The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1915-10-13
BENNINGTON COUNTY IMPROVE
MENT ASSOCIATION
(Continued)

no distinction between the sacred
and the secular, and that the end of
moral endeavor was to use the world
without abusing it? Now we are APP
plying our theory so far as we have
the courage and the means to do it in
our local habitat. In the main it is
well, ordering the enterprise always
with due discretion.
But am | mistaken in sounding a
note OF caution in respect of the peril
of envy directed urbanward among
our average rural and small town
churches? For example, we all want
Parish Houses. Don't! We can't af.
ford either to build or maintain them.
In most Instances we must use what
we have fixed out, and what we can
afford though the elders silver at the
dents in the walls of the yestry or
chapel and stuffed pane of glass or
two pro tempore. Several years ago
/ saw chapel carpet go quickly TO
rents to the distress of the Ladies
Aid society. But it was better to
hear the feet of scampering children
in that chapel than to save its car.
pet. And now to the satisfaction of
all is the polished hard wood floor
And, dare | tell it, at our last sun
day School social some simple
dances thereon were started, appar
emily without generalization. that
floor was so tempting: and the minis
ter said never word What was
there for him to say when all his
pastoral days he had been preaching
that the fine art of living is in know
ing how to discriminate?
aside from the point in behalf of
economy made against the parish
house, there is also even in the case
of our larger churches which can f.
nance the investment, the question i'll
church unity will not be better sery-
ed sometimes, the fellowship of the
whole Christian community more sue
cessfully promoted, by utilizing more
Loyalty and supporting more gener-
ously the union parish institution and
house which in not few of our com
munities already exists as where we
have the very serviceable building
and equipment of the Y. NJ. c. A |
with its secretary and physical direc. /
tor virtually serving as assistant
pastors of our united churches.
ut would be sorrowful reconstruc |
ton of the church, with it's history |
and traditions, if our leadership |!
henceforth were to be merely one of |
affairs, business administration. |
There hath passed glory from the
earth when we become mainly direc-
tors of clubs, managers of societies, /
organizers of recreation, promoters OF
prosperity, and instead of studies
with book-lined walls, as our fathers
had, and praying closets, we have Of
fees only, busting and noisy, re-
sounding with the click of typewrit-
ers and the amending tramp of mes
sengers and committees. Is not this
doctrine of efficiency in the service
of the community ignoring spiritual
values? Is it productive church
it might be of course productive l.
grange or school association or i'm
provement society or civic league or
something else-that properly at
tends to making people healthier,
weather., happier and wiser? Not
is not productive church except as
those elements of prosperity are eth
err the preparatory ground and avenu-
es of approach for the moral and
spiritual life or the concurrent signs
of it. But that is exactly what they
may be. We are to remember that
our practical working gospel is that
bad social conditions prevent men
and women and little children from
entering the kingdom"