The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-01-31
FRIDAY, JANUARY 81. 1918.

FRIDAY, JANUARY 81, 1913.
THE CHURCH AND BUSINESS.
The interest taken in the discussion
at the Fortnightly club the other cven-
ing on the manner in which the
church is performing its social work
was doubtless indicative Of a very
great general interest in social n re-
lisious problems, not alone by those
who are closely identified with the
churches, but by all persons interest
ed in social welfare. This week, in
one Of the popular magazines. James
III. Collins, a we'll known writer on So
cial and economic topics. has a very
interesting article on THE Business
Side Of the Church" He discusses
specific methods of church finance,
and also applies economic tests to as
certain whether or not organized
churches-not the great church uni
versal-are declaring dividends CON-
mensurate with their investments Of
time and labor and energy and cash
in plants and operating expenses. Mr..
Collins does not consider the churches
i'm the mass, nor does he devote much
space to the general tendencies which
characterize the mass. On the con-
trary, he draws sharp contrasts be-
tween what some Of the churches are
doing to keep up with the procession,
and what some Of them fail utterly
to do. He tells Of n church in New
York city in a down town distric.
which had at one time been in quite
a fashionable neighborhood. but
whose territory had been invaded by
business establishments and the dwell.
ings Of poorer people until. failing to
hold a congregation. the organisation
moved its quarters into a better dis
trict and left the old building. The
home mission board Of that dsnomi-
nation, disliking to abandon the field
and the building, took hold and start
ed out on a new line. Today that
church is open eve days In the week,
and is thronsed with people every day
and evening. Lectures are delivered
there by able men on the problems Of
the day. Debates are held. The dis.
trict has been surveyed with reference
to the housing conditions the child
labor conditions. and everything az
fecting the welfare OF the people. The
old organization with the old meth
DDS could not get a congregation. The
same building. under different man
agement. is crowded. and some Of the
great wants of the people are being
met. Mr.. Collins says that some peo-
pie have supposed from the great va
riety Of work undertaken that the
church is neglecting the religious
phase Of it's work. but he points out
that as much time and attention are
given to what are usually considered
religious features - in the ordinary
church, but that after this ts done the
ordinary church is closed while this
down town institution Is kept open
and busy.
In answer to the suggestion that
more business-like methods Of hnanc.
ing should be followed by the churches
tho answer is sometimes made that
the church is not a business institu-
ton, n cannot be run as a business
institution is run. The statement does
not really answer the suggestion. The
nome is not a business institution, and
1t cannot be operated like a factory,
although some reformers appear to
believe this is possible. But the home,
IN order tn perform its many impor-
tant functions. must solve for itself
certain business problems. While IT
is not a business institution. it has
business to do, Inc II it does not do il
in Il business-like way It will suffer.
II the financial practice in the home
is to attempt All automobile scale OF
expenditure on a bicycle income, tina,
home will lot be a good training place
for it's members. And II the church
fails to apply the ordinary rules o,
business to such of its affairs as per.
tain to the collection and expenditure
of dollars and cents, it will find tina,
IFS financial troubles occupy much o.
h time and attention that should b,
devoted to the really productive worl
of the church.
Again. there is in many churches Z
tendency to over-organization. Or
sanization is a good thing. The sub
division of labor makes for eficiency
But organization for it's own sake is ;
hindrance rather than a help, ant
subdivision without definite purpos,
is merely confusing. The tendenc,
toward organization is illustrated b,
the story Of the mechanic who mad,
a wonderful machine. 1t had wheel
almost without number, and crank
and pistons and levers and all the 9th
er appliances known to mechanics. n
set it in motion inc showed how beau
tifully all the parts operated. ever
part moving just as it was intended
and the whole giving evidence Of Won
derful ingenuity. After the machin
itself had been admired he was aske
as to the product. the work perform
cd. "Oh." he said. "the turning q
all these wheels and the moving of a,
these levers consume all the powe
so that there is nothing left wit
which to do anything else" But
was Il mechanical triumph.
FIX THE RESPONSIBILITY.