The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1910-08-11
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CHURCH u ZON
CITY HAS TOO MANY CHURCHES
Reys. Ford and HargreaveS Discuss Local
Situation and Suggest COnSOl-
idatiOn.

Too Many Churches In Hood
River--What viii We Do About It?"
This was the subject of two discourses
given by local ministers from their
pulpits Sunday evening. DR.. Ford of
the Methodist church gave his analysis
of the question and offered remedy,
the same thing being done by Rev. j,
X. Hargreaves of the Baptist church.
The two ministers prepared abstracts of
their sermons for The Glacier and
the remarks of DR.. Ford follows:
This is not sensational subject.
1t is one of solemn import. 1t is sug-
gested by conditions of which every
pastor and churchman is cognizant.
The question must be solved somehow
by the men of today, or it will solve
itself in disaster tomorrow.
Ask any representative minister il
his church is reaching the children of
church families, and building them in
to its life; If it is receiving their
intelligence and enthusiasm in lines of
church work and Christian service if
II has the measure of power sufficient
to command the respect, confidence
and support of all classes in the com
munity, and if he thinks Christianity
as represented by the churches is maxi
ing the progress, and holding the place
it should in the modern world, and he
will answer with some hesitancy,
Conditions are not as favorable as he
would like.
We are not pessimstic. Christian
ity is not moribund. The churches are
not dead, nor dying. They are enfeeb-
led. They are slow to adjust them
selves to the changing conditions. The
will come.
The manv causes ordinarily assigned
are not more satisfactory than the con-
uition. The wealth and temporal pro
sperity of some of the churches,
advanced scholarship with higher
criticism, the prevalent desecration of
the Sabbath, the neglect of the prayer
life, the infrequency of the old fashion
ed revival and the alleged decay of the
evangelistic spirit will not suffice as a
reason. Nor does the cry of "too
many churches" answer the interroga-
tories of seers of the hour. We do
not deny that many communities are
that in all such cases
the churches are enfeehled, and that
is den al ded. 1t will
afford the only relief. Comfy is good:
is better: federation is
still better, but organic union in
many instances is the one thing
needed.
Our own community is an illustration
in point. What is the matter with
the churches in Hood River?" was
asked recently by stranger, and the
answer was prompt and confident,
TOO many churches here !"
We have a population of about $500.
We have eleven church organizations.
There are nine church edifices, with
about 1900 seating capacity with an
investment of about $42, 600 and an
nual outlay for salaries and incidentals
expenses of about $1,000. Nearly all
these organizations are supposed to
have pastors. There is membership
Of about 1000 and the average atten-
dance on Sunday is about 800 or one
for every three seats.
We need fewer churches, stronger
and better equip ed. We need few
church marriages in this town as well
as some of another kind, and then we
need to have said with authority,
"Those whom God hath joined tC-
gether let no set of ecclesiastics put
asunder.
There is room for here for Congre-
gational or Presbyterian church, but
not for both; for Methodist or
United Brethren, but not for both;
for Baptist or Christian church, but
not for both; for the Episcopal
church unless they and we can be-
come more like John Wesley; for the
Roman Catholic church and for the
Unitarian or some other liberal
church, but not for two of the kind.
These ought to be sufficient to meet
the religious wants of this place.
The trend Of the times is toward
good will to all men, and in the direc-
tion of the conservation Of resources.
There has been too much waste in busi-
ness, in public utilities and in church
and rivalry. We need to for
get the controversies and strife of the
past. We need to see that many of the
causes of these, and for the very be-
ginning of our existences as separate
have passed away We
need to recognize the changes that
have taken place, and to extend the
hand of fellowship to one another. 1t
is not so much a question of priority of
claim as it is Of superiority of service.
A church can only justify itself in
holding any field by what it is doing
for the kingdom of this world.
What are we going to do about this
! really suppose we will do
as we have been doins. If our Church
were not so deeply seated
If we had less church bigotry, and
more of the charity that never
if we thought more of the
kingdom of Christ than we do Of
denOminational glory, the problem
would be easier of solution. We say
~ can never be anything but an
EpiscopailanW But you can struggle
until ss"apostolical succession goes to
pieces tlike rope of sand. 81 can
never be anything but Prebsyter-
ian!' But you can struggle on until
the perseverance, of the saints"
ceases. 81 can never be anything but
a Christian But you can struggle
until "baptismal remission ceases
to be preached. i can never De any
thing but United Brethren!" But
you can struggle on until there will be
no more brethren to unite. 81 can
never be anything but Methodist! J!
But you can struggle on until there
will be no more method in your de-
votions, and the fires of revival will
die out on your affairs, and there will
be nothing left but cold ashes.
In discussing the question of too
many churches, Rev. Hargreaves said:
If, for such a discussion a text
should be chosen. 1t would be, eye
serve the Lord Christ" and possibly it
should be supplemented by "The child
rem of this world are wiser in their
generation than the children Of light. y
Religion is the thought Of the higher
than self worked through the emotions
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