The Washington herald., 1907-02-24

4 WeH-knoWn Washington business man
tells the following story Of great expec-
tations" which were not realized. He is a
member of a large church. and is tireless
in the work of the Central Union Mission.
Occasionally he aids the faithful band at
Seventh street and Pennsylvania avenue
singing one day an automobile stopped.
and from it stepped a young woman. who
tripped toward him with outstretched
hand. His heart filed with delight. He
thought il meant a contribution to the
mission of five dollars. at the lowest. He
mouoned her 10 lay the generous gift on
the little organ. But she still held her
hand toward him, and his expectations
grew till he thought the Golfers of the
mission would be- enriched by at least a
twenty-dOIlar bin. He reached ont 10
receive it. When she withdrew her hand
there lay penny in his palm With his
recovered breath came the realization
that she had given it TO him 10 buy a
bun. thinking he was earning his living
by his vocal efforts.
Another interesting story is told by tho
same gentleman. Several weeks ago an
intelligent, well-dressed man who bore
the signs of a reckless life, was converted
TO better ways in the mission room. He.
It appeared, was q wealthy manufacturer
from Pi5tsburg. stopping for a few days
at the Raleigh The old gospel songs
had attracted him to the mission.
Strange he said. I have at times all
my life attended Sunday service. and was
mainly Instrumental in building a fine
church in one of our large cities. but it
took the simple songs Of this little Wash
mSton mission TO really reach my heart.
and hit ne 10 d higher and better life
a friend of mine. who Is inclined to be
skepucal, insists that city churches are
generally too overgrown. Their large
membership, he thinks. is responsible
for an attitude Of Formally between .peo-
pie who should meet in fraternaI spirit.
The church" he says, should be
larger home-the big, sister Of the fire
side, 50 to speak. That is, it should be
halfway house to heaven. which is your
final home If your church groups were
limited to membership of one hundred
OF two hundred, with little. comfortable.
and coy houses of worship, you can
readily see what an increase Of true re
ligious warmth would result. This ar
rangement would serve for your funda-
mental religious needs. When you wanted
tc show of. when great gatherings were
in order, YOU could meet in grand cathe-
drals or temples, or whatever YOU chose
TO call them. If l were going in for a
life Of religious endeavor I would try TO
organize a church according to some
such plan as this. AS it is. many Of your
churches are magnificent and that alone
They are magnificent ia their architec-
ture, magnificent in their music magnif-
cent in their charities, occasionally mag
nihcent in the preaching heard within
their walls, and sometimes magnificent
in the salaries paid their preachers. But
all this magnifccnce is conducive to sa-
tanic GOODNESS and not 10 religious
warmth
1t is a good thing now and then to
see ourselves as others see us. Perhapss
the remarks of my skeptical friend are
worth a moments consideration.
\ recent criticism that fell under my
notice is that the old-time handshake and
word Of greeting that used to be given
the stranger who happened to be at the
Sunday service IS becoming. Ike many
other good old fashions, a thing Of the
past This, the writer said, is especially
true of city churches and lamentably true
Of the Methodists, who in former years
We're noted for their happy faculty II
making the stranger feel at home in their
midst. In spite of the fact that We all
are sure ours is q very friendly cOngre-
cation. and that we are not meant, there
is some truth in the criticism I think
all the old friendly feeling remains, and
AZ heart we welcome the stranger as
warmly as was done in the good. old
days of chuTchdom. But the stranger. Il /
may be, is not mind reader. and 50
misses his spoken welcome Then. too, I
isn't the stranger sometimes TO blame /
for too much haste in leaving after the
service? And again, in the large CITY
churches there are So many strangers
present that they might help matters
little by speaking to each other some |
times.
There is no doubt about one thing. and
that is the helpfulness and heart-warnine.
power that are stored UP in hearty. /
kindly shake Of the hand And il v.o,,ls 4