The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1908-09-09
MERGING CHURCHES.

An interesting question is presented
| in the proposition to unite two big
Presbyterian churches. In the estIma-
| ton of the general public one big
| church is much the more imposing, and
/ therefore the better thing. 1t is some
| thing to point to with pride when a
| stranger comes TO town, and it I'M
| doubtedly does make a strong impress
| sion upon him. The cost of maintain
| ing a church is very heavy, and in the
case of a poor congregation becomes
{ onerous. In the case of very big
church there is numbered among thu
congregation so many men of wealth
that while the demands are greater the
burdens of Maintenance are not so oner-
Gus ON the average man.
But without reference to the pro-
posed consolidation, but simply on gen.
eral principles it would be interest
ing to inquire whether the big churches
really meet the demands made upon
them like the small churches. Do they
reach out for any but those who can
keep up their ends in the matter of
contributions? Do they really want
any Others and in the event they do
main and enter the spiritual life of the
church? We do not know and do not
presume to say, although we have
heard criticisms OF all the big churches
pitched in this key. Indeed, we have
heard of one big church where they
have a sewing circle or something of
the sort in which there is a division
of the social sheep and goats, the ac-
tive members doing the work and the
honorary members participating in the
credit, but keeping their skirts very
carefully clear of social contamination
from those with whom they are more
or less brought into contact under
circumstances such as these.
To an individual up a tree all this
seems Supremacy ridiculous from the
standpoint of Christianity The ques-
ton might be asked whether or not it
is possible to have a genuinely fruitful
church which is based upon anything
but a democracy? If there is no CON-
mon level there how it is possible to
make a genuine church OF it? If there
are social sheep and social goats, how
can there beany Christianity which
aims to save all sorts of people-even
the heather in foreign lands, who cost
us so much. and out of whom we get
so little? If such a church is be-
coming q big social institution it may
be serving its mission but it is noe
a Christian institution, as the term is
commonly understood.
There are several other things thai
attract attention among the nom
churchgoers, among them the fact that
me mare so often rated in their church.
es by the Bradstreet standard. 1t
would not be a bad plan 60 give these
matters more public consideration than
they get 1t might not be a bad idea
for the churches themselves, for their
members or for the public at large,
some of whom have doubtless for these
reasons quilted the churches. 1t may,
indeed, be necessary to rate man In
the church according to his ability t.
pay. 1t costs a great deal OF money
to maintain churches. They cannot be
kept afioat unless they have money,
and this money must be got from the
members. Those who pay uncon-
sciously demand, and quite as uncon-
sciously, doubtless, are accorded special
claims upon the good will of the
church. Doubtless, too, they should
get it. But still, is this Christianity?
AS for ourselves, We are somewhat
bewildered. We do not know, and
would gladly call for help in the ex-
position of the matter from those
really qualified by experience and
training to speak