The Washington herald., 1911-10-08
SOCIAL EQUALITY IN CHURCHES
IMPOSSIBLE, SAYS DIR. GOODWIN

still the courage to state their convictions
in plain language.
DR.. Lyman Beecher undertook to solve
the problem in his Brooklyn church years
ago. For while he/fhought he'd sue
ceed. But he tells in his Yale lectures
on preaching how he finally gave 1t up.
A Washington clergyman. DR.. Frank
]. Goodwin. essays to answer the question
in the current 'Homeletic Review" Of
fertng two principles in support OF his
contention that social equality cannot
be established in the modern church In
part, DR.. Goodwin says:
American Christians have given so
much consideration to the question of
social equality between the black and
white races and its bearing on the settle
ment of the negro problem in the South
that they have been apt to forget that
in our church life the question of social
equality between people of the same
race and color is becoming one of large
Importance. There are churches. to be
sure, in which this question OF social
equality is very simple. The congregation
is homogeneous, made up entirely of
people of about the same financial and
social standing. Everybody knows every
one in the church, and the administrative
problem is simply one of zeal and ac-
tivity in the effort to keep the indolent
busy and the shy happy and efficient.
But almost all churches have mixed
congregations. Social, financial, and in
tellectual differences exist, and murmur-
ings will often be heard against social
ill-treatment, neglect, and discourtea5 by
some of the members toward their less
fortunate associates in Christian fellow
ship; and as a consequence, on many
sides utterance is not infrequently given
TO sharp questioning of the reality Of
the religious life of the church and Of
the depth and sincerity of the spirituality
of some of its individual members. The
question, therefore. is this: Should every
parishioner feel that it is his Christian
right to be on terms of friendship with
every one in the church which he may
attend; and, II that friendship is not
accorded him, does the church thereby
open itself 70 the criticism Of being un-
Christian and without any adequate COM
prehension of its duty of mInistering to
the worlds large and varied needs?
Courtesy and Independence.
The two principles which lay down
as fundamental are Christian courtesy
and Christian independence. They are
principles upon which the church can
be dogmatic and insIstent. They do
not represent the maximum OF truth
but the minimum of duty They are
the basis and foundation upon which a
just and generous relationship may be
established between people who gather
in common meeting place like the
Christian church. where individuality and
fellowship are blended in a harmonious
union. BY this l mean. first: That there
should be natural friendliness and kind
ness. according to the social abilities Of
the individual. in all church relations and
assoCiations-as. for instance, in the serv-
ices of public worship, in midweek meet
ings, in missionary and philanthropic
societies in the church, and in all strictly
social gatherings held by thu church or
under its auspices. But. second. in all
matters. social. financial, intellectual, out
side the public church associations and
meetings. the individual finds the as
sociates with whom he may be mutually
Congenial
This first principle-that there should
be natural friendliness and kindness IN
all church relations and associations
expresses the truth that the church
should be a common meeting place where
all can mingle III the spirit of Christian
frlendlinesS and courtesy. II means speci-
fiCally that members of a congregation
should not ignore or slight persons
they meet on their way in or out of tho
church. All should be treated courteouSly.
nod or a bow may be all that IS neckS-
sary; the atmosphere of kindness and
courtesy should be present. even though
no word be spoken or definite greeting
he given. The church has a right 10
demand as an imperative duty Of it's
members that Christian courtesy. the
modern expression of the ancient grace
of hospitality. should be thus exemplfied
by Christian people. Courtesy is imper-
sonal; il belongs to man as man. Friend
ship may be for a few, courtesy is for
all; and what We need in our churches is
not to have all church people united
by bonds Of friendship (Which must, of
course. be lmpOssible), but to have their
church relations with each other friendly
in spirit and courteous in manner.
SnObbery and Un-Christian Trait.
1T does harm to woman's own soul
to snub a social inferior in a church
gathering and such conduct should be
considered deliberately un-Christian. 4
man is a snob who refuses to recognize
on the street a member of the same con-
gregatiOn whom he occasionally NEE is
and cohverses with in the social or re-
ligious meetings of the church. These
social discourtesies are often magnfied
into grave offenses, and introduce bad
feeling among members of 4 congregation.
for. strangely. men will forgive. an in
jury more readily than they will forgive
or forget a discOurtesy. Snobbery should
not grow on Christian soil In many
Sunday schools young girls need to be
taught pollteness in their treatment OF
other girls who may not be their social
equals.
Church officials also need to be in
structed in their duty. In a prominent
New England church a deacon approach
ed a fine-looking young man at church
gathering and cordially invited him to
join his Bible class. Later in the even
ing. however, when it was learned that
the young man was a gardener employed
in the neighborhood, a great change took
place in the deacon's manner, and his
enthusiastic interest in the young man
completely died out. Fortunately, though
the deacon was a snob, the gardener was
a gentleman. and the Bible class was not
troubled with his unwelcome presence.
Should not the church positively teach