Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-05-23
Mx.tarx Of Trinity Church.

Mystery Of Trinity Church.
Trinity church, New York, presents
mystery Of almost more than Orien-
tai depth and calm. AS landholder
In the metropolis its fortune is esti-
mated anywhere from $39,OOO,OOO to
$lOO 0O0, 900. "Ostensibly the property
belongs to the church. and the church
Is composed Of the communicates
thereof" says Mr. Charles Edward
Russell in the Broadway Magazine, but
the actual facts of the holding and
administration of this vast property.
second only to that Of the Astors, are
carefully shrouded. The writer, who
disclaims the title of muck-raker In
setting for the story, observes:
"Ostensibly the property is admin
istered as a trust by certain. officers
acting in behalf of the communicates.
For ninety three years no such officer
has made of his stewardship any ac-
counting to those for whom he has
acted: for ninety three years none OF
the owners Of this vast property, other
than the administrators, has been able,
as body, to learn the simplest fact
about it. Nobody, communicate or
otherwise, beyond the few vestrymen,
4. /. knows today actually or approx
imately how great is the income thus
strangely controlled, nor how that in
come is spent, nor by whom. The
bishop and the diocesan convention.
which is the supreme authority in To-
cal affairs, are as helpless about these
matters as the porest tenant of Trim
ity property. Even so resolute and ac-
pSch
would be foiled if he undertook to SUI
pervise the operations of this part OF
his flock"
False Business Ideals in Church.
The ideals Of business are SO fam
iliar to minds of the present age that
they are apt to suggest an estimate
Of the worth of almost any enterprise.
10 be businesslike, in our commercial
age, is usually thought to be vir-
tue: but there are conditions under
which it becomes the opposite. So we
are shown by a writer in. The West
minister (Philadelphia) who points out
some Of the evils resulting from mis-
placement Of methods. He observes:
"Some people carry their business
methods into their religion, and some
their religious methods into their bus
mess, while others are a mixture OF
both. There is such a thing as church
finance. 1t is something peculiar to it
self. The ordinary clergyman may
know little about finance outside and
at the same time be a master in his
own field. The business man has an
idea that church, to be popular, must
be located on public corner and pre-
sent an attractive appearance. He
would locate church as he would
business block or a store, all OF which
is a mistake. Millions are wasted In
irving to popularize the gospel by
building expensive churches. A stone
church costing fifty thousand dollars
might have been built Of brick for
many thousands less. People do not
go to church because Of brick or stone,
but for reasons very different. The av-
erage church building is monument
Of folly. Every dollar expended be-
yond the line Of comfort and taste is
but an idle prodigality. Most ministers
know this and most business men do
not. And, further, church mortgage
is entirely different from the ordinary
kind. In business mortgage may be
a part Of the working capital, not so
with churches. There 1t is simply a
dead weight, with no more of re-
munerative quality than a gravestone.
But mortgages are usually created by
men Of business. They also eventually
lift them; In the mean while the min
listers shoulders droop and his spine
becomes curved. He is the Atlas upon
whom the mountain rests"
Babes Soul Tainted, Dr.. Hirsch Says.
"Those who think that the soul of a
babe is as pure white paper preach
twaddle," said DR.. Emil Hirsch, OF
Chicago, in discussing regeneration.