Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1913-01-30
dI|EN0tD s. I1IN A.
Wonk ~ =. LOUIS



FRIDAY Night
The Rev. O. A. Cole. for SIX years
pastor OF the Christian church here,
has taken up his work In st. Louis.
The st. Louis Star with a two col
umn story and picture Of the late
Abilene pastor tells scmegaing OF
his work here and what he expects.
20 do In ST. Louis The Star says;
The Rev. clifford A. Cole came
to the Compton Heights Christian
church, California and St. vincent
avenues, a week ago from Abilene.
Kan, his first passionate. The Abb
lene church trebled its membership |
in the six years and 1t became known
as the mems church because more !
men than women attended its meet
ingg.
Mr.. Cole entered the ministry just
after leaving college where he had
been a baseball star. It wasn't long
before he had organized a baseball
team in the Sunday school and the
parson-player, who could pitch,
catch, bat. field and run bases so
well, attracted much attention.
He said he would continue to play
baseball in st. Louis when not too
busy preaching. and that he intends
to field for men in st. Louis as he
did in Abilene.
4 A reception was given to him by
the church Friday night.
The following is q part OF Mr..
Coles valedictory written for the
Star:
/ It may seem far cry from the
liplains Of sunlit Kansas to the sky,
scraper and tenement house; and the
complex, hurrying, confused life Of
the great city. But what makes
Christianity is the universally and
adaptiveness of its principles which
touch alike the hardy, simple prairie
folk and the nervous crowds of the
metropolis.
There is no doubt that the man
who lives closet to nature hears in
the gospel more eloquent language.
Perhaps the voice of God Is less I'm
tercepted by the clear sky and the
canopy of stars than by smoke and
fog and clamor. But wherever the
/. human heart is human, the story OF
Gods redeeming love passes at a
. hundred cents on the dollar. The
problem of the church is not one OF
message-it has the message-but
: one Of method. How to adapt itself
3 to the economic environments is the
s question.
: Nothing at present is so engaging
]. the heart and hands of the church.
a Because preacher has met with
Q some success in sowing the problem
Q in a. city Of 5000 inhabitants Of the
g west is no assurance that he will be
success in a city like this lie en-.
tiers IFS life with misgivins and fear
mot that Christianity may fail OF its
power, but that the multifari1Hs so
cial and labor conditions shall SC
engross the time and attention 81
his people and Of those outside Of
the church that his human strength
shall not be equal to the task. Added
: TO his work OF preaching, there Il
the duty Of general-in-chief Of
complex organization, the pastoratt
Ifl Oversight Of widely scattered con
Z lgregation, and of complying with
L requests for participation in a score
IS Of organizations kindred to tht
church.
AS a preacher from the coantr,
town. came to the city with tbs
plain message to its citizens The
church needs you. You need tbs
= church. Meantime, If you are not en-
tirely pleased with the church, re
member that the church isn't entirei,
1 pleased with itself. Don't grumble
d but lend hand. There are enough
t OF you to make the church whatever
YOU want it to be, and you can takt
possession any day you please, Tht
door Is open to all seeking pardon
It for sin, justice for society and fel
lowship with humanity.