The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-11-24
BOOK PORTRAYSaRuF
CONDITIONS IN CHURCH OF TODAY
Rev. w. II. Matthews De
elares rainte Money Pours
Into Coffers of Church.

The influence of "tsinted wealth"
IN The government of churches in the
large cities OF this country was scath.
inglS arraigned by Rrv. w. II. Mat
theWs, in his sermon on Winston
C~hurchill's novel 1.-THE Inside of the
Cup. preached at the Grand Forks
PRESBYTERIAN church Sunday evening.
All denominations are affected by
This nflaence according to Mr.. Mat.
the finger Of soorn at the others.
In h smaller cities. such as Grand
Forks, and in the rural communities.
such conditions do not exist. however,
In the opinion Of Mr.. Matthews.
Paints Decay ConvinCtng1y.
Inc decay OF the church has been
painted m q convincing manner by
winston Churckill. according to the
speaker. who said, however, that he
found h remedy urged in the story
somewhat inadequate.
He declared. however. that he be-
neved the remedy for the present con-
sditions lay in Christianity. Il would
be necessary for Christians to reform
their creed to dsal with modern con.
ditions. n to make the church the
same vital force in the world today
that It has been IN the past.
Domination Of Rich Men.
AS an example of the manner in
which churches can be dominated BY
rich men Of Immoral lives. or those
VINO practice political. and industrial
corruption. Mr., Matthews pointed to
Belmont. John q. Rocksfel.
ler and ThomassRSan. prominent mr.
ures In the Episcopal. Baptist ana
Catholic churches respectively.
He declared. however. that the
PRESBYTERIAN church was no better
than the rest, and accepted money
o unworthy sources. Even the
salvation Army. he said. had been az
feeted by the pervading spirit.
Little Temptation to Be Dishonest.
people OF Grand Forks, accord
ing 70 Mr.. Matthews, should rejoice
that the wealth of this community
comes largely from the soil. There in
little tempetatton here, he said. ia rat
money dishonesty.
We have few factories" he de-
clared. lin which there is an opnor-
tunitS to grind labor down, and our
public utilities involve such a small
sum. that there is no chance to
After pointing out the fault. o, the
cnurches, MI. Matthews took I'm the
question Of the remedy. He said that
the people had not outgrown NC S,hrise
tianity: The difdculty a that
christianity had never been tri.d."
Not q GOOD Christf.n.
We need" he declared, "a nam
conception Of Christianity. To-Day the
OLD conceptions Of Christinaity enable
a man to 90 on robbing the people.
and at the same time remain a pillar
OF the church. It is very interesting
to note the many men. whose buai.
ness methods will not bear q
ton defend orthodoxy. This in he.
cause orthodoxy will not. create :
revolution in their methods Of de,i-
ing with their fellow men.
strict orthodoxy breeds hypocrite.
TOR the Scrtbes: and Pharisees :wsrs
ABOVE all orthodox. Strict orthodoxy
noias women in subsection, never-per.
n uins 'nsr to even HIT her voice IN
puonc. strict orthodoxy chains =
man thoughts n dwarfs his mar.
sInailty. until he becomes q. mere
monograph. ~
90 Weeds q Recommendations. - -
= mere V no;doubt that. the christi.
"olld needs a reconstruction Of
nil, uoetrlnes of Christia nifty, but IL
shn,, take a great deal of time to brinr
he ~, euis reconstruction. 1t cannot
.h,u auae IN a moment. Churchill has
dnctr surprising knowledge Of the
cradle familiarity with modern ~
ticism. but the chief vaiue nsuht, ~ , ~,
u not in the Theological svstsro o Ss
presents. 1t lies In the = 6 hat hs
ne!ps to convince me that the s,,l,,s
e.on OF the problems OF TO-DAY r. IN,
Snllstaanity and that Christianitr
c1nsis!s in that which makes