Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1915-12-31
CHURCH DEBTS IN
ROCK ISLAND ARE
PAID DURING 1915
Religions Life Of Community Has Been
Greatly strengthened By
WORK 81 clergy.
LARGE CONVENTIONS ARE HELD
Feature I, Biennial Gathering Of Cen
eral Council oi Lutheran De-
nomination.
BY JAMES EDGAR WILSON.
Pastor Broadway Presbyterian

J THE Argus has asked me to tell the
rotary o. tie activities Of religion in the
tri.v Of Rock Island during the year
los But the task as you will see,
presents on Overwhelming problem.
J,ee~o are -ru sides TO my story
}raa-e rs the de o., organized relig-
too Represented Dy the churches,
'tawis6. Catholic and Protestant: and
.tera is the ai#a %. uuorgauized relig-
sar represented hv that great mass
IA Doonla who are religious in spite
5f themselves These people may NOT
think as we 1hlrE. they may not wor-
zbip as we worship; and yet &c we, or
thew themselves we're to say that they
ara rr-eligfous g. would be statng an
rrfrath. They sit every man under
his vine and under his dg-tree: and
none shall make them afraid; for all
the peoples walk everyone in the name
5t Hls God"
Sow Won will perceive al a glance, ]
ann sure. hJl with this second side
of my story ! cannot deal 1t is a diff
eglt enough matter to deal with the
frs. the side of organized religion,
where few statistics at least can he
obtained. But wbg1 one comes to deal
with the other side. with that great
mass OF people vino never go to
church. who are not members of any
denominations nor affiliated even with
say religious body one is squarely up
against #.
The year 1915, from the point Of
view of religious activities opened
with "the week. Of prayer" The pro
testant churches united, and beginning
III the Broadway Presbyterian church
nu Sunday afternoon Jan. 8, and con-
Guiding in the Spencer Memorial
Methodist church en- Jan. S. the Pro
testaDt people assembled each success
siye evening throughout the week in
the several churches, when such
themes as. By-Producjs Of Christian
/ ity' The Church Influencing Beforma-
tons THE Church in Her Home En-
terprises, " THE Church in Closer Co
operation. and The Church and Her
ry.nqeIistir a,-ro-o ,.are ,.r,so,.,d
b,- he dieersrt nss.ars of Tho ,.bnrob-
es uniting iu this week Of prayer.
most ovc-Irsrt ami .o37r,a,,5.l,l,
piece OF religious work was he ser
Aics rendered q. raa hsgfnDioq of tba
wear bv the mem af f.a F,;rst Rentist
5ureb ,,Ao Tor r-g .o.r,.ir,s f,,rri.a
ca free hrastfasts for I,or7arass md
hungry men In +hfs mod worl, t,ev
we're peuerapslv 4ssis-ad h,, large
0pulber of fine c.,tgags o,tei8e tbejr
own church This "a ooo insts,oo a.
FEAST where fre .,,rtair l. r,issd or
the second AIDE ef nv storv
Doht, a.. d..
49,, '''''
"H Wednesday evening. April IA, DR.,
G9oIse u. A2aaisoH, moderator Of the
Fock River PTesby3ery. preached the
opening sefmo" oil the 4bth annlyer-
FRY OF broadway Presbyterian
: 9auFch' On FRIDAY evening, April l6,
tue BROADWAY mems club celebrated
It's 10th anniversary, combining this
anniversary with the anniversary of
.he enuilh. lAe celebration was
brought to most successful C0nclu-
SION on Sunday April is. when Or.
A. ;. Leonard, moderator Of the synod
o. ILLINOIS, preached both morning and
evening, and Or. William S Marquis
pastor emeritus Of the church, CON
quoted the communion service in the
afternoon at which 40 new members
we're received into church relation
sup II was during this anniversary
occasion that Broadway church. for the
nfs1 ume III her history, was pro
uo"hcea tfee Of debt The Broadway
4'eh cluA, under the efficient manage
inent OF The new president, e. 0. Vale
III elected to succeed the late Hon
j.. ). McCabe, is doing most excellent
work.
Another church of the city that has
oeen added to the free Of debt list dur
ing the year is the Memorial Chris
uan- In the stress Of hard times The
Memorial Christian people entered int
d vigorous campaign: but the member
snip OF the church responded gener.
ousiy, and every cent Of Indebtedness
amounting to $500 was raised il
cash. A new roll Of communicates
resident and nonresident. has beer
made IN this church and the pastor
nov feels that he has a list of mem
bers that can be depended upon il
the future work and fellowship of tn,
church. The official board is now com