The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-03-03
DIR. GORDON USES
ADVERTISEMENTS
FAMOUS SPEAKER SEES TIME
WHEN CHURCH WILL 5E RUN
MORE LIKE A BUSINESS BE-
LIEvEs SERMONS SHOULD IN
TEREsT MEN FIRST.

Il think the time is coming when
the church will be run more on bus
ness basis than beore," said DIR. Jas. l..
Gordon of Winnipeg in an interview
with representative of The Forum
this morning. There will be a day
when even the big churches that have
the poorest organizations, will be on
much different basis than they are
now" He continued:
by my dream of the future church
there will be one man for the pulpit,
and he will simply spend all of his
time preparing sermons, and nothing
else. That will keep him mighty busy,
too. If he does it right. Then there
will be man to do the social end
of the work, also a man t. look after
the organization of the church and
care for it's business interests. Then
again there will be woman visitor in
all of the churches, who will have her
duties.
I'm my church, If they want to have
some kind of new organization, say
alright go ahead and may God bless
you. But they do not bother me, for
have an assistant who looks after
that part of the church organization.
also have a woman on the force who
makes business of visiting among the
parishioners.
THE main point of sermon should
be to interest men. / think that that
is what the preachers should try to do
in their sermons. They should look at
the sermon from the human end and
make every effort to interest the con-
gregation.
Uses Newspaper Advertising.
II advertise in the papers and do so
quite extensively for a church. The
difference in my advertisements and
those usually carried by such organ
izations, is that I place my ads in the
theatre column. Here they are read
by a vast crowd of people who are
looking to be amused and who often
would not go to church unless they
read my advertisement in the theatre
cal column of the paper. / also try to
advertise in all Of the papers.
ITO me christianity is the science of
universal relationship. Religion is
mans relationship with God, and 80 are
all things related. With such belief
I can preach on anything in the pulpit
OF my church. I can preach on running
this hotel, or I can preach about your
or that department store,
or anything.
II was in the Y M. c. A. work for
fifteen years before entered the min
istery. and there I discovered that the
big thing was to get men interested and
get them in. am still finding that
this is the trouble. That's why try to
preach sermons that interest, and why
advertise. If the people do not take
in my sermons I must ask
myself what the trouble is, and not
blame them"
Mr. Gordon has the largest church in
and it is known as a kind
of a peoples church. He breaches to
at least 1000 people every Sunday
and from 1000 to 1000 every
Sunday evening. Wednesday he has a
question box and at this time hundreds
turn out.
He believes that the pulpit is for the
world and that the world should be
through it. All of his time
is spent on his sermons. and he makes
no effort to do any work on the church
simply trying to interest
the people.
Il have been here for a little while"
said he, II have gone out and seen
some things about your town. I have
visited your picture shows, and have
looked into the way you do business
and have seen what kind of people you
are"
The state Y. M. c. A. convention is in |
session in Fargo today, tomorrow and
Sunday. and Mr. Gordon is one of the
principal speakers at number of the |
sessions. He will deliver the big adj
dress at the banquet this evening. He
is a most pleasant man to meet and
of charming personality.