The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1913-07-17
y THE CHURCH OF TO-DAY.

Rev. Haraden S. Pearl Of Providence,
R. l., son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S.
Pearl of Bangor, when on visit to his
former home preached in the lecture
room of All Souls church and was greet
ed by large congregation. Mr.. Pearl
said that it was his desire in coming
back to speak in the home church, to
bring impressions of church life else
where, and its relation to the vexing So
eial problems of the day, rather than to
attempt to preach sermon. He raised
the question as to whether or not the
church could creditably or successfully
combat the high pressure life of today
by high pressure methods, as evidenced
in the attempt by some churches to ID
stall moving picture machines ana lnst-
tute vaudeville shows.
In defining what he meant by high
pressure life he gave illustrations of the
intensity of the struggle in an industrial
and social way in the larger centers; ana
in the prodigious output Of scientific re-
search. But the speaker laid special
emphasis on the social high pressure,
with its underlying racial cross currents
and its economic puzzles, which present
ed the germs, at least, for dangerous
social conditions. He regarded, also,
the present trend of scientific thought
with its entire emphasis on the material
as being a distinct obstacle as well as
challenge to the church.
Social science had done wonderful
things in relieving the distress that high
pressure had caused, and had taken from
the hands of the church work that the
church should have done; but when it
talked of demolishing the creeds OF the
church and writing over them creeds
purely of social hygiene and scientific
charity, it assumed more than 1t could do;
nor did it understand that humanity de-
manded more than that. Something
deeper than that was necessary, and the
speaker suggested that practical social
service methods, linked with the ener-
giving force of old fashioned religious
fervor, might be good weapon for COM
batting present conditions.
please do not think" said the speak
err, that | am belittling the tremendous
social service movements that are just
beginning They are among the noblest
things of history. My point is simply
this: that in the present restless state OF
society, both mental and physical, some
thing more is needed-something more
vibrant, than program of scientific
curatives.
In closing, Mr.. Pearl said: "And as
we observed in the beginning of this dis
cussion, if the church is legend, or tradl-
ton or mythology; if its comforting
ritual and hymns and responses are moth
ing but the remnant of a savage super
stitition, our heritage from the physical
dawn, then the church, with its message
of hope and of cheer, can have no place
as solvent for the present social dis
tresses, and cannot be the energizing
force for social betterment. But such is
not the case. Conceived in the dreams
and visions of the prophets; crystallized
and founded by Jesus; nourished by the
blood of thousands of martyrs; handed
to US as sacred heritage and exemplified
by the spirit of Christian love that in
this Goth century has united two con
gregations into one in this splendid edi-
fee upon hill-the church will not fail
of Its destiny; but will continue, not only
the solvent of social distress, but the
refuge, hope, light and guiding star OF
the harassed heart of man, so long as
time shall move IN space"