind
and the next morning when his paper
called Berkeley temple an "isstitu-
tional church." Thus, through an un-
known writer's faculty for catchy
phrase making. Berkeley temple be-
came the original institutional church,
so-called.
adapted tc its uses methods that had
already gained a considerable vogue.
rot without much opposition. however.
In several cities. Under the Eev. DR..
w. S. Rafnsford. st. Georges. New
York. had in 1883 started Institutional
work. which speedily proved TO be the
church's salvation. The year following
the Judson Memorial. also of New
York, began similar work In 1885 the
Tabernacle, Jersey City. now famous
for fits Peoples Palace. fell into line:
the next year the Pilgrim church. Wor-
cester, Mass. started the original
Boys cub; and by the time Berkeie.
temple vas designated as an institu-
church, perhaps a score of
churches throughout the country We're
deep in institutional work. Trinity
church. Boston. tn 1866 had founded an
Industrial society, which cut out cloth
ing. to be made by poor women; but
looked upon as sporadic. When in fact
tt was simply ahead OF the times.
The New church's Unlimited Field.
Th old line church believes in being
concerned wholly n absolutely in the
spiritual welfare of man. The institu-
church has for its aim the whole
man-his care II upbuilding, physi-
cafly, mentally. morally. TIL field is
the broadest possible; and in the effort
~ SONSl Z NLG
church stands ready to perform almost
any needfuI service than can b., men,
toned.
Well" was the dry of a
visitor who had been shown through the
busy parish house OF ST. Georges, lit
strikes me that you do about every
thing there is to do for q man except
to get him drunk"
"That is our aim" was the clerical
guides reply.
do you want 80 pawn anything
More thar che church stands ready to
be an uncle" and n ienient n so you.
Out OF work? Almost every ins,itu-
tional church maintains an employ
ment bureau. Want to learn to be a
laundress?! Several churches run prac-
teal laundry schools Or perhaps you
are looking for a place as laundress:.
They apply to the parish laundry OF
Grace church, New York, where about
ly; maybe there is a vacancy for an
other steady. good and needy worker.
The iarder empty. also the pocketbook-
st. Georges runs a grocery store where
you can get things on credit and later
a for then -; GU. price.
Your child sick. n our money too
low to seek medicai aid in the regular
way? The Ruggles Street Bap1i: y
church. Boston, runs a ~dispcnsar.
with a large medical staff and an
a~pothecary shop. as we'll. Child too ill
to receive the proper care at homeo
Grace church has a hospital for just
such cases, and the Samaritan hospital.
of Philadelphia. is one OF the numcr-
u institutions mothered by the tem-
pie "f thai city--the Rev. Dr.. Russell
II. Connells church.
Aching tooth? Seek the Rugg!es
Street Baptist church denta, parlors.
laundering to take boxing lessons? The