The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-10-07
(By D. V. FRANCIS.)

NEW YORK, September %. -
What shall we do to bring the people
to the churches?" This is a question
which is always peculiarly appropri-
ate at the close of the vacation sea-
son. For it is an unfortunate fact that
after reopening in the fall practically
every city chuch finds there has been
more or less detection in the cougro-
cation. Men and women get out of
the habit of going to church while il
is closed. Unfortunately, it is a very
easy habit to get out of, and it's
mighty hard to get them back.
After a somewhat close study of
the tent and open-air work in this city
during the summer l am of the opin-
ion that one reason why the churches
are not better attended is there is
not evangelistical Christianity enough
preached in them to get and hold the
crowd
Wherever and whenever there was
a preacher at these tent meetings who
preached the "old book and the old
faith" straight from the shoulder,
there was congregation to hear him,
and it was an interested congrega-
ton.
At one meeting l overheard a scrap
of conversation which is significant.
The preacher had denounced the new
theology" without mercy. AS the con-
gregation was filing out, one gentle,
man remarked to the lady who was
with him:
Il wish every Presbyterian in New
York could have heard that"
A gentleman ahead of him turned
quickly with the remark:
Yes, brother, and every Baptist,
too"
The public does not appreciate how
great is this Christian work among
the army and navy of the United
States. Under the conduct of the
army and navy branch of the Y. NJ. c.
A. in 1911 there have thus far been
held, in the army alone, 800 religious
meetings, with Al 1866 men in attend
ance. There have been 96S sessions
of Bible classes, with 22,504 men DIS
members. Up to July l there were
enrolled in the enlisted mems Bible
and Prayer League 1914. There are
what are called church parties. Men
in groups go together on Sunday even
ings and hear well known preachers.
There have been thus far this year
1888 such parties, with 1893 men COM
posing them.
The total attendance for religious
meetings and classes in the army this
year is 66,O63. OF these 531 men pro-
fessed a determination to lead the
Christian life, and $40 joined the En-
listed Mems Abstinence League. 1t is
often found difficult to get men into
actual church membership, for they
are shifted from one post to another,
their terms of enlistment expire, and
there are the usual removals found
everywhere in civil life.
In the United States navy thus far
this year the attendance upon religi-
GUS services conducted by association
men has been 56,433. There have
been 15,1OS at the Bible classes, 1903
in the church parties, and 1929 hay
protested conversion. The same diff
hculty, or greater, is had when 1t
comes to finding opportunity for a
sailor to enter into full church mem
bership. The total attendance of
sailors, all meetings this year is a.
426. In the Bible and Prayer League
the enrolment for the year exceeds
1000, so that the league has now, in
both army and navy membership
nearly 10000, Sailors to the number
of S29 signed the card of the Absti-
nence League.
The attendance at the educational
classes has been 10000. There are
sixty-six circulating libraries, and the