Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-08-08
Wn Social Qbenle8.
British Churchmen Ahead of Americans in Mems
Work for Community, Says Visitor to England.
Recreation and Social Uplift---Also Mingle in
Politics as Well as Garry on Preaching by Lay
men-.-"God Save the People, Their Hymn.

to be the predominant factor in the
brotherhood work, Every Sunday I'm
London alone there are as many as 80
o. these meetings. some with an attend
ance going as high as 1000 persons. Rev.
Mr.. Stelzle characteriZes them as brief,
bright and brotherly. He says they ara
aimed at the man of the street. and SO
are kept popular. They are usually for
men only. and are in sense third
preaching service. Great preachers as
well as great statesmen and social econo
mists are in constants demand for these
addresses. The laymen themselves have
developed a grasp of present religious
and social conditions and a power to ex-
press their convictions that makes them
platform force.
Alert to Living Issues.
These meetings are broadly evangelstic.
Yet always social. The speakers present
such subjects as child labor. the temper
ance movement, old age pensions or some
other topic which is claiming the interest
| Of the men at the time. These social sub
jects are more thoroughly discussed by
the wOrkingmen of Great Britain than
they are by the men of the same class
| in the United States.
The three objects of the brotherhood
movement in Great Britain, as sunma rized
by Rev. Mr.. Stelzle. are: First, to lead
men and women into the kingdom OF
hoods OF mutual help. Third. to win the
masses of the people for Jesus Christ.
Food and the Gospel.
In it's department of social work the
British Brotherhood promotes Institutes
for social fellowship" These are often
| maintained in separate buildings from
| the churches. and supply various recrea-
tons, including symnasiums. reading
| rooms debating societies. study circles.
| etc In the summer outdoor sports are
| maintained. An adjunct of the social
| Institutes are the refreshment counters.
| Curiously enough, these are not only self
supporting but frequently a source OF
revenue to the brotherhoods. They help
maintain the popularity of the Institutes
as social centers and make possible an ex-
| tension Of the more altruistic departments.
Much of the activity which is relegated to
| lodges In America is assumed by these
| British brotherhoods. with their beneyo-
| lent and thrift clubs. visitation of the
| sick and absentees, book funds-where-
| by million books a year are circulated
labor exchanges and a variety of null
| tiform masculine activities differing with
| the needs and tastes of the locality
Laymen Who Can Preach.
The surprising statement is made by
| Rev. Mr.. Stelzle that there are 5000
preachers in Great Britain alone. from
| every walk of life. many of them from
| the ranks of the workingmen. He points
out that nearly all of the fifty labor lead
ers in parliament received their train
ing as public speakers in the church.
and that quite number of them are
| lay preachers. With this force of men
| trained to public work, the extension of
| the brotherhood movement and the up
| lift ideas which 1t embodies has been
! comparatively easy. These laymen also
give themselves to straisht-out. old-fash-
toned preaching in streets, in chapels and
in missions.
The business sense of the laymen is dis
/ played by the way in which the brother
/ hood men advertise their work and meet
| ings. In addition to their general use OF
| the newspapers they go in extensively for
handbills. and case liz cited of a broth
| erhood that was started in a town of
| 1900 persons For its first popular
| meeting it distributed 5000 handbills.
| The aim of the movement is to become
| million strong, and since its force is so
| we'll organized and SO widespread the
goal is likely to be realized shortly.