Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1915-11-10
WHAT DEBORAH MEN,
THINK OF THE CHURCH
Im G.. s. Lakeland Discussed Their
Opinions at the Methodist
@ Mrch Sunday Night.
LARGE OIENCE HEARS
FIRST SERIES OF SERMONS
Next Sunday 2, ening DIR. Lakeland
Will SpeaA Il what the De-
corah BUS 2, Men Think
of HypOc, in the
Chu

In spite or the rain, last SUNDAY
evening the Methodist church was
we'll filled to hear the first of the
series of sermons on What the
Business Men of Decorah Think OF
the Church. DR.. Lakeland discuss
ed their opinions as to whether or
not the church is a progressive in
stitution. He said in part:
"I desire to thank the Business
Men of Decorah for their prompt,
kindly yet frank replies to the ques-
tionaire sent them. Christ said
The Children of this world are in
their generation wiser than the chill
dren of Light" He was not averse
from gathering information from
all channels.
Regarding the Progressiveness
Of the church one business man, a
college graduate, wrote, The church
is not as progressive as men are at
the present age Another stated,
Preachers as a rule preach dead doc
trines instead of living ones A third
affirmed, The church fails to recog-
nize and promote, true brother
hood. Another advised that Preach
ers should preach that God is the
God of all creation and that no par
ticular church has any special au-
dience with Him. That last criti-
cism is well taken and the last phraDe
could we'll be adopted by all church
es for their mutual benefit.
rrt sv.
conducting series like this, one is
to answer the criticism, the other
to obtain all possible benefit from
the same In justice to all concern
ed, we shall pursue the latter course.
We are even willing to add to the i'm
dictment. The church has always
been slow to recognize the claims OF
science. Darwin, Huxley and Spen-
Ger have often been consigned to the
internal regions by preachers who
feared that these new theories might
disprove their pet doctrines. Even
today the new Psychology is viewed
with dislike and suspicion by many
churches We also believe that the
church of today lacks progressive
ness inasmuch as 1t makes the church
the END of it's religious endeavors
rather than a MEANS TO THE END.
"Yet in justice to the church GER
tain points should be observed. IL
may be that we particularize on
some church that is Lat a success,
Supposing, we should judge modern
business by little country store
rather than by a departmental
house, would business seem progress
sive? We must also bear in mind
that the church is only ltumber OF
folks and that their limitations are
bound to exist in the organism.
while the church has been con-
servative, il it is true to its mission,
it Is dealing with ABSOLUTE
TRUTH. 1t can only change its mis-
taken views of this Revelation II
might also be suggested that be-
cause of the vastness of the church
ii is bound to move slowly. Yet be-
cause the balance wheel is ponder
Gus in order to regulate the ma
chine, the conservativeness OF the
church may have been the balance
wheel Of society.
1T must be borne in mind tha'
the world has made such rapid
strides in the ,ast rs years that il
is almost impo, ible to keep up with
the pace"
''Yet the cf hrch has many fruits
OF progress. Think of the surplus
baggage it has discarded. Theologi
cal controversies over Calvinism
the mode of Baptism. etc. are thing
~ ic thing
to even hear of young man beine
expelled from the ministry on ac
ceunt OF his views.
"In the past 100 years the church
has nearly tripled in membership
There are over two million and
half men in the organized Aduli
Glasses in the Sunday Schools or on'
in every seven voters
"The church has widened its pro
< gram from a mere self-sustaining OF
ganism into a world wide conquerins
propaganda"
"The church has often been &C
cused of being educationally
stumbling block and yet it supports
more colleges and universities thar
does Uncle San Theological schools
have been looked~ upon as dead In
stitutions but the average theologi
cal school today fairly bris.les iti
curriculum with courses attempting
to meet the problems OF the race
rather than with speculative doc
trines.
Judged from its fruits view the
church as stressing applied Chris
tianity thru Advertising Parades
Gospel Teams, Temperance Cru
sades, Old Peoples Homes. Hospi
taas, Orphanages, Settlement Hous
es. Graded Sunday Schools. Yount
Pcople's Societies. Brotherhoods ant
Clyic Federations. 1t would certain
w seem that II the church rs not up
u date 1t is about the livest look
i1g corpse In the Social Order to
~"