The Washington herald., 1914-07-05
News of Church World
From Many Angles

Two hundred Chicago Christian En-
deavors are already busy in the advance
preparations for the fifth worlds Chris
tfan Endeavor convention, which meets
In their city July to L. 1915. 1t is said
L5OO additional assistants will be en-
rolled within the next six months. Pre-
lIminary advertising literature has been
prepared and is being sent out TO the
Christian Endeavor leaders of the coun-
try. Many of the Middle Western<States
are planning to hold their own conven-
tions in Chicago in combination with the
worlds conventions and others are
promising special effort for large dele
cations. chorus OF 100 voices will
be trained for the convention.
Edward Percy Gates, a former Wash
ington boy, and worker in Emmanuel
Baptist Church, is chairman OF the pro-
motion committee of the convention. MI
Gates is Christian Endeavor secretary
for the State of Illinois, which position
he has held for four years.
Conversational churches of Chicago, at
the annual meeting Of the Chicago Con-
Cregational Association, made appeal for
stronger support, financially and other
wise I'VE are not keeping up with
the growth Of Chicago" Rev. ]. r.
Nichols, pastor Of the Rogers Park Con-
~
bership is decreasing instead of gaining.
The City Missionary Society had to aid
thirty-two churches, while forty-one were
self-supporting, during the last year.
The society received 5s per cent of its
money from outlying churches, and the
other q per cent came from the rest Of
the churches. We cannot make further
progress II We neglect our churches in
the city. Why, we had to combine two
into one recently to cover the expenses
of one" It was reported that other
churches, Catholics. Presbyterian, Metho-
dist, and others were gaining.
Frivolous" "hysterical," cheap" and
vulgar are the terms applied to the
crowd-gathering methods of many
Christian ministers. in an editorial en-
titled Entertaining People Int the
Kingdom of God in the current number
of the Biblical World. 1t was written by
Dean Shailer Mathews, Of the University
Of Chicago. Doctor Mathews comedies
that amusement is legitimate and that a
church must furnish rational amuse-
ments to offset the Nbaser forms which
are being exploited especially in the
larger cities, for purely commercial pur-
poses. But is entertainment the real
function Of the church, asks DR.. Math-
ews. IF such were the case the church
already is outgrown. 1t cannot compete
with commercialized amusements or with
municipal Playground 1t will be out
grown rightfully, for It will have ceased
TO do the thing which as a church it
ought to do: bring men and God together
for the salvation of men. Truth need
not be deadened in order that 1t may
find ones conscience, but a church
- crowded with people who want to be en-
tertained is a poor recruiting ground for
the army OF the Lord. Better twelve
men who are ready to die for their
Master than four thousand who come to
Him for free lunches. Seriousness and
gentleness, candor and fraternity, solace
and inspiration-these are some of the
characteristics Of genuine religion To
doubt their power and to seek crowds by
ca3olery. by appeal to that which is friv-
olous. hysterical. cheap and vulgar. is
70 publish a lack of faith in the gospel
Of the hngdom-love, joy and peace in
the Holy Spirit"
An every member canvass for missions
and church support was conducted by
the men of a Buffalo,, n. Y, church
after a recent Sunday morning sermon.
Dinner was served In the dining roofn