Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-17

NEW YORK. January 16.-One of the
busiest places in New York is the Madi-
son Avenue Baptist Church. where the
new executive head Rev. DR.. Charles
Aubrey Eaton, has. since the first of the
month been hard at work making it reg
lister with new conditions.
He has made his survey, formed his
plans. and from his Office. just estab-
lished. ne is directing change of sys-
tenn
This sounds like business. and il is.
for the new minister is one of the strong
est and ablest organizers of religious ac-
tivities in the United States. He is a
man of affairs. schooled in the ways of
the world. trained in the College of Hard
Knocks, and few have earned many
degrees in the postgraduate course of
practical life.
| Those who know of his methods in
other cities predict that his coming to
New York means the introduction of a
new force into the Christian community
which will be felt throughout the me-
tropois
He was for seven years pastor of the
Euclid Avenue Baptist Church. in Cleve-
land. Ohio, where John d. Rockefeller Is
a member and the Standard Oh financier
is one of his personal friends. The church
which he directed in the Forest city is
widely known as the "Sa bbath Home for
Strangers on account OF the methods
which he employed to bring it more In
touch with the people. The Rev. DIR.
Eaton Is carrying out the same ideas
with regard to the new field, and every
day is showing his influence as a trained
organizer. His headquarters is the parish
house, in East 31st street, just around
the corner from Madison avenue, and
there he has established an office. from
which he can direct every activity Of this
religious organization.
Home for the Homeless.
To him the church, if it meets the con-
ditions which now confront 1t. must stand
in the relation of home to those who
have no homes of their own. and it
must also. as he terscly expresses it, be
a university of the soul. In order to dis
charge these functions it is necessary
that it should know ALL its children or its
students and that the pastor or cham
cellor should understand their needs.
One of the elements of the Rev. DIR.
Eaton's success in other fields has been
his knowledge of men. He has made his
own living ever since he was ten years
old. He knows from practical experience
the life of the Office and store. he has
gained insight into human nature through
newspaper work. and he is intensely in
terested in all types of mankind. In
Cleveland he is said to have known thou
sands OF its populatio and he is rapidly
becoming acquainted with the people of
New York with whom he IS to come IN
contact as their spiritual guide.
He begins his day with we'll defined
program, and proceeds through 1t by
schedule Certain hours are set aside for
talking with visitors, others to making
pastoral calls, and part OF the DAY Is
given to the direction of the social and
philanthropc work of the church. In the
meantime he is writing sermons. Keeping
i'm touch with the thought of the times
and carrying on his literary work.
The Rev. Dr. Eaton is SIX feet IN helsnt'
broad shouldered and of athletic build,
although rather slender In his manner
and bearing he reveals strength and force
fulness. His hair is iron gray, although
he is little more than forty years Old, and
his face shows the vitality ana klndlhe
enthusiasm of youth.
Field of the Church.
Every church." said the Rev. DR..
Eaton the other morning in his Office, 'ex-
lists not for itself alone, but for the com
munitv. The church should always serve
the community in which it lives. The
ordinary Protestant church has for CEN
turtles made the home the social unit. The
ministers in their year books report so
many families. In this country until forty
years ago this was the case, but now
there is novel situation brought about
by the growth of cities.
Although the cities still retain homes
there are also immense numbers of in
dividuals who have come from the
smaller towns and from the country,
leaving their home life behind them.
This brings many men and women TO a
metropolis such as this who live under
more or less unnatural conditions 1t
is not their fault. but 1t is due to eco
nomic causes the seeking for opportu-
mites and for employment which they
might not have i'm the communities
from which they came. Here they must
make their living, and until they have
established themselves, which
may take years, they must be without
a home life. Whatever weakenS the
home influence is bad for the country,
and the question arises as to what to
do with the mass of thousands of indi-
vjd,IaIs who have in them the making
of the best citizens and are doing the
most honorable thing In the world, earn
ing their own living.
Church Is Family.
THE church is the only institution in
the community which can supply in
some measure the sentiments and the
atmosphere of home. The church is not
an institution. but a family. At that
point the modern church in the city has
made its greatest failures: it has failed
to realize the conditions of family life
My ideal OF city church downtown is