Los Angeles herald., 1907-12-10
CHEAP WORK AT AFFAIRS
SCORED BY MINISTER
Form of Baptism Is ImmateriaI, De.
clares Or. Frank Stevens before
Meeting of Methodist
Pastors

Rev. Frank Stevens, pastor of the
Methodist church at Santa Monica, at
the Methodist ministers meeting yester-
day morning spoke on How to Cara
for the Young Converts" He said in
part:
There is too much cheap work at the
church affairs by those intrusted to the
care of those seeking salvation. They
want the seekers to say they are con-
verted whether they are or not
There is too much talking to the SEEK
ers of salvation through the strength and
persuasive powers of men than through
the grace of God.
Public confession should be urged
among the converts. They should be en-
couraged by hearty handshakes and a
more thorough acquaintance with the
members of the church.
Pastors should take immediate action
in acquainting themselves with the home
lives and other conditions affecting the
converts in their spiritual welfare. This
method will oisarm outside adverse criti.
cisnn. 81
Pastors, or those in the care of the
converts, should find out the associates
OF the boys and girls, for they are largely
Influenced by the company they keep.
"An important matter to consider and
watch is the quality of the fiction that
is read by the converts. Records show
are fiction. l do not object to fiction in
the best sense of the word, for there is
much good to be derived from it's morals
and high standing, but it is the froth and
degrading features that should be elm
mated.
UphoIds Probation
Don't compel the converts to read the
Bible consecutively. Start in. for in
stance, with the book of John and change
49, nv.
II believe in the probationary system
of the Methodist church, but it is much
abused. 1t gives the converts the op-
portunities of acquainting themselves
with the doctrinal points and other con-
ditions of the church, and the pastors
to study their characteristics and to train
them for better service when they be-
come full members.
"As for the neglect of the pastors in
caring for the probationers the same ap-
plication might be ascribed to them as
to the club women who are attracted
outside of their homes to the neglect of
their families
Don't ring for dinner for the converts
unless you have something on the table
that will be likely to satisfy them l
pity the converts who are obliged to pour
over the articles of religion as they are
given. Relieve them of these, especially
on the start
"I believe 1t is we'll to invite the pas
tors of other protestant churches to con-
fer with our converts on baptism and
other features of their churches My ex-
perience is that our converts feel that
in this way they have the fullest liberty
to study and decide for themselves with
the sanction of our church, and they are
satisfied to become full members of the
Methodist church.
LAS for baptism, / do not believe in
restricting to any one method-dip them,
pour them, sprinkle them, immerse them,
or any other way satisfactory to the
persons to be baptized 1t is a mere
religious form, any why bubble over it!
Methods are often brought up in the
church to raise money. / think the best
way to raise money for church purposes
is TO get people soundly converted and
they will largely furnish the funds re-
quired.
"Fellowship and love should be freely
extended to help them along the path
of probation and to the full recognition of
me church"
In the disc ssion of the address by
several of the ministers Rev. Edward
Funk, pastor of the First German Meth.
odst church. sai4:
"I do not think it best to have our
converts mix up with other denomina-
tions. | don't believe in having the Bap.
lists talk their baptism to item. They
have different conception of the form
than we dol don't think a Baptist could
do us ny earthly or spiritual good. any
houf'