Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-23

sHave you noticed that in all our small
towns, as well rs our large cities, there is
| q very large per cent of people that do not
attend any church? Why is this? Is there
a church anywhere that has list of fami-
| lies in its territory and keeps a check on
| how many of those families attend church
and ascertains the reason for their non
attendance? This may be a very vital
reason for non-attendance. II every fellow
in the community were checked up and
| the reason given why he was not present
our attendance would be very much in
creased. But, you say, this is too much
| work. All right. You ihave admitted that
the church is the greatest institution and
| that 1T Is nothing without attendance.
| Do men run their business this way?
Don't they check up on every man that
is essential to that business and keep the
record up to date? How about the
politician? Doesn't he know how every
man is going to vote in his district? And
here we are in the greatest business in the
land, that of running a church, and don't
even know all the families in our COM
munitv Is it worth while? Let us wake
up and give to the church the practical
effort that she needs.
"But what about the attendance Of we
laymen2 What kind of an example arc we
setting to the man outside the church?
Do we feel that we have done fairly well
by our church if we get around once on
Sunday? Do you have holy 'onccrs' in
your church, the fellow who attends one
time and is fully satisfied
Now, brethren, lets do something that
Is practical and worth while. Let us first
set the good example ourselves as laymen,
and every time our church doors are
opened let's be there. This will help our
pastor; this will help us. This will help
the fellow who has been following example
and satisfies himself with going to church
whenever most convenient. Let's get
down to tacks' and find out Just what our
pastors are getting in salary, and if not
getting salary in keeping with what is
needed it is up TO us, as laymen, TO see to
it that this is done. We will then have
better men to fill our pulpits. Men are not
all preaching for the money. If they were
we would not have any men left, because
after spending four TO six years in college
and preparing for the work they take a
S40O or $500 charge. This, brethren, Is
not right, and it is our business to make
it right
Then, in word, as we are part of the
greatest institution in the land, let's get
down To practical facts. Face them like
men, and first sec to ii that the man who
has spent all these years in school prepara-
tion for the ministry does not get less than
81 900 to start with per year. Don't ex
pect the preacher To do all the work to
make the church success, but let us, as
lavmen, awake TO our wonderful re-
sponsiblity and make the church what
It ought to be, and We will then have no
trouble about attendance.
The governors address evoked ap-
plause.
Remarks on the same subject also were
made by G. A. Short, John r. Price, T. j
Winder, David S. Clark, w ]. Downing
and Frank NJ Jones.
T. Davis Preston spoke on behalf of
Sunday schools.
Greeting was sent by laymcn of the
New Jersey Conference
The association adopted resolutions as
follows: lndorsing Governor Townsend 5
action in convening the Delaware Legis-
lature in special session; thanking the
Delaware and Maryland Legislatures for
ratlfying the proposed amendment 10 the
Constitution of the United States pro-
hibiting the manufacture and sale Of in
toxicating liquor; commencing the efforts
of the Anti-Saloon League. the Methodist
Episcopal Temperance Society and the
Womans Christian Temperance Union
in behalf OF prohibition; petitioning the
Delaware Legislature TO pass the act now
pending, known as the Defence bill, advo-
Gated by Governor Townsend; thanking
God for love and special providence during
the past year; promising greater effort 10
build up and advance Gods kingdom in
the Wilmington Conference during the
coming year; recommending that the
pastors be given adequate support thank
ing Wesley Church, Dover, for hospitality
John White, pastoral supply told the |
Laymen's Association the National As |
of Local Preachers, which will !
hold its annual convention in St Pauls |
Church, Wilmington, next October, pro- |
POSES raising an endowment for retired |
pastoral supplies and local preachers and |
asked that opportunity be gwen TO present |
,he matter TO the various churches in the |
conference and that the collections be |
aiken by them for the proposed fund. No |
action was taken on the request.