St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1909-01-06
Sunday Evening Services at Barre.

/ The challenge issued to the working
men of Barre through advertisements
for fair play in hearing before condemn
ing the church, has attracted wide
attention, and the results are being
watched with interest. In letter to the
MISSIONARY in answer to request the pas
tor makes the following interesting state
ment of his position:
My recent experiment with the Sunday
evening service came about in this way.
For a long time have wrestled with
the,problem of reaching the unchurched.
My congregation is a large one and is
composed OF many of the most cultured,
substantial people of the city. But they
do not need the Gospel more than the
element that shuns the Church. From
some points of view they need it less.
| have found the regular methods to
be effective, in a measure, in reaching the
unchurched element. During the seven
years | have been here many persons
who were not attendants have become
such, and some have entered the Church
membership. Both morning and even
ing congregations have increased steadi-
ly, the morning congregation practically
filling the Church on fair Sundays,
the evening one being about two-thirds
as large. But this is slow process.
My one great hope for the recent
evangelistic campaign with which it is
only fair to say my-church membership
as whole was not in sympathy, and
did not co-operate) was that the un
churched element would be reached This
hope was not realized. In a very limited
sphere good was done. Quite number |
OF the young people of the Sunday
school signed cards. But the movement
had no scope. The community as such
was not touched.
This seemed to make the problem more
serious and acute. If "Revivalism" will
not reach the unchurched, what will?
And the thought came to me "If you can
get message to these people, asking
them on the basis of fair play, to give
the pulpit hearing, they will respond"
An advertisement in the newspaper
seemed about the only effective way to
DO this. But dismissed the idea. 1t
scared me. shrank from ANYTHING that
might appear sensational have al
ways used quiet methods. No one, |
suppose, has deplored sensationaism
more, or denounced it more vigorously.
But the idea persisted. l began to feel
hat the end in view was large enough
o justify me in going ahead and Drawing
whatever of reproach was likely to
uffer. | would endure the modification
thereby | might preach the gospel to
hose who hear it not. | determined
However, that if the fact of display adj
-ertising must needs seem sensational,
he matter of the advertisement should
e frank, chaste, dgnifedI.
Accordingly | placed an advertisement
n the Times" of Friday and Saturday
n which asked for fair play; announced
series of sermons on Social and Per
onal Religion" invited those who were
OF the adherents Of any church to come
'r four successive Sunday evenings; and
greed that they would be warranted in
oming no more, if they should then con-
Jude that had nothing worth while to
fer them. The church was crowded to
he doors on Sunday evening and some
'ere turned away. The large congrega
ons have continued on the two SUNDAYS
nee. They have been made up in no
nall degree of people, especially men,
Tho have not attended church for years.
ONE of these have remained at the close
the services to tell me frankly of their
ck of sympathy with the church in the
asst and to promise me their attendance
nd cooperation for the future. The
result has been good. What
lie permanent results will be, it
too early to say. MANY of the
cuar papers of the state and beyond
ave commented favorably in the edltori-
columns, very few unfavoraby.
lquirles havecome to ME from Alabama,
txas and many nearer points.
still suffer secretly as think of nv
If as using methods that may look
nsational. But am not sorry that l ,
d it.. And really, why was it not ,
straightforward. honorable thing to
u There is great deal of indirect adj
,rtislng that might fairly be considered
IS so. And perhaps it is at least fair
iestion, whether the extraordinary I
ct that nearly or quite so per cent. of
e people of our American communities ,
e living altogether apart from church ,
1nistrations, many being strongly pre-
diced against the institution, does not
IL tor something extraordinary in the
ay OF methods. At any rate the one
no attempts, with good motive, to {
something positive may hope to re- 4
i've Judgment that is tempered with ]
ercy. I
F A. p G