The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-11-27
Notable Lectures and Sermons
in Topeka Sunday.
DIR. Henderson on Specialists in
Religion.
DR.SANDERS ATY.M.C.A.
Moving Pictures at the First
Baptist Church.
DIR. Loveland's "valjean" Lee
ture at the Grand.
Al the congregational Church.

Can the church compete with the
amusement specialists in entertaining
and amusing the people - was a ques-
ton asked by DIR. Arthur S. Hender-
son in the course of d sermon on THE
/ Church's Source of Attractive Pow
7 err delivered at the First Congrega-
/ tional church sunday morning mo, =
/ was the answer, and if she could she
J could only win men to the same inter
f. ests to which these other agencies win
! them, and her great purpose as an in
stltutEcn specializing religion would
still be left untitled
We live in a time of multitudinous
and multiplying attractions Never
| did so many and varied interests APP
I peal to men as today. In compare
/ lively recent times life was simple, and
| its interests and amusem few for
most men. Now it is complex almost
beyond realization and its interests are
so many and varied that they must
often compete strongly with each 9TH
er for consideration.
IN the midst of all these interests
and attractions the church makes its
appeal to men. and presents the in
terest for which it stands. The church
comes to men as religious institu
uOns not is the only religious institu-
ton for the state, the school and the
, family are also religious institutions if
| they are true to their fundamental
principles, but as the only institution
specializing religion. Coming in this
character to make appeal to men to
what shall the church trust for attrac-
tive pOwer2
can she depend upon learning and
eloquence in her pulpits2 Can she by
changing the character of her ministry
by putting a diplomat, a man of execu-
tive ability at the head of her affairs
to attract men. Can she compete with
the lodges and fraternal organizations
in social features and sick benefits and
life insurance. Can she compete with
the amusement specialits? The an
SWer is no.
tAs church exists for a different
end and makes her appeal to men
upon different ground from the 9th
er institutions with which she seems
10 be thrown in competition she must
trust to some other attraction to make
her appeal effective
Worship may be made attractive to
WOrShipfUl spirits BY EN- bOdyina beau
~ and dignity in reverent and orderly
forms. The day of Puritan barren
ness has gone by. forever. let us hope.
Music has its ministry and attraction.
preaching must ever remain central in
protestant worship and it may be made
intellectually attractive as well a $ spir-
itually powerful. The special life ought
to be cultivated IL a spirit of Christian
democracy and brotherhood. Even en-
tertainment and amusement charity and
wisely used may be made an accessory
of the church life work But these will
fail unless there is back of them a
richer and more powerful attraction,
the attraction of Gods presence mani
tested in the sane. wholesome, cheerful,
peaceful joyous, lives of the men and
women in her embership.
Il wish DR.. Gordon success in the
experiment. of introducing the moving
picture machine into the church, and
DR. LOveland who advocates advertis- |
ing in the newspapers. do not know
just what course we shall pursue in
this church.
1.-The church cannot be blamed for
not winning all the men to whom she
no appeal of a religious nature, not
even if Christ himself were here to
make it
In speaking of the prohibition ques-
ton in Kansas before the members of
the Christian Endeavor society in the |
evening DR.. Henderson said: IF the !
mayor of Topeka or anyone else at
tempts to bring back the saloon. let |
him be showed under as though all the |
earth were on top OF him."
At First Baptist Church.
There was another packed house SIN |
day night on the occasion of the last /
OF the series OF moving picture shows
at the First Baptist church. descriptive |
of the life of Moses, and standing room |
only was available. This illustrates the /
drawing value of interesting motion |
pictures, printers ink, and instructive |
descriptions OF the pictures by the pas /
tor.
In advertising the series of five lee
ture-picture shows, literature was scat |
tered over the city Dy the men OF the |
church and advertising space in the |
newspapers was paid for. At the meet |
ing several persons expressed the desire /
to join the church. Next Sunday the |
Rev Robert Gordon will speak on The I
Kind of a Girl to Marry.
President sanders at y. NJ. C. A.
President Frank K. Sanders, the
first man to esta blish a Y. M. c. A. in
a foreign field. presided over a fare
wen meeting at the Central Y NJ. c. A.
afternoon in honor of three
association secretaries who viii leave
for foreign fields the first part of the
year. These men are: John s Dads
man. Washburn '05, who viii go to
China; Charles W Whitehair, a grad
uate of DePauw university, who will
go 10 India, and H C. Herman. 1909
graduate of the state university.
These men have wrought splendid
" for us" said President Sanders 4
know of no men whom we love more
believe in more heartily and whom IN
der other circumstances We would al
low to go more reluctantly"
DIR. Loveland at the Grand.
THE day viii surely come when Amer
lea will blush for practices in our prisons
as England does for those which Charles
Dickens described