The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-09-06

so anxious to keep churches filled that
we take anyone, whether qualified or
not. Superintendent should not be
SO anxious to count noses, to keep
churches open whea they should be
closed. We should all work together
for the best possible results. and not
for numbers to report. 80, .
Rev. Alva j. Breasted, Baptist, of
Lisbon, N. D., writes in a recent ar
tlcle: There are a great number of
towns which would prosper better re-
hglously If there were a less number
OF churches and more combination of
forces. There are hundreds Of towns
without a single gospel church. Let
us build churches, not in places al
ready overcrowded, but in those vast
unlimited fields where little or no pro-
vision has yet been made for spiritual
need" ..'
Such great unoccupied fields out in
the west are sending over their Mace
DOMAIN cry, Come cover and help u.s."
and behold, because of over-church-
ing there is neither men nor money to
send. One town in Iowa has 600 peo-
pie and six churches; a town in Mis-
souri, of $50 people with four churches;
a. village in Illinois of $50 people and
three churches! a town in this state OF
itSuO pSoPiO oAlu ola III CI1SS SIl11
another Of 125 people and two
churches: a third boasts a population
Of seventy-two and has three churches
bidding for the support of those sew
enty-two valuable souls and running
chicken pie suppers to keep their pas
tors out of the poorhouse; and yet
once more there is a hamlet not far
from here where there are two
churches and but five houses, one Of
which is unoccupied.. Such is but a
little survey Of the universal condi-
tons in most of our small towns. Re-
Gently | heard a superintendent of
church work in this state remark con-
corning the last named town, T will
put 5000 of missionary money In there
before Twill let the other superin-
tendent beatsSIne out o~f@that. place
With such a spirit asEsihatsamongSsomte
of our leading church members how
can we expectat to glorifY God or save
the souls of men,? Doesn't it disgust
us in this day of religious freedom. and
tolerance, that there could be found
a man Of such sectarian prejudices,
who could make such an unchristian
avowal? Were it not for the fact that
we all recognize that in every de-
nomination; coupled with these mis-
guided zealots who dishonor Jesus
Christ, there are found some of the
saintliest and Christ-like characters,
at would SO utterly disgust US that we
should be tempted to look upon the
church as the breeding ground Of all
that was obnoxious1y hypocritica1.
Overchurcllings is undermining
Christ's kingdom. Overchurchinm is
depriving worthy communities Of re-
ligious advantages; overchurching is
breeding malice, ill-Wfn, jealousy,
contentious, distrust, and suspicion Of
motives: overchurching must almost
inevitably lower the spiritual tone of
a. community, and saddest Of ali. over
cflurching is keeping strong, able.
Jealous, sincere, enthusiastic men
from entering the ministry. For tits
lamentably true that In our church
work of today, We are offering no in
ducements for the strongest young
men to pursue this calling and the
consequence is, that the present day
candidates are too often q group Of
5weaklings, incapable of being effect
i've leaders in the ministerial field.
One of cur most prominent ministers
in this state recently made the state
ment: 81 have assisted In the ordin-
alton of young men for the ministry
whom have felt would not make
good 1t has taken me week to
EIE4Et INHNSh NHE EAE TTFAwE EKSIJ xE MEF