The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-02-18
BivIS ON CHURCH
AND THE SH0PMEN
Speaker Gives His Reasons
Why Laborers Do Not
Attend Church.
NO MATERIAL HE'LL
Says Class Distinction Has
Been Charged to
the Churches.
NO MATERIAL HELP

In a stirring address before the
members of the mems club of the First
Presbyterian church last evening AL
fred Bavis told the members of the
club and visitors why more factory
men are not attending the church to-
day. That the reason is not the fault
of the shop men entirely, but the fault
of the church workers and ministers
in not treating with subjects which
would aid the laborer materially as
well as spiritually, was one of his
statements, Mr.. Bavis is an employe
of the Am Erican Seeding Machine COM
pany and his talk was still more i'm
pressive as it's audience felt that the
reasons set forth by the speaker were
the results of experience rather than
a mere creation from a few statistics.
Man Who Tolls.
"The question on it's concrete form
is why shop men do not attend the
churches? BY the shop man, l mean
the man who engages in manual toll
as a means of his living. He possess
es a nature that bellies his exterior and
Is not impervious to sentiment, and
] believe Is just as receptive to the
divine greeting of Peace on Earth
Good VIII to Men as were the holy
shepherds of Bethlehem.
Those men have a clear conception
of things religious, they believe they
should deny their own parentage just
as readily as they would deny the
fatherhood Of God.
At Noon Day Service.
1--WE had a demonstration of this
when the Salvation army held noon
day services at the shops a short time
ago Bareheaded men paid close at
tention, walked steathily lest they in
terrupt the service, and l was wonder
fully impressed with the interest that
was shown, and the remarks about
unselfishness.
Glass distinction has been laid to
the charge of the church. Is 1t not
a fact that the value of a mans soul
is too often measured by his worldly
possessions. Has the evolution of
time reversed the order of things that
the rich man will be carried to heaven
while the poor man Is allowed to lin
ger in the torments? No indeed, for
the Savior of men said: "Who so ever
will may take of the water of life
freely.
The working class is not looking for
a shower of mamma from heaven, nor
do they expect the year 1913 to pro-
duce a modern Moses to smite a rock
and give us free water, with apologies
to Mr.. H. A. Dill, who is present"
I'VE feel that you could exercise an
Influence that would work marvels in
the molding of public sentiment
against existing evils.
Preach to Poor.
Questions are up before the state
legislature that vitality effect the COM
mon people. Would sermon on the
human necessity of an Eight Hour
law for women conflict with your pre-
ception of practical Christianity? Has
anyone present heard or read Of a SER
mon on the evils of cocaine? The pri-
mary cause of present conditions are
the high cost of living. Would the
church lack congregation if this vi
tai and dishonest condition was being
discussed, showing how by inflated
valuations and counterfeit stock, ST.
100000 each year is being added to
the cost of living.
There are calling you to take cog
nizance, 1,750,000 children working in
the factories and sweat shops of our