The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-06-19

lower house Of congress, who was pre-
sent at the dedication, one of the fin
est of Missouri and the birthplace OF
an idea destined to revolutionize and
energize Christianity.
Crime Reduced I'm Community.
The church has q handsome audi
torium, seating $50 people. and five
sunday school rooms that accommo-
date 23O pupils. 1t has large base
ment, where many social events will
take place. and the whole is heated by
modern furnace and lighted with
gas from it's own system.
A total of $4,000 was pledged at the
dedication. and the church began its
Official career in the new home free of
debt. One Of the pledges was $500
from the young mems Bible class,
consisting of thirty young fellows,
most of whom have never taken any
interest in church before. Also, it is
interesting to note that the church is
looking for live. progressive pastor
and will pay him a living salary when
1T finds him.
But Rush Hill claims civil as we'll
as religious advantages.
Il believe that crime and i'll feeling
have been reduced 100 per cent, as a
result of this new brotherhood" the
father Of the movement declared the
other day.
1T was the success of the plan at
Rush Hill that prompted the evange-
list to make a unique proposition at
princeton, Mo-, last November, which
has borne fruit in new $4,000 CO.
operative church which is under way.
Mr.. Reavis was called to Princeton
TO conduct gospel meeting. Here,
too, he found churchianity blocking
the way Of Christianity. So he asked
for a conference with the business
men of the town and held it at the
court house SO that no taint of denom-
inationalism could spoil the effect
of what he had to say.
Business without religion Is poor
business. he told them, land religion
without business is poor religion.
Let me make you this proposition:
II you would give the increase of your
business during the next five years
could out of this money alone build
you $25.0O0 church and take my SAL
ary, and in those five years I could
double the population of your town.
More than that. by means of the CO.
operative church l could largely elimi-
nate crime, reduce the number of dead
beats and do away with many wasting
evils" 2
The proposition interested the bu.i-
ness men and stirred them into action.
A mems Bible class was formed, COM
posed Of thirty business men. A. M.
Hyde, lawyer, was appointed as
leader--not teacher--of the class. Now
Princeton has five gospel teams of
men, with total membership Of two
hundred. Some Of the worst sinners
Of the town have been converted by
business men. Recently a committee
of them got a bootlegger at the edge
OF town and took charge of him and
his goods They are making Prince
ton n good place to live, and it is said
that that fact has induced several
families to move there recently.
In addition to the new cooperative
church, which is being built on the
best lot on Main street, every other
church of the town has felt the int'u-
ence Of the new spirit in an increase
of attendance. More recently still the
idea has caught fire in Canton, Mo,
whore a mems Bible class has been
formed and is rapidly growing.
How far will the plan go?
II do not know" said the father of
the movement. But 1 will say that
nifty years ago this plan could not have
gone this far, and in fifty years from
now believe that it will not be pos
sible for the church to live in its divid-
ed form. / think the country church
must cooperate or die"