The Detroit times., 1911-10-24
EARLY IDEALS RECALLED.

N A'OANS ANho 1AC
vigorously Attacked BY
Fred B. Smith.
THE eHeReH IN THE WILDWOOD.
There's "A church In the valley by tile
wildwood,
:, No loveiier spot In the dale:
NO place IL so dear TO my childhood
As the little brown church IN the
vale
CHORUS
Come TO the church in the wildwood.
. On. come to the church In the vale;
No spot 10 so dear TO my childhood
As the little brown church in the
Oh. come to the church In the wild
wood,
To the trees where the wild flowers
bloom.
Where chs .ns parting hymn win be
We will weep by the side OF the
tomb
From inc church in the valley by the
When day fades away into night.
would fain from this spot of my
childhood.
Wing my way to the mansions OF
Eight.
multitude and a memory The
multitude filled the Wayne Gardens
to the doors Monday night to formally
launch the Men and Religion Forward
Movement In Detroit. and "The
Church In the Wildwood"--now
chanted In beautiful unison by the
quartet. now chorused softly by near
iy l,4OO voices-evoked the memory
OF the first little brown church In
the, vale" where this great com
pany OF worshipers began their
Christian experience away back In
boyhood
The dinner OF thousand men,
plus. was not lacking I'm militancy rn-
der the presiding hands OF William ii.
Wetherbee. and Fred B. Smith--the
latter naming the saloon and divorce
evil as the principal points OF attack
for the energized Christian manhood
of America-=but throughout the three
hours session OF the wonderful meet
Ing the tender little refrain strangely
persisted. II was the last note that
was heard till the hush that followed
the softened rendering OF the chorus
was broken by the benediction.
Probably because 1,400 men In a
sef1se were going back to drink OF the
religious fervor and ideals OF early
manhood. the refrain fitted the hour
perfectly. Also because of the mel
lowing nature OF certain incidents OF
the great meeting-the message OF
love to the young founder of the Men
and Religion Forward plan denied the
privilege OF participation in this long
cherished project by illness: the
oyerpowering testimony OF a prom
inent Chicago business man to the re-
generative influence OF simple faith;
and the reminiscent and personal ex-
perience note I'm the seven-minute
presentations OF the experts.
The climax OF the evening came
whom at the close OF Fred b. Smiths
substitution OF the issues of the
church for the tests of war In hero
making. the entire audience sprang
TO Its feet In an avowal OF lifelong
fidelity to some definite feature OF
church work. 1t was a significant and
prophetic expression.
Message In the lynn.
The message OF the Men and Re-
ligion Forward Movement is In that
hymn--The Church I'm the wildwood
said Fred b. Smith, at the outset OF
his address.
Mr.. Smith disclaimed any credit for
originating the movement, explaining
that IL was first conceived by Harry
Arnold. college student. now In the
west. stricken with tuberculosis, and
formerly a resident OF Detroit for a
year. To honor him for making the
present campaign possible. Mr.. Smith
sending Mr.. Arnold a mes
sage OF greeting. signed. Thirteen
hundred and sixty Christian men"
The suggestion was acted on, and
greetings were also sent TO Forward
Movement meetings In Sioux Falls. 8.
d.. and Cedar Rapids. la.
In explaining the significance OF the
movement, Mr.. Smith said IL was sim
ply call for men TO rally to the sup
port OF Christianity and the church.
Every Protestant church needed a
sort OF Y. VI. G. A. in IL. attract the
young men. But there was work for
everybody In the church. and no man
should remain out because OF the be-
lief that he wasn't wanted he said.
A Grand Rapids man had felt that he
was like the piece OF baggage placed
In the hold OF the ocean ship and
marked. IN Ne wanted on the voyage.
brit the recent Men and Religion For
ward Movement campaign In the Fur
nIture City had convinced him that.
after all. there was sor-ethIng for him
10 do in, the church There was some
thing for every man 60 do In the
church, but Mr. Smith argued that
no man should try TO do more than
one thing He should specialize. be
proficient and one phase OF church
work. The pastors should also make
a speciality OF one thing.
Following Mr. Smiths address. diff
ference leaders among the experts p
gave short talks a. A. whitmore. OF
New York. in charge OF the "Boys
work. made a stirring appeal ir be
half OF the youth Of the country. lie
said the church an dthe boy were In
that the fate Of the church
depended on whether the boys could
be held for Christian service. Toe
boy had 10 be studied. In order TO be
held. His heart longed for quest ana
adventure. and these features had 20
be catered TO N he were 10 be saved
for the church. There we're three n
stitutions In which the solution ~ the
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