The sun., 1908-01-09
CHURCH FOR TIKI WHOLE NAN
DIR. SCUDDER EXPLAINS WHAT
THE PEOPLES PALACE MEANS.

The Devil Has Had q Monopoly Of Pas times
Toe Long. NE Tells the F1Tth Avenue
FOrum-Antluuafcd Salnts Not the KIND
20 Attract ned Bl0Oded Young Men.
The Rev. DR.. John L. soudder, Who r,ln.
the Peoples Palace over In Jersey City,
took last evening the vcnturesome trip
across the North River for the purpose
Of spreading among the heather of Man
haitian the gospel acoordingO to Joseph
Milbank.
Mr.. Milbank Is the man who gave the
Peoples Palace to Jersey City. Once,
when he was asked how he came to bestow
such a munilOsnt gift on Jersey City
Jersey Chiy, II you please, no replied: We'll,
you see, nobody else ever thought OF doing
anything for Jersey City,
However that may be, DR.. Soudder's
mission last evening took tho concrete
form OF telling the Fifth Avenue Forum.
which is an organization maintained by
the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, Of the
success which the Peoples Palace has
had In competing with the saloons for the
patronage Of the young people Of Jersey.
DR.. Scudder told the Forum that the
ecclesiastical club was competition of a
godly character and that IL was needful
to establish centres OF salvation to compete
with the saloon centres OF periition
Il know" he went on, that some OF the
brothers say: let them come to prayer
meeting. But men are many sided beings,
and must say that one or two prayer meet
ings a week are enough for me. and you know
ministers are supposed to have a pretty
good appetite for that sort OF thing. The
devil has had a monopoly OF pastimes for
q long time, but Is that any reason why he
should retain it always7
Now We propose to deliver men from
temptation by eliminating temptation. I
stand, appalled, at the tardiness OF the
churches in taking up this kind of work Of
supplying means whereby the many needs
OF men may be supplied in harmless
atmosphere. The spiritual undercurrent
should be strong and deep, but there should
be plenty OF wit and good fellowship on the
surface.
Il see no reason why the face Of Chris
tan should be As long as that Of horse.
Personally intend to get all the legitimate
fun out OF life that can and get good
deal OF 1t. Our Master was not a one sided
character. He worked with human nature,
not against it. And so the church Of the
future must devote itself to the whole man
and nor merely 70 one side OF him. The
church must be more than a mere preaching
place for Sunday with a ladies' sewing
circle attachment
Its no argument 20 say that our fathers
didn't do this sort Of thing Our fathers did
much that they shouldn't have done NV
hrst pastorate was at Shrewsbury. Mass
and can remember hearing my aged pre-
decessor say that in the early days OF his
ministry he had heard pastors complain
that they couldn't make an afternoons
round OF pastoral calls without coming
home bOoEy. II they didn't take a social
glass their parishioners thought they were
of our forefathers they thought the church
organ was Of the devil and they had no fires
in their churches
No. times progress. What is radical
to-day becomes conservatism Tomorrow.
First they cannonade, then thew canonize
DR.. Scudder told of his troubles in start
ing the work now conSummated in the
Peoples Palace. The bowling alley was the
first step. There was a terrible row over
that. When the trustees found the pastor
was putting in that bowling alley in the
church annex they put on their war paint
and called on him, They went home with
ont the benediction. But the alley went
In and inside OF three months there was a
match game between the trustees and the
deacons.
And said DR.. scudder. not one Of the
godly bunch could make a tenstrike"
Billiards and pool came next and now the
Peoples Palace has seventeen tables, a
swimming pool bigger than the New York
Athletic Clubs shuttle board rife ranges.
a library, a reading room. q theatre card
rooms, a gymnasium bigger than any Now
ork Y. NJ. {. A. g. a squash court. handhan
court, a roof garden and lots of other things,
not TO mention it's outdoor attractions.
All these advantages are TO he had hv men
for S. year The fee for women is s..
The Peoples Palace has been self sunport-
ing from the start
We pray on one side of the street and
play on the other said DR.. Scudder And |
those who come to the Peoples Palace |
know that they will find an entire freedom |
rom buttonholing in the interests Of re- |
igion. This, | am confident, predisposee |
hem in favor OF religion. Antiduated !
saints who go around mourning for Zion |
nay perhaps hold the fort, but ! do not be- |
ieve they can ever make n conquest over |
young men with red blood in their veins. !
believe in athletics. Personally believe |
hat the three years when at Yale PLAYED |
irsC base on the baseball team did me more |
good than my entire course at the theo- |
ogical seminary"
When DIR. Scudder finished he got what !
would be the equivalent Of six curtain calls !
It the Casino and a vote Of thanks, with |
speech attachments.