Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-03-13
WORKERS HEARKEN TO CALL
OF RELIGION, PASTORS SAY
Miners Shpyard Employees and Euen Foreigners Giving Bible
Teachings More Serious Consideration Than Euer Before
IsOpnion Expressed by Methodist Ministers

Opinions were expressed todaS by min
listers attending the Methodist Confer
ence here as to the effect upon foreign
ers, miners and ship-workers Of the
present religious activity.
The shipworkers have been engrossed
with the almighty dollar, ac ording to
the Rev. John &. Bieri. pastor of the
Providence Avenue Church, Chester, and
a former four-mnute man.
while there were great many work
ers in the shipyards to whom religion
seemed to have no appeal. yet there
were many of the better class of these
workers who adhered more staunchly
than ever to their church affiliations,
he said
"In the yards themselves at the
meetings which we held there every
noon, the men demanded a straight
forward. virile talk on practical Chris
tian principles. There could be none
of the sissy about it. They received us
with enthusiasm.
Tangible results as 90 increased
church attendance on the part Of these
men are not very impressive. but we
have perhaps sown seeds which Will later
bring forth fruit"
The Rev W. A. Lewis. pastor of Up
land Church, and man who has done
work among the shipworkers. said that
the attendance of the shipworkers at
church had fallen off during the war de-
spite the large increase in the industrial
population.
Drawbacks Encountered
Il think there are two chief reasons
why the worker in the shipyard has not
responded better than he has" he said.
zone Is that the greatly increased de-
mand for war materials caused the man
! to work on Sundays and at night. This
naturally gave him less time TO devote to
! church-going or active religious affairs.
| Another reason for the disappointing
showing Is THAT their very high wages
| opened avenues of pleasure to them on
! Sundays and other days which had not
! been available before. A repeal of the
| present so-called "blue laws" will only
cause a still greater falling away of
these people from the church"
| In the matter of the miners in the
Pottsvile district, the Rev. w. @. Ben
nett, pastor of the Pottsvlle Church. and
| former superintendent Of the Anthracite
Mission, said-that no class of workmer
had been more faithful during the war
to their church obligations than the
miners of eastern Pennsylvania.
"The foreign and English speaking
said His high wages only made him
more liberal in giving to the church
Despite the loss of the miners who went
| into the service of the country. the at
tendance at the churches Is at leas
equal to what it was before the war.
High wages had no effect in leadinl
men away from the church. If they di'
the miners could not have increased thei
savings as they have and made the in
vestments they did in Liberty Bonds.
I'VE have adopted o policy of in
creased social activities as the most ef
fective means of reaching the miner. TIL
miner is receptive and responsive re
ligiously. His attitude has been YER
encouraging
Foreigners Respond
The foreigner in Philadelphia ha
likewise responded to the appeal of til
religious bodies in a way to give salts
faction to the churches, said the Rev
John Watchorn. corresponding secretar
of the Philadelphia City Missionary So
eiety
THE great drawback in the matter O
looking after the foreigner religiously.
said Mr.. Watchorn, has been that W
have not changed our methods sufl
ciently to meet the demands of tn
foreign element As the foreigner cam
into several sections of the city the ma
tive has moved out
"The man of foreign birth ha
naturally many prejudces. We want t
overcome this by carrying out ofSocia
activities which will convince him tina
we are an altruistC ministry. We mus
reach him largely on his social side. II
has Il background of oppression whic
has given him these prejudices agains
governments and churches in genera
We \must convince. him of such ia
lacies
"A creditable increase in church a
tendance is shown among the foreigner
although many of them went to wa
Their high wages had no bad effects. b,
they gave more than ever before to ii
church. The war period showed SUE
,cess in religious work among the foreign