Los Angeles herald., 1909-03-12
INDIVIDUAL TOUCH IN
CHURCH WORK URGED
Rev. Matt S. Hughes Addresses Large
Audience, Speaking Before
Sunday School Adult
Bible Conference

.It is a shame to use ingenious meth
DDS to build up lodges and business,
and not use the same methods in the
church for Jesus Christ. 1t should not
be possible to say that a CHRISTIAN
woman can get large crowds 10 her
receptions and cannot get people 70
the church. Take political nIe-the
personal touch reaches down 10 thG
voters. One of the most successIui
methods in politics is the still hunt
after the individual. These methods'
necessary in the business life, ougnt 10
he consecrated to the LORD Jesus
Christ" said Rev. Matt S. Hughes iaSt
night at the Sunday school adult Blple
conference before large audience III
the First Methodist church.
DIR. Hughes said that a return 10 the
anostolic methods of early days was
necessary in order to bring people INTO
the churches. ,
For nearly 21O years nearly all soul
winning was done by revival methods,
and now l think the emphasis shoulo
be laid on the personal metnod' Ing
little Christ circle that was to reach
down through the ages began with
nersonaI work. The difference in the
methods is that today we want TO start
In with an institution and Christ began
with the Individual.
.Jf we have come to time Wnen
the pospel is not reaching men, ellner
the gospel is not powerful or IL Is no.
reaching them as it should. NO one
who knows the church To-Day can uoupt
that there is somethlng Wrole, Wo 81 ,,ot
might lust as we'll face 1T. we are not
reaching the world as we should IWe-
thirds of the Sunday school scholars
leave the Sunday school without De-
coming church members. 1t is per
fectly easy to talk about people pells
gospel murdered but often they are
only method murdered. Inc reVlNai
method is not adequate today.
In the business world they nave
commercial travellers to show their
goods individually. If men conducted
business. as we conduct our churcnes,
how soon would it be before they be-
came bankrupt? If commercial tray
eler should go into a town and Wldely
advertise that at such hall. on sucn
a dav-one out of the seVen--he would
show his goods and explain their
merits. and then should keep people
waiting out in the Vestibule until
those with reserve seats were seated,
how many orders do you think that
man would get? 1t is the personal
touch that makes business i've ana
grow. We must get back TO tne oiu
bring people to the modern church..
During the day the sessions of the
adult Bible rally and conference were
largely attended. At $3.50 o'clock the
delegates adjourned to the banquet
room at the Y. NJ. G. A. building, where
a banquet was served to 26O delegates
and friends. Hugh c. Gibson intro
duced C. c. Chapman as toastmaster,
and he at once introduced Rev; Robert
Rurdette who made one of his en-
blematic speeches. full of humor, keep
ing the banqueters in an uproar. Then
followed short addresses by Rev. p, x.
Warren, Rev. w. G. Pearce, Rev: Il; A.
Hadden' Rev. C. p. Fisher and Rev.
James Edmunds.
This morning the convention will be
opened at $3.50 o'clock. During the
day the speakers win be Rev. Alfred
InWood. Miss Elsie M. Bosbyshell G.
NJ. Anderson. James Edmunds. Bishop
W. NJ. Bell, Il. w. Thornton, Mrs w.
]. Rogers, ID. p. Ward. Willis 5. Myers
Charles B. Fisher, Fl. M. Patterson and
W. w Guth The convention will CLOSE
this evening.