The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1916-09-09
Open FORUM
plan FILLS
|MANYPEWS
Ford Hall Idea Is Now
a National Move
ment
GOSPEL GETS
A FREE REIN
Numerous Large Cities
Are Identified
With Work
~ The RELIGIOUS RAMBLER

~ The NtLfSiOOS NNMoGEN
~ A few years ago the Ford hall
meetings of Boston were unique in
the religious life OF the country.
Z now. the Ford hall idea, OF an abso-
Iufely open forum for the discussion
of religious and social problems, has
become a national movement with
oimilar centers In more than so
places ranging from Canada 10 Cal
Norma and from Boston 10 San
4 Diego.
y; The growth OF the forum idea has
been so rapid that this winter will
zee the opening OF number of i'm
\ Dortant new centers. including two
a the Y. NJ. c. A. OF Philadelphia,
ne central branch holding weekly
Sunday afternoon meetings in a
y GOwntcwn theater.
The adaptability OF the open
1urum idea Is as remarkable as its
rapid spread. While George w, Cole
nan, the founder and director oil
fhe sunday evening meetings in Ford
hall got his inspiration from the
Doople's institute OF the Cooper
union. New York, he put IL into OBJ
oration through the Baptist Social
Sunion and by the use OF bequest
from Daniel Sharp Ford, of the
xouths' Companion. Soon the same
p1an was taken over by Jewish
1prum in Boston and now that same
Uity has q distinctively Roman Cath
ollc forum called the Common
4 oanse." which In avowedly aimed 20
Fu0UbGt Socialism. Many individual
onurches have transformed their
sunday evening service into open
GDeums for the discussion OF live top
- with questions by the congrega-
St1on. Such meetings are found in
4 Nochester. Chicago. Buffalo. Bal,i-
more, Washington. Toledo, Kansas
City. OTTAWA, Winnipeg, Toronto.
Montreal. Concord. Mass; Gloucester.
Mass: Newton, Mass. San Diego,
Cal. and many other places. One
ok the best OF the open forms is in
the Calvary Presbyterian church.
BufIalo. directed by Rev. Or John w
Ross. This church was host 10 the
recent conference Of open forums. at
which many parts OF the country
we're represented In Montclair the
Unitarian church has an open forum.
In Toledo IL is Baptist, and Bal;i-
In II
~ IL Congregational.
Two Italian forums are conducted
ID Boston and one Russian forum
IN New York. In Syracuse the Com
mon Veal club. women's organiza-
ton. IL behind the forum and in
New York labor unions maintain a
forum on Sunday
Leaders in the Buffalo conference
conceded that "the forum is a meth.
ID. not an institution, an agency
whereby classes may be reconciled.
Conditions niinimized and the com
mon denomination of all ethical i'm
puise determined and applied 10 so
cial formulate"
Mr.. Coleman has often said that
The Melrose community forum IL the
most representative OF the ideal,
sven more SO than Ford hall. These
Aelrosc community meetings an
Aounce the platform whatever ideas
nay be brought IN us. from what !
Bver source. we will hear them: II I
hey are false we will explode them. |
Il partly true we will sift them. II I
wholly true we will accept them I
eut always Professionally. always /
osessinG onward and seeking some
hing better"
4 Mr.. Coleman himself says, THE
UDen forum stands for the evanEe-
Nam Of democracy II Ia the kind
- evangelism which the world now
needs"
In Ford Hall Folks" magazine
issued BY the Ford hall forum, IL is
suggested that the ideal forum is
one founded upon basis group Of
Representative citizens Of all sorts
and classes, having a neutral meet.
fng place which will not stir up
any. prejudice or arouse any die.
trust: place where nothing often
pive TO race. class or creed will be
allowed; an Institution which will
b. self.supportIng, financed by the
voluntary contributions OF the mem
bers of the community: an insti.
tuition serving its whole community,
not any particular class In tina, com
unnnisy."
In practical operation, Il has been
the churches who have taken over
The open forum idea. sometimes AZ
1er the fashion outlined above. and
6ometimer radically adapting II Not
\ few pastors have hailed " ~ the
oolutton Of the problem OF empty
honehea on Sunday evening In some
D>Acea, a. IN Newton and Gloucester.
- local church federation has got
Z