The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1910-09-09
NOT A KNOCKERS CLUB,
SEEKING after TRUTH
UNION CHURCH IDEALS AS EX-
PLANNED BY REV. BLACK.
Progress of the New Society in Duluth;
Former Mankato Pastor in Charge
of Congregation; 1t Is Difficult to
Estimate Soul Growth; Suppers
and Grab Bags Are Eliminated
From Organization.

Duluth, September THE Union
church celebrated its first anniversary
on Wednesday evening with banquet
at which plates were laid foi one hun
dred and fifty guests. The reports of
the work of the year were most encour-
aging and the toasts were marked by
much enthusiasm and hope for the
growth of the church the coming year.
The finances of the church are in ex-
cellent condition especially so since the
money is raised entirely by free will
offerings and neither pledges or chicken
pie supper methods are allowed.
The principal address OF the even
ing was given by the pastor, Rev. B.
V. Black, who summarized the pnr-
pose and ideals of the Union church as
follows:
The tabulated reports of the church
cannot fairly represent our real pro-
gress where spirituality is the single
aim. 1t is difficult TO estimate soul
growth and spiritual awakening of the
or numerical increase. Yet such is an
indication of live spiritual church
which can show such a financial report
as this. a total offering OF two thou
sand dollars with balance of thirty
four dollars is perhaps not eXtraordi-
nary. But this offering has not been Sc
cured in the average manner Without
pledge, without begging, living in ab-
solute faith has been our financial pol
icy. From the start the ban was placed
upon church sOcals or any other ma
terial means for financial gain. In
fact very little attention has been
given TO the finances We believe that
the financial side of our work is con,
sequent of the spiritual.
Not Knockers Club, Seekers of Truth.
Our message is simple-'That we
may know Him whom to know Alright
is life everlasting He is truth. Thus
our common quest is for more truth.
We are not Union church arbitrarily
but inevitably Truth always unites.
1t is error which divides. This church
is not constituted of set of dis
grlmtled folk from various churches,
forming knockers club Our common
quest for truth has welded our spir-
itual interests and desires. There is
no other name that represents the in
evitable result of truth as Union. We
have an interest in every church for it
has truth. These churches need to
know that all their. truth combined is
only a fraction of the great umfathom-
able sea of truth.
Each church should launch out not
satisfied with the mere handful of
truth which the fathers bequeathed. IF i
have any objection to new thought, it
Is TO the name rather than the thing
itself. In reality there is no new
thought, for mind mas been ever ex-
tant sending forth thought. The name
has been abused, making it a cover for
all manner of dangerous philosophers.
TO take the name of New Thought
would council no better sanity than to
assume some other sectarian name. 1t
TO become hide bound conservative.
Get the new thought which teaches the
allness OF God, the Christ consciousness.
and divine realization. l accept it. |
must accept it, for it is truth, but |
refuse to bear the brand.
Bridge Between Theory and Practice,
"Our work has been obliged to bridge
the prOverbial chasm between theory
and practice. We have struggled to
make the idea real. 1t has been
wrought in love- We are disciples, for
Christ said. herein shall all men know
that We are my disciples that We love
the bretheren.' There is the danger of
religious bigotry avoided for love
seeketh not her own Religious intol-
GRANGE is wiped out for love believeth
all things and hopeth all things The
permanency of this work is assured for
love never faileth.'
"Onr motto, Service keeps MS on
the outlook for Christ not the theological
Christ, but the Christ in the beggar
the sinner, to whom we NAV give ever
cup OF cold water We love the
Christ which we find in humanity. He
first loved us and now we pray to re-
turn our love by serving Him in the
frail form of humanity The future
will reward us with success in the same
measure as our service to the world. Tn
this next year let us die that we NAV
live-let us lose ourselves that we NAV
find ourselves-let MS be buried that we
may be ress,irected with the Christ
the Christ in us, that we may have a
soul to love that seeks and serves"
After Years Trial.
After a years trial the plan of Fl.
nancng the Union Church of Disciples
by free will offering and without pied
ges, chicken suppers or apron sales, was
last night pronounced success at q
reception rendered to the pastor and his
wife at the Knights of Pythias hall
The reception was in the form of a
banquet to which $50 guests sat down
and was followed by short and in.
formal program of reports and speak
ing.
The reception was held on the first
anniversary ofsthe church and was the
greeting of the congregation to Rev
b. V. Black and wife after their vaca.