The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1911-04-13

over twenty-five years anu ~ Has
never cost me more than rs cents
year" We can sing with all our
tongues "Salvation is free and quote
emphatically "'Tis heaven alone that
is given away, it's only God may be
had for the asking But we may
shout "Salvation is free until
kingdom come, in the end we will get
out of our religion just about as
much as we put into it. Earth gets
it's price for what earth gives u.s.
AS we are commanded to do with
our might what our hands find to do
so let us also give with our hearts
what our hands find to give, and re-
member God loveth cheerful
giver."
have tried to discuss some Of the
first essentials of "approved meth
ods.' We have considered tithing,
systematic giving, varied giving and
giving in the right spirit. l will not
attempt to dwell at much length on
"dsapproved methods as this phase
of the question must needs be mere
personal opinion. If we used all
named approved methods We would
have no need of resOrting to
other methods, but since this ideal
state is yet only desired end in
view we must give some attention to
the less desirable subject.
A good layman was once asked
what he thought of church socials,
teas, suppers, bazaars and other
similar methods so commonly re-
for various church purposes. He I'M
+
say advisedly as far as the financial
side is concerned they are penny
wise and pound foolish. 1t takes my
wife a day to prepare for the event,
day to assist at the serving and
third day to help clean up. Then
she spends dollar for what she
gives and pay another dollar to buy
it back Possibly this statement
sounds a bit radical but we must
agree there is some truth in his point
of view. l believe the old-fashioned
church supper had much to commend
it when the matrons and young
ladies took their handwork and spent
the afternoon in discussing the
church, it's people and it's needs from
a helpful interest. The men of the
household came in to supper and en-
joyed the social evening spent with
neighbors and friends. Does the
church social of today fill this same
mission or has it degenerated into
mere cafe nature. Busy men and wo-
men come in, eat, then rush away
again much the same as they do in
the common eating house. No time
and little opportunity to become &C
quainted with the stranger. In the
end the work has fallen on the usual
few who, tired and discouraged, dis
cuss the question whether it is really
worth while until the time comes for
the next supper.
l am afraid if the heather who
can't understand the great love OF
his American neighbor who sends
him food and clothing for the body,
preachers and teachers for the soul,
could know how many good sisters
had frozen their fingers over the ice
cream and steamed their faces over
the coffee pot, his idea of this Won
drous love would have some questions
Of doubt in it.
Will I be treading on dangerous
ground if l mention our good, hard
working Woman's Guild under this
head? Indeed l am an enthusiastic
Guild worker myself and believe that
as long as present conditions exist
the Aid Societies answer great need
but sincerely hope the day will
dawn when their good efforts can fill
nobler purpose and have a higher
aim than only raising money for local
needs. What great power for good
our societies could be if the after
moons now spent in discussing the
welfare Of the church, the new men,
bers, the strangers, the sick and the
needy, thus making the church
helpful social center for it's members
Church suppers and socials could
then be made splendid fellowship
gatherings that would soon make
pastor and people feel the benefits of
this warmer, friendlier atmosphere.
Why is it almost universal fact
that the church that has an excep-
tionally strong aid society is usual
ly correspondingly weak in the mis-
sionary work? Up to a recent date
a church in this district with an en-
rollment of over $50 members had
nearly one-half that number on the
Guild roll and only eight mernb ers
III tACAA AAoo1OAo1y oOClSIy. L ue VILE
of one of our pastors some time ago
invited new church member to join
the missionary society. An enthusi-
astic aid worker overheard her and
Immediately chimed in, ooh, don't
coax her into your missionary society,
you know as long as We have this
new work on our hands we need all
the money and all the members for
that"
l know personally of church
where they had a splendid mission
airy society and all the departments
of the church work showed a good,
live spirit. A new pastor coming in
concluded that the church needed
general repairing, redecorating, etc.
He advised the missionary society to
disband and organize an aid society
until the local needs were accom-
plished. This happened over five
years ago, the advice of the pastor
was reluctantly followed, the work
was done as planned. The pastor has
long since gone to another charge.
HIT h