Evening journal., 1910-10-22
ATTENDING MEETINGS.

MOUblLESS the good pastor OF Asbury Meth
- odist Episcopal Church was surprised when
in response TO his invitation for Labor Nipht"
SO few members Of organized labor in this CITY
responded Perhaps he had read of the frequently
made assertion by some writer's who espouse the
cause OF labor that the churches were either antap
onistc to labor took little or no interest in the
welfare OF the working masses The Journal has
frequently published letters referring to this mat
ter and similar communications have been noticed
in other papers 1t was with the idea OF show.
ing that the churches are not antagonstc to labor
that the Asbury invitation was extended
The truth seems to be that there are all kinds
OF churches composed OF all classes of people,
but there arc few OF them If any, where any per-
son IS not welcome. And so, too, with the SER
mons which arc Of different kinas necessarily as
they represent the varicgated views OF the preach
eTs. some discuss social questions while others
consider the duty Of the preacher 10 pertain
to the spiritual rather than the material side OF
life But there are few churches or preachers who
arc not more or less in sympathy with labor how
ever much some of the so-caed leaders of labor
may think differently Preachers NAV not approve
the fads and fancies of individual exponents Of
labor by which such exponents hope to rcmske
the world and If they do not we presume the
cry goes up that they are not in sympathy with
labor.
II would be we'll for Labor to turn out on such
occasions as that at Asbury Church. Ii is a dis
tions accepted But the Rev. Mr.. Macnichol is
perhaps not the only minister Of the city who has
been disappointed that Labor did not respond 10
the call of the pulpit Some time ago the rector
OF ST. Andrews Church delivered a series of very
interesting sermons on social topics and notwith
standing the wide publicity given them in The
Journal few of Labors devotees were among his
congregation. The small attendance and appar-
ent lack OF interest may be explained on the
ground that many men don't like to attend meet
ngs of any kind.
II the churches complain of a lack of attendance
secular bodies have the same complaint and suffer
JUST as much. Consider almost any body and OBJ
serve how few of its members attend meetings
The Board OF Trade with its hundreds of mem
hers can easily get all one of its meetings into
a comparatively speaking small room How slight
a percentage OF lodge members attend the regular
meetings Of their lodges Perhaps in proportion
TO their membership the churches have as large a
percentage Of attending members as any secular
organization
In fact the spirit Of not going TO meetings seems
to be increasing rather than diminishing Years
ago political gatherings would be crowded With
folks who listened TO the speakers with ENJOYMENT
admired the speaker and cried @hit EN- AGAIN
To-day, as for example during the present cam
paign IN Wilmington, the political managers are
wondering II they have meetings whether any
considerable number will attend
This situation regards meetings does not in
dicate lack OF interest among the people in every
thing that is doing or that the people have sunk
into an inertia. There some matters that really
DO concern them, that arouse their curiosity and
interest Baseball seems to be the chief thing that
stirs the multitude, having greater hold than
ever Men and women wait with feverish anxiety
for the announcement that the great game has
begun. The pulse beats and the heart throbs and
the telephone tinkles 10 know what the score is
lnniRg by inning. III some of the preachers an
nounced that during service the score would be
read off by half innings perhaps the multitude
might attend church whether it was a labor meet
ing a missionary meeting that was under way
But this expedient is not likely TO be resorted TO-