New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-13
BY PERCIVAL II. BARKER


dclphia. DR.. Berry, who is now senior
/ Bishop Of the Methodist Episcopal
/ Church, was stationed in Philadelphia
when Billy Sunday conducted his
campaign there. His vigorous attack
on prcsent-dsy evangelistic efforts
came yesterday TO the New York
! clergymen as shock on the eve OF
the appearance of hundreds OF Billy
Sundays Philadelphia converts in this
city.
Dr. Charles l.. Goodcll. Of ST. PauPs
Methodist Episcopal Church, who has
recently been appointed Professor Of
Evangelism in Boston University.
came out last night with an enthusi-
astic defence of the new evangelism.
Shaking the evangelist's hand or
signing card does not make you
convert" said Bishop Berry. MY
/ criticism against many revivals OF to-
day Is that the human element pre-
dominates. Machinery abounds. Com
mlttees trample upon the heels OF
committees. The Christian forces
move out of the churches into she'd
In that way the Church as the normal
centre of evangelism for the com
munity suffers a heavy discount.
Regular Activities Cease
"Tbe regular activities OF the church
cease. The evangelist and his party
20 to the front. The ministers go to
the rear. The evangelist is usually
a remarkable man-original, witty,
hamboyant. The more grotesque his
words and methods the greater the
, sensation and the bigger the crowds
( The multitudes sing rsgtime songs.
! Conviction OF sin as defined by the
Scriptures and known by the fathers
! is practically unknown. The papers
+ keep tab of the converts and daily
proclaim with headlines, big and
/ black, the marvellous results.
FINALLY the campaign comes to a
D close. ne hDOAiN AiNN-"AAA -
fering. systematically worked up for
DAYS in advance, is tucked away in
/ the evangelists pocket. Il is probably
more than the average pastor would
receive in a lifetime. The evangelist
bids the people fearful farewell.
Crowds follow the party TO the depot,
and sing sadly as the train moves Oft.
Then things settle back into normal
grooves. The tabernacle is torn down.
The churches are reopened. The peo-
ple are invited back. The pastors try
TO resume their former spiritual and
eyangelstc leadership. But they
have a difficult task. The memory of
the eager multitudes. the big choir
the rapturous singing, the character.
istics OF the preacher, the wave OF
enthusiasm these make the ordinary
pastor more than ordinarily ordinary
and the regular services OF the church
tediously commonplace. ~.
In his reply DR.. Goodell said: at
has been said that the modern re-
vivsl is a matter OF machinery. But
think OF lut ENbu W wv ~
church that is TO be found in all this
organization and committee work. Al
ready we are feeling the blessedness
Of it in New York.
Stirred by Great Cause
Last week there was held in ono
Of our churches a meeting of more
than 600 men who are TO give them
selves TO personal religious work dur
Ine the Sunday meetings. They were
from all the churches. Denomination
Al lines were forgotten in a great
common purpose. The pettiness Of
the little church and the little round
Of activity were forgotten. A great
cause stirred them: an opportunity
numbered by tens Of thousands chal-
lcnged them.
will come TO the Christian work
Of New YORK City when 5000
nrsver meetings are held twice
a week-a thing utterly impos-
sible under any other plan than
one connected with a great revival
meeting centred around some strong
uorsonalitv. Nearly 1000 men Will give
;bcir time az ushers. They will be do
ing personal work and will be under
he influence Of spiritual thoughts ioi
three months.
eve have our little cnors and
cboruscs in the individual church, ana
much GOOD may come from them. But
think of the broadening OF ChrlStian
fellowship and the deepening OF Chrls.
! tian conviction when four choruses OF
/ 600 voices each are enlisted Tor con-
! Hnuous service And then there rs the
/ gathering Of $4,000 or 2O,OOO people
/ twice day TO hear the great themes oil
morality and religion presented oy Ups
( chat are afame with an overmastering
( conviction. Such gatherings appeal to
tho man of the street. There is some
thing contagious about the very con-
creation of listeners. Tens OF tnou-
/ sands who never 90 into the church are
/ interested by the unusual setting whlcn
| the truth is having.
Appeal Comes Home
"The common sense appeal Of NJ
! Sunday comes home to them. 1hey
realize what they had forgotten, tnat
! Whatsoever a man soweth, that mus
he also reap They begin to feel the
force of the solemn declaration 10 De
carnally minded is death. D..
and the wonderful thing about II
all is that the man Of the street rs no
more affected than the man of the uni,
versitv and the man OF the market ana
! the stock exchange. There rs a spir-
( itual need which makes all men KIM
and down the sawdust trail come gov,
ernors and judges and Senators ana
Representatives and college presidents
and professors and captains OF finance
and millionaires rs well as drunkards
and thieves Among the strongest sup
| nnrters of Mr.. Sunday to-day are the