The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-02-01
PASTORS AND PEOPLE.

- "
The men in charge of the church
hocks in Fargo are not simply preach
ers, but pastors as well. Generally
speaking they do not confine their du-
ties to their ermon on Sunday, their
devotional meetings, pastoral visits,
and performing wedding ceremonies
and burying the dead. They are alive
TO the interests. of the entire commun-
ity, without unduly debating how ev-
cry department of the city may be
operated or each mans business should
be c~onducted-if he. keeps within.
the pale Of the law, but at the
same time-the country through
there is much Of truth in what a
Spokane newspaper recently said
about an innovation which is be-
ing tried in that city, and the COM
ments thereon. The extract is as fol-
lows: 4
Not in a silent church. but in one Of
the biggest and busiest downtown Of
fee buildings, a Spokane pastor is to
make his headquarters four hours
every day from Mondays to Saturdays.
His door will be open to all who come.
His purpose is declared to be ito mix
with men, know men and be n of
them"
1t is a typical movement of the
twentieth century. 1t is straight in
line with the persistent efforts of
American clutches to get closer to the
real, everyday life of the people-not
to take part so much as to understand.
Over and over come the complaints
that the churches have been losing
their hold on the people of the nation.
Perhaps the complaints are false. Per-
haps some of the greatest teachings
of religion-charity, brotherly love,
justice and h~onesty-are finding wider,
better, more sincere expression now
than ever before in the earth's history.
Still the fact remains hat in each large
city are to be found thousands who do
not come in sight of a pulpit from
Easter day to Easter day; and the
earnest man who seeks the reasons
for this condition may find the very
first is the lack of real acquaintance
between the pastors and the populace.
Fifty or 100 years ago, when towns
were small and the earth turned more
slowly the minister was not merely a
dim and digniied vision to be seen
twice each Sunday by gazing across a
stoekade of pews. His flock was a big
family. He knew the fathers and the
mothers. the big boys and the babies.
He heard about the measles and the
mortgages. He called the very dogs
by name. Village politics seemed to
him an open book. The town doctor,
the merchant, the blacksmith, were his
friends il not his deacons. If he was
the right kind of a minister the peo-
pies troubles were his troubles, their
joys his joys. And when he taught the
boys a new game, or told Bible stories
TO the girls, or smoothed a lovers
quarrel, or gave wise counsel to puz-
zled parents or brought courage and
comfort to the widow or hope and help
to the aged, he spoke not as a critic or
a theorist, but as a tried friend who
loved and cared-and knew. I
Is it then folly for the ministers of
today to try to go back among the
people? Are they wrong to rid them
selves OF unearned haIos and stilted
dignities-to carry their faith and hope
from the vacant church to the homes
and the ofices-to come to men and
women not as d. DIS or Phi. DIS or5L.
L. DIS, but as plain sympathetic fell
low men-brothers, friends?