The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-04-13
in REGARDS To
ANOTHER CHURCH
THOS. C. WISWELL, SPEAKING
AS A CONGREGATIONAL
SAYS FIELD is ALREADY GOV.
Erred IN THIS CITY.

Editor the World
At this time when another church
organization proposes to enter We
natchee, it is necessary that someone
speak plainly and helpfully and in
diligently.
Many would wish to state the
facts, but being pastors, or men,
bers of organizations already on the
ground, hesitate because of the deli
cacy of their position.
Ten years experience in the min
istry of the Congregational denomi-
nation places me in a position where
my motives in writing cannot be mis-
understood; in fact that experience,
especially while pastor of the Uni
versity Congregational church in Sc
attic, seems to demand that for the
sake of the religious life OF our val
ley 1 should not remain silent
First, then, let us say to these
visiting organizers in all courtesy,
that while we recognize their legiti-
mate business to be church extern
sion, it is our business primarily to
work for the best interest of our COM
munity. Wenatchee may need more
spiritual life, but to this end what it
needs least of all is more church or
CARNATIONS. Spiritual life is never
advanced by dividing and sub-divid-
ing a community into ecclesiastical
organizations, and sending them off
to attend service in their debt-bur-
dened ediflces; but by uniting all in
Ia common purpose to establish high
spiritual and ethical standards in
their personal and civic conscious
ness Another organization will with
draw support from organizations al
ready here, AMI greatly increase the
burden to be carried.
Second, If this proposed new Or
ganization was coming in here to
teach the truth where falsehood only
was being taught, then it should
come though the heavens fall. 1t
would have a mission. But I know
that in order to keep peace in the
Congregational family the minister
who comes here to lead his little
coterie must be just as orthodox"
as his Presbyterian, or Methodist, or
Baptist, or Christian brother across
the street. His principal work will
be to make pastoral calls in order to
add to his membership and to keep
in good fettle those already MEM
30 h oil
to help the congregation carry the f.
nancial load. And this is exactly
what the ministers already here are
doing
His coming and his organization
will only make the work for all con-
cerned little heavier.
Third. There is nothing which
saps spiritual life like financial over
load. The criminal at least reaches
remorse, then repentance, and then
forgiveness and redemption. In his
own consciousness he is a saved and
happy man. The load is taken away.
But church debts are not removed
in this manner, nor are other finan-
cial troubles. These obligations
must be met and paid to the last
farthing
But I know the reply of these Wis
iting friends. The missionary So
cieties of the denomination will come
to the support of this "struggling"
organization. The C. S. S. & P. S.
will furnish literature for the Sun
day school; the c. H. NJ S. will help |
pay the minister's salary; the c. c.
B. S. will lend money to build |
church edifice This is all very true.
but are not the churches already es-
tablished being helped in this way
by eastern missionary organizations?
And is it not morally repugnant to
the better nature of every good citi-
zen, to feel that rich Wenatchee must
be kept on the charitable list of poor
er eastern communities in her e.
forts toward religious culture? To
me this is unbearable. 1t is unjust.
It is unnecessary, or had been so, If
the people here could have been al
lowed to organize and develop their
But there is another side to this
whole matter which must not be
overlooked Religion has to do with
the individual life in its spiritual
deals and it's social relations. 1t is
not a thing of dead creeds, but of
It can never be organ
zed by external manipulation. The
many sects cannot, if they would,
emulate the spirit of Jesus. They
BRING into every community contest,
jealousy, DISTRICT, intel
ectual wrangling. Under such con-
itions spiritual unity is impossible. I
Let us then put the ecclesiastical or
saniZation where it belongs, and 4
where it fills a large place, by recog- q