The Washington herald., 1915-04-18
WHAT CHURCH PEOPLE
ARE SAYING AND DOING

the moral and spiritual world, where
| America leads, the world Is apt to
! follow. / pray God the American peo-
| pie can rise to the heights of Chris
| tian leadership demanded of it in this
crisis of the ages"
"An entering wedge that might lead
| to great abuses" is the way Cardinal
Gibbons charactcrizes the plan to put
the Bible into the schools. He has
written as follows to Rev. DR.. David
PhillipSon, a prominent rabbi of Gin
cinnati. explaining an Endorsement the
prelate has given Wilbur F. Crafts of
/ a book of Bible stories.
In answer to your letter I would
say that last September Mr.. Wilbur
+. Crafts wrote me concerning 4 book.
/ Bible Stories, asking for friendly
letter relative to the same. ! replied
i'll spiri; of friendship, approving,
q / have always done, of the reading
of the Holy Scriptures. but no men
ton was made nor was anything said
to give the impression that l intended
this letter to be an Endorsement of
the reading of the Bible in the public
schools. AS things stand, I am opposed
to this. as it gives 4 teacher the OPP
portunity TO make such selections and
comments may offend the religious
! beliefs of the scholars II is an en-
tering wedge that might lead TO great
abuse"
why Am I a Church Member" is
! answered by John 7. Stone, of Balti-
more. a prominent layman of the
Methodist Church. in the following
words:
i find in the church an atmosphere
| of kindly sympathy. and of helpful
! fellowship. u field for earnest, prac-
! teal exercise of my best aims and
! impulses, gathering of men and
women who are bent upon doing the
best things in the best way; and these
! influences, contacts and surroundings
foster In me my best nature and help ME
TO overcome the evil that would be within
me and that assails me from without.
The church is the repository of the
word of God, and the channel through
which it is preached and taught. If
we wish the light of Gods truth to
continue to illuminate the world We
must maintain the lighthouse.
The church is the developer and
trainer OF character in children. For
my own and other children's sakes it
is entitled TO my unstinted and avowed
allegiance.
The only power that has ever made
any impact upon the christian
world, for the bctterment of moral.
spiritual educational social. and in
dustrial conditions. is Christianity; and
the church is the dtvinely ordained
human instrume ntality through which
that power works. AS lover of my
kind l am bound TO be a member OF
the church.
Il wish to count the most of the
advancement of all endeavors for the
betterment of the people of my own
city, State and nation. and the church
offers the most effective fnstrum entail
ties to that end
The church is the chief OF police
and as a citizen IL is my duty to con-
tribute my influence. means and ac-
Invites TO the preservation of moral
ity. peace, good order and safety of
life and property.
THE difference between church
members, and nonchurch members is
that while all are under the same OBJ
legation to God. the former acknowl-
edge 1t and the latter do not: so
that, while church membership does
not create obligation. it does place
me where all men who wish to be
square ought to be in tho position
OF openly acknowledging my debt to
GOO ana trying TO pay it
getting interested in church work and
lis leaders have offered to the churches
OF that city their ability without expense
II II IS desired. ALERT JoernS. chairman
OF the educational committee of the club.
says The motive OF the advertising
men is purely altruistic The minister
needs church full Of people in order to
reach fulI sermon. The churches are
as worthy OF patronage toduy as they
9 Il
competition in moving picture shows,
easy means of travel. late hours of work
or pleasure seeking. " hich prevent early
rising. But it is poor advertising for q
minister 10 brmoan in tho pulpit tho
small attendance either at church or
prayer meeting. The Anticipated rule fol-
lowed by many churches is All things
come TO him who waits We believe that
church advertising ought not to be used
simply to increase attendance at the
churches. but also to preach to those who
do not go 10 church. We PURPOSE TO con-
fer with the representatives of such
churches as desire our help. If We are
called on we will detail a man who will
seek by persona! study to ascertain the
needs OF the particular church, and to
outline plan of advertising adapted to
the conditions. We will prepare COPY
for the newspapers and for advertising
matter put out in the neighborhood. We
Will work with any church or any or
ton of pastors or laymen who are
interested. We will offer trained brains.
oTen hearts. willing hands, Mr. Joerns
holds that persistent and intelligent ad
Nertising would fill the churches.
In his latest book, entitled THE Pres
cnt World Situation" DR.. John r. Mott
discussed among other questions this
vital one: Where shall We place the
chief emphasis in our missionary enter
prise" He declares that the chief
emphasis must not be on numbers, but
on the spiritual power Of the mission
aries, and gives the steps that led him
to his present conclusion:
"On my return from my first journey
around the world placed chief empha-
sis upon the need of large increase in
the number of foreign missionaries. At
the end Of my second journey through
out tho principal mission fields of the
world / tried TO call special attention to