Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-05-06

a section where there was not vacant
house there were SO many empty pews.
And the most common answer the can
vassers received was. I'VE can't AZ
ford to join church"
Well. how much does 1t cost to be-
long to church? I have the statis-
tics of one of the richest denomina-
lions In America right here on my desk
and find that 1t cost s1s per member
for all church and all Sunday school
privileges for a year Of fifty-two
weeks. Which reminds me that some
time ago I interviewed ten well to do
working men as to their income and
their outxo. The average income OF
the ten was. found, $500. Three OF
the ten told me that they spent $50
year for cigars. but the largest sum
one OF them paid for church privileges,
including the religious instruction OF
his children, was SIS Four paid that
sum, and two of the four were negroes.
A neigh5or Of mine told me recently
that his golf cost HIM. taking the
whole season thru, dollar a round,
and he played four rounds day. But
the whole church expenses and benev-
olences Of the 100000 or 40.00O,ooo
church members in the United States
Is not on the average over IS year,
But I found some men who spent s5o
a year for cigars insisting they could
not afford to go to church: 1t cost so
much and the collections were so ire
uuent.' None of these men was named
David" .@1.. ~ ....s .
But I would not speak only OF the
money cost. That is insignificant anc
every wei informed and honest man
knows that it Is and confesses 1t. But
religion costs something more In SER
denial. .'-...
Some time ago the editor OF a very
popular weekly interviewed a number
of youthful clubmen and thereafter
published an editorial on Young Men
and the Church" He says that the
Young men told him frankly that II the
church would make its services as es-
thetic an an opera and as free as 2
circus parade-why, then they Wouiu
come-at least sometimes.
am sorry to say that the editor
found these young men In America.
and still more sorry that he himself
seemed to think they had good case.
But Young men Of that stripe wouid
| not do the cnurCn any tSOUu ~ wy
should Join It. Thank God. I have
known, and known intimately, q far
different class Of young men. who DID
not ask religion to be warmed and
sweetened and fed to them out q q
bottle. I know plenty Of young men
| today who ask. on the other hand, thas
religion should give them something
| 10 do, some task that will bring ont
! the manhood in them and enable them
| to do something from their own leisure
and freedom.
| / was once talking with a youne
| woman, OF Puritan lineage. too. about
her religious duties. And she told me
| that she would like to be christian
:if 1t would not involve giving up yau i
4 deyiile shows and the giving up Of
card playing for prizes and tonrine
the country every sunny Sunday. Tina
young woman did join the church. hu'
/ the church did her no good and chs
did the church no good. She has
i nothing OF the gospel spirit in her
which is spirit OF unselfish service
OF unreserved LOYALTY. OF genuine lov'
i OF God and real love OF ones fellows
4 You can no more get something FOL
nothing In rAliFion than In the marke'
or the board OF trade.
I Christianity Is not a cheap reii eior'
You can not beat down THE price Got