The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-03-11
LAUNCHED WORK
At MASS K,[':!%[;:I|.|A!!G II
Large Number Attended and
Heard Speakers Outline
Various Features

That good old gospel hymn. II Need
Thee Every Hour" was never sung
with more gusto than it was at the
afternoon in the premier meeting Of
the Men and Religion Forward move
ment campaign in Grand Forks.
This was mass meeting OF men.
Nearly every walk in life was repre-
sented at the gathering and practical
ly every denomination. The men were
brought there to learn more Of the
try. They came to find out II religion
really IL a big strong mans work or
work for women.
Before these men had left the
church they had learned that real life
will only exist in this world when
ono can be business, politician and
citizen religiously. They found that
religion IL In truth a conception Of the
world as something worth while.
These same men. many Of them In
the twilight Of their lives, others in
the strength Of their days. a number
manly youths. left the church on Sun
day almost surcharged with enthus-
iasm. They had been inspired by the
words Of men who have known God
for forty years. know Him at home
and In business and who commended
Him to their fellows. These men
went home rejoicing because they had
listened to Wholesome music and had
found that religion wasn't q strange
thing in the hazy distance. but 10
a mighty thing that is meant for ev-
cry man and must be given it's requir-
ed attention even in the marts Of
trade.
Fellowship Controlled.
The spirit Of christian fellowship
controlled this service from organ
prelude to benediction.
Sunday afternoons meeting was
primarily for the purpose Of getting
the men Of Grand Forks in closer ac-
quaintance with the meaning Of the
Men and Religion Forward movement
and Of the work that will be done In
Grand Forks this week.
It was for Wallace N. Stearns. pro-
fessor Of history in the University Of
North Dakota, and r. b. Griffith. to
tell of the national movement in the
intsfeets Of putting religion abreast
Of tho times and on Q practical ba&i6
such as present day conditions war
rant r'
Professor etearns declared that the
movement IL not an Affirmation Of old
beliefs Of an old theology. herald
ing Of new doctrines nor a statement
OF doctrines. but is taking Of stock
and q defining and stating Of the
problems now before the christian
mon Of the country.
church problem az the greatest prob
lem to be solved by the christian men
Of North Dakota. It is a question
now. he said, whether to federate or
to flght on, each church by itself and
In doing the latter. in many instances
at least, abuse the opportunities to go
forward now knocking at the door.
80 HS~AvAA UN~vIr
The young ministers of today are
not trained for rural church work.
asserted the speaker. They are train
ed for city churches where city prob
lens have to be combated and the
slums dealt with.
These young mon go to the coun-
try hred with ambition-to get back
serted Prof. stearns. Many Of them
have asked me to please remember
them when learned Of q place In a
larger city. don't blame them a bit.
The schools have got to teach preach
ers to know farm problems. Then
they can go to the country and help
solve the problems Of the people and
christianity right into the everyday
life of the home.
What we need today is preachers
that can interpret the scriptures. We
men Of today want to know what's
in the bible. We hear too many things
that are not in the bible. It is won
der to me that 50 many people really
read that great book.
Now this Is an honest fact. know
Of q young preacher who said that he
found the battle Of Santiago In the
Book Of Revelations.
Study tho Bible.
I'm order to preach to the people
Of today and especially to the country
people, our ministers should make
. more searching study Of the bible.
They are not getting the training for
country work in the educational in
stitutions Of this country that they
should.
"The boy problem. believe. should
be given the greatest attention every
whs5s 1s.. It ana s in the or Of s the
matter. to save the boys. The angels
sing and their is great rejoicing in
heaven when each glorious catch 10
made and the boy 10 prevented from
going over the precipire and 10
brought back. But why not make an
effort to get these boys on the right
straight? Let's save the whole life
instead Of few years at the latter
end"
Women Play Big Part.
Professor stearns enthused over
the work Of tho women. He said that
It 10 a wonder that the work Of the
church has fallen into their hands. He
didn't predict much for tho church
should the aid societies 20 out oil
busines2 He pleaded with the men
to uphold their part of the buGiness|
Of the church and to place the church
whore It belonged-abreast Of the
times.
r. b. 0rimth. q member Of the orig
inal committee Of the Mon and Relig-
ion Forward movement-the commit
tee Of s7"-did not hold back from
declaring that he 10 for God first, last
and all the time. He said that he 40.
cepted Christ over forty years ago and
was proud Of 1t. The golden rule"
Mr.. Gfimth declared, 10 making this
country moro and moro . christian |
land.
Declarations like these from prac-
tical business man and big business |
man apparently had their effect upon
the mon IN attendance at this Sunday
service: for all the time Mr.. Grimth
was talking there was q pronounced
quiet over the church.
When Mr.. 0rinlth told Of going to |
his God in the days when It seemed |
that this world offered little else but |
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