Western Carolina Democrat and French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1913-1915, 1914-11-05
nOF TO REACH THE MASSES
AND INTEREST THEM.

How to reach the masses and in
terest them in the work of the church
Is n of the efforts of TODAY among
aggressive Christian people. It is
true that thousands of people never
go to church, but this has always been
u There has never been a time
when the great masses attended
church service. This age and enera-
ZION are no exception. All along tho
history Of the church the struggle has
Deen to engage the attention of the
MultItuoes n open their eyes to the
1'eeos OF humanity. And it is very
probable that out of this has come a
larger church attendance today than
ever before.
BUT we are not dealing in
sons. We have facilities for extend
ing the gospel today that our fathers
old not dream of. We have grown in.
methods, in numbers, in wealth and
IN influence, and the results of on~
eHort ought to show more largely in
u favor. Today the ear of the world
is open to the Gospel. The truth that
we preach stands out as a true and
a trled demonstration. 1t is no longer
an experiment. Its triumphs are all
reund u.s. And these facts ought To
Drlng the multiplied thousands of hun
cry souls under the influence of the
preached Word.
Maybe we are restricting our efforts
TOO much to church edifices. The
MasLer left the synagogue and went to
me seaside, n mountain and the
neld and proclaimed his truth, and the
nuIutudes heard him gladly. They
even pressed upon him and he scarcely
lad time for secret prayer. He went
20 the people and they heard him with
deep concern. There are many peopIa
IN every community who do not care to
enter the church edifice. This ought
not TO be; but it is true and every citv
town pastor understands it. Have
We done enough for such people when
We have built them church houses and
sent to them a preacher?
england did not lack for preachers
Wnen John Wesley appeared upon the
as an evangelist. There were
church houses everywhere and their
ministers supported by public
taxation. Yet the great masses never
thought of d~arkening the doors ar
tnese open places Of worship. John
wesley did not restrict his preaching
the church house.. He went out
the commons where. STRUGGLING
men were touching elbows and compel
&ttor existence. It was not long
untll his preaching vas attracting AMI
moving the great throngs OF the Eng
l1sh people-the poor and needy peo-
Uie%s He had mo complaint about the
psassss and the gospel. He solved the /
problem successfully. Sometimes
when we pass the great parks and see
the multttudes 1~ounging round them.
ca see them Hooking Sunday after
1oOn and evening to the Sunday pic
tnre show, We think that "a. return to
Ehs methods of Wesley might not be-
OF. place. I'd
The gospel has not lost tt power or
efficiency. It CO films the sa he ele- !
nents today t.; O. it did >, y9sley's
1t was the power. of God. unto
salvation then and it is the power of
sod unto salvation now. The needs
d h multitude are the same also,
Sin never changes and human nature
remains the same. And whenever the
preacher voices the need and the
1eart-hunger of the famishing throngs
le will always command their atten-
This is the essence of the Cos
pei. 1t meets the needs of humanity.
It, has a panacea for their woes and
% rtheir aspirations. 1t stimulates in
hem deep desires and laudable ambi-
ions. 1t bids them look toward the
sunrise.
1t is not the fault of the gospel if
t does not appeal to humanity. But
t may be the fault of our methods and
If our efforts. 1t is well, then, for us
o look around us and discover the
'ause of whatever failure we may be
naking. We are not croaking, we are
lct indulging in the gloomy side of
hings. We are only trying to bring
ourselves to the point at which we can
'ecome more efficient in our efforts
md in our methods of reaching and
aving the people. Every church SER
ice in every community ought to be
crowded with people anxious to seek
nd find the Saviour There is no
Iearth of people. They are all around
Is. Yes, we are doing we'll, but let's
10 a great deal better in presenting
;hrist to the dying multitudes.-Texas
christian Advocate.