The Detroit times., 1912-09-20
|fACHER Is no "MllER"
50 Nc QUITS PULPIT
ev. J. A. Belangir Says If He
Made Rostrum Circus He'd
Be Winner

Il ON the back insead OF delivering
Eholarly. sincere and painstakins
.rmons from thelpulpit. ! suppose
anconents VOID have thought !
"A a splendid mlister.
c. aid the RI. ]. A. Belanger,
- has inst rekned from the pas
=. ~ the Auprn-st. Congregations
church, Patefon, N. =; pec.us
art OF the CONVERSATION said ne wss
OF enough Of mixer, MT. De
niger talked his study YESTERDAY
= reporter in the necessity 10.
r.sant.day cyrgymen to be aaepts
the arr OF mixing. .ar
a. a. asfmixing' Ii concerned
eortilued II did mix az Tar AZ
49,. he best interests Of the
r....h keotire a minister should.
auavI any fair-minded person VII
III vabsurd for a good preachSr
"a ,hard church worker TO be Sud
10 intense hostility and crit
r,snbtcause he did not shake nanus
certain way or did not pat per
on the back and tell them now
Cheerful they were In face or III
IL Is the truth and. believe, a
IN to be deplored that ministers
foday are being called upon more
= more 70 be frotny and interesting
raonally. instead Of the demand Do
for better sermons. finer tneo.2gi'
attainments and CONSCIENTIOUS
gnified work. -. 49,.
st am absolutely against this ten
bncy in modern churches, l am an
bsoiute believer In the theory tnh.
church can best be built up ano
n exercise the most widespread
rod by the preaching OF hne ser
ons and by the highest grade OF pui.
L work.
81 do not subscribe to the view that
linstrel shows, with the parson skirt
around on the outer edges OF tne
now as an enthusiastic sponsor Ior
have any very needful part In
hurch work. Nor do hold the opin-
I'm that To make q church important
nA valuable II IL necessary LOT meln
ers OF the congregation 70 stage en-
ertainments In which they appear az
|haracters from well known adVer-
wet these things were done before
came To this church three years ago.
k,nce INV advent I have been against
berformances OF this nature. There
{ore. l suppose. ! am not q good
mixer
.Yet I have taken digiihed and
ntense interest In the welfare OF the
members OF the congregation. ] have
stood at the door after evey service
70 greet those who were the ser
Vice. And have given thevery pest
hat was In me to the prepration OF
NV pulpit work. Yet. as aainst this,
kome people seem to wan species
IN social butterfly who willnit thither
and thither like some muAched oar
ling OF fashion with pachant TOT
AFTERNOON teas.
an does not seem to y desirable
that churches should be naoe mere
club centers, where the mn can play
billiards and the membersof the boys
fclub can engage In pirchie or In
tests OF boxing ability. think that
| the social and institution side OF
church work Is not anyning IKE 40
important as pulpit wor
The power OF the semons snQuiu
Enever be diluted becaus the minister
Is spending time on 4tters OUTSIDE
purely theological actnties. l con
sider that the way toluild church
ip n by getting peof to come 70
listen to the sermonf
EVEN those who cticise my mix
ing, abilities will adjt, ] think, that
| have given serIons worthy OF
nraise. have syen'weekly 40 hours
=, incessant top atmy morning ser
mons and eight hors at my evening
sermons. Tht cnseqnence OF mv
methods has beer that the cnurcn
membership As Increased largely
during my tnistry, that the church
Ss IN Far bter financial condition
han when took charge and that II
has hsan decorated and refurnished.
70 rasuIts { the gauge, Il would seem
,hat the lethod OF hard pulpit work
q hetterhan that OF hard handshak-
sof arse, there IL very large
n.rt Iothis congregation, or OF any
ronsrstion, which appreciates deep
tnOuRl anu hibu iucee' 1870
Me sad Loyalty by a minister who
ssek, 20 do his duty with sincerity
ana entity. They consider that the
test clergyman Is the quality OF
hJs hit thought rather than the ma
turf his club handshake,
IT n Is undoubtedly true that
cahl, elevated thought In sermons
4 i insisted upon as 1t once was,
athis Is having tendency TO keep
y1g men out Of the ministry. They
"a - that, whatever their attachments
intellectually and spirituality. they
> meet many difficulties and pos
sc failure II they do not happen
tplease some members OF the con-
,Eation by their personal manner
mannerisms.
1T has been charged that | let the
ans club die. As a fact, formed
new mems club, OF a much more
rious and important nature than the
a. and called the Congregational
BROTHERHOOD, which has taken lead
" part in civic and economic move
rents"
Mr.. Belanger, who Is 80 years old,
lad a very successful pastorate OF
,ieht years at Wells River, Vc, be
lore he went to Patterson.