The Somerset reporter., 1907-11-14
Mr.. Kimball on Church Socials.

In a recent issue of the Homiletic
Review Rev. Harry w. Kimball of
South Weymouth, Mass, contributes a
very interesting article on church So
cials. Mr.. Kimball will be remem-
bered by the people of this place as
the pastor of the Island Avenue Con-
gregational Church from 1895 to 1908.
Mr.. Kimball is graduate of Bowdoin
College and of Andover Theological
Seminary, and he came to Skowhegan,
his first pastorate, directly from the
latter institution. He resigned here
to accept at pastorate in South Wey-
mouth, Mass, where he has since re-
sided. Mr.. Kimball is very much in
favor of church socials as will be seen
by the following excerpts from his
article in the Homiletic Review:
IL remember once going into the
house of woman whose husband
worked in the oil works at $3.50 day,
and there was a family of six to feed.
She was working upon dainty bit of
fancy work and her deft fingers were
! weaving Iue IblSado iiUO AOiiho VI
beauty.
/" This is for the fair, she said. Il
haven't any money and | can do this
for it,. AS that piece of fancy work
lay on the table at the fair, and
thought of the heart love in which its
thread were woven, said, God bless
the fair One morning dropped in
to the kitchen of one of Gods saints,
unfortunately welded to a stingy
brute, and found her making pies.
Yes, they are for the supper tonight
she said. 'The people like my pies
and | am glad to do what can Here
is a side Of the church entertainment
which is not always thought of. More
money doubtless might be given di-
rectly, but these other means of Civ
/ ing to the church seem to have place
and fill need.
'sThe church entertainment may be
considered as an opportunity for SER
vice. The pastors hardest work is to
| find something for all the people in
his parish to do. Many of them are
not trained or spiritually fitted for the
religious work of the church, but the
secret of holding their interest in its
work and services is that some def
mite responsibility shall be placed up
on them.
"A man in one of our churches left
/ the church for the Salvation Army,
and the pastor, upon making inquiry
of his wife as to the reason, met with
responses well, you see, he has been
/ coming to church for years and they
have never given him anything to do.
Now down in the army they make
everybody work. If they can't give a
testimony, they have them sing, and
if they can't sing they have them
shake the tambourine, and if they
can't do that they let them beat the
bass drum. That is what my husband
is doing. It's not much, but it is
something
"Another good wife was asked by
her pastor why her husband showed
so much more interest in the lodge
than he did in the church, and was
met by this bit of human nature: It's
this way, parson. Down at the lodge
they have made him guardian of the
western portal, and he has to stand in
an entry with helmet on his head
and sword in his hand and whisper
through a keyhole; and he thinks that
is great. They never give him any
thing to do up to the church.
1.-The church entertainment may de-
velop the spirit of friendship. The
truest friendships, the most lasting
loves do not spring up amid the glitter
and glare of the worlds social life.
The best friendships grow as men and
women work together for some cause
they love and as they sacrifice in its
behalf. Two incidents that came to
me from a recent fair illustrate this.
A Young man was to take minor
part IL the production of one of How
ellis farces. One night he came
home from the rehearsal and
said to his mother: Mother, | never
had any idea before what good people
Mrs. Field and Mr.. Bates were. Mrs.
Field has such a wonderful patience,
and Mr.. Bates is willing to do any
thing How much did that new ap-
probation of the worth of two Chris
tian people mean to that lad! And
some time when they speak to him of
the deeper things of the spirit, that
association in q church entertainment
may be the open door to his heart.
"Another woman said "The fair
has been much to me. There are some
ladies in the church | did not know.
| thought that they felt themselves
better tnan L, DuU UHey were Oh Che
same table with me and as | became
acquainted with them | found that
they were beautiful Through such
service people come to know each
other more.
"The church social is means of So
cial life. 1t is also means of raising
money This is most commo means
in nearly all churches and denomina-
tions. The churches must have money
to pay their necessary expenses, and
the direct offerings of the people are
, inadequate. SO far as the person who
, spends his money is concerned, two
things are evident. The church
should give him just return for his
moneys worth. Most churches do
: this. The average church supper
could not be obtained at anywhere
: near the same price at restaurant
and at church fairs the articles are
usually most reasonably priced"
1t is better to be jolly than be
jollied.
Unfortunately. finding fault ISM