The Detroit times., 1915-01-16
oHYAMC"
N. suo.crlptlon Re- Lf1mO
90 per yea
!, 8: IS
NATIONWIDE
Organization, Started by Lay
men as Outgrowth of Billy
Sunday Meetings
CONVERSIONS TO DATE
TOTAL ELEVEN THOUSAND
By Automobile and Train Teams
Visit Neighboring Com
munities
sY the RELIGIOUS RAMBLER.


"Gospel Teams" OF laymen, a strict
" lay effort for aggressive evan.
xelistic work, are the latest form OF
religious enterprise 10 command ma
n tional attention An outgroWth OF the
N Billy Sunday meetings in wichita
< three years ago. the organization OF
these teams has spread so rapidly
Il among laymen that they recently held
4 q national convention, with more than
II 900 delegates present
Apart from the inherent interest OF
the work done by these apostolic lay
: men. there Is the significance OF the
fact that the sheep are leading the
Shepherds for the solicitude for
preaching the gospel 10 these troubl-
Gus times seems more marked among
the laity than among the clergy them
selves. A symptom OF this fact was
the recent great convention or New
| York state ministers at Rochester un-
der the direction and at the invita-
fion OF the Laymens Missionary move
ment. II is commonly said that the
pulpit is losing IT'S zest for preaching
straight gospel invitation whereas
4 II is undoubted that the laymen are
crowding into this field.
The idea of anything like Gospel
Teams" is usually associated with res
che mission workers and fervent con-
verts, whose zeal Is more praise
worthy than their knowledge. A
striking characteristic OF the present
work is that II is led by men who are
leaders in business, political and so
cial life. For example, Henry Allen,
editor OF the Wichita Beacon, and Pro-
gressive candidate for governor, is
one OF the moving spirits OF the Wich-
tia Business Mems Gospel team. the
parent organization. William Allen
White editor Of the Emporia Gazette,
was led into active Christian work at
meeting held by one OF these Cos
pei Teams" The general organiza-
ton Is called the National Federation
or Gospel Teams. Claude Stanley, OF
win. of Cherryville, is secretary.
While Kansas is still the center OF,
the movement, it has spread widely
and rapidly. There are more than
300 such teams in existence. and they
have reported total OF more than
/ 1000 conversions. Possibly the most
dramatic incident in connection with
this extension work of laymen, al
though they were not formally organ
lien as a Gospel Team, was the visit
OF 500 Scranton trailhitters TO Phila-
delphia to stir up interest in the Billy
Sunday meetings.
Gospel AutomobiIinq.
This idea OF deputation work by lay
Christians is commoner in Asia than
In America. On the mission fields OF
the Orient il is quite usual for young
Girls to go out conducting Sunday
schools and holding gospel meetings
have seen in India and in Japan
Populations OF young men who have
been out on extended tours of exact
IN tho same sort OF work that is being
done in Kansas.
Like q fresh breeze from the west,
In time when Christian effort was
becoming parched with over-profes-
sionalism, and when the accepted idea
OF religious work was TO hire some
body TO do II, comes this innovation
from the west. IL is a real reaction
against the stereotyped and perfume.
tory forms OF religion. At the base
OF the idea is the conviction that un.
salaried and unprofessional laymen
Fave responsibility TO obey the great
commission. So these teams work
not only in their own nefghborhood.
but also travel hundreds of miles 10
visit other communities paying their
own expenses as they go. so far as the
churches visited will permit. There
~ never any compensation given 10
any of the Gospel Team" workers.
Since SO many of the iaymen pos
sess automobiles. a wide territory has
been opened near every city and town
for this work. II is possible with a
n squadron of automobiles TO cover sew
eral meetings on one Sunday and re
turn in time for business MONDAYS
Out Kansas way II is said that "Gos
pei Team" auto parties are taking the
place OF the old purposeless automo
bile trips. Since the cardinal princi
pie OF the plan is that the workers
shall have meeting for PRAYER be
fore they appear in public, IL Is often
necessary TO hold prayer meetings In
the automobiles as they 20 bowlinq
along the country roads.
Closing the Deal.
Business fashion, these Law eosnel
ers 60 after definite results The,
are not satisfied with making a goot
impression. They want to close m.
contract. That Is why IL 900 CONVEX
sions have already been reported b,
these self-supporting. self-directini
laymen. Business methods plus th,
spirit OF religious conservation brin,
notable results
~ iuucl hON D0 luOuknI Inat tlfl
scheme merely creates a new orde
on unequipped and unordained men Z,
inter the pulpits and do the preach
INK These gospellers do not preach
Their brief ENTHUSIASTICALLY seyera
NJ the one service--are in the natur
III testimonials. Thus, while the lead
er Of the team directs the proceed
1nks, the members 20 down in tn
<oiiRregation and work among the IL
1ividuals present, securing decision
(or the Christian life. More definit
and business-iike the plan could hare
NJ be.
An Apostolate Of Lsymen.
The personnel of these "Gospe
Teams~ II as diversified as America
Christian manhood IL runs the gamu
of business men from day laborers {
1an< presidents and corporation