Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1921-03-13
GREATEST EXPENSE:
IN CITY CHURCHES
IS An EMPTY PEW
LOCAL MINISTER TALKS mt.
MirEIh To CHURCH PEOPLE
on NEED FOR WORK.

The following excerpt Is clipped fron
lr''rr 1hircrrfi o. u !A,mhrga II
Us minister T. u. sheppard under the
title of The Most Expensive Thing
About a Church" hy rcasnn of its
'orceiulnosS and timely and general ap.
plication;
the seating capacity ~ the Pro.
'sthnt Churches at America in twice
.hcir membership. which means that
mere are either too many churches
" els" they are not being used To
h"ir capacity In all big cities thea.
res are being erected constantly aud
f"t they are crowded an the time. bur.
'ng the past twelve months In Amarillo
l"no, two new theatres have been
'icncd with another 1T larger capa.
ny rapidly nearing completion The
MY building erected by the religious
Wvrle 81 the town In the same period
- small temporary structure In
ilvnwood capable az seating pcrhaps
me hundred. The problem facing the
hurchcs ~ how 70 iill tn empty pcws
standing room only being sign sci.
'om used hy them The theatres are
successfully answering that question by
PROGRAMS which are w7ll advertised
Advertising sells things which are not
always Saving. Thrift. Eco.
numy. etc; why nd, the great theme
" salvation? d,omans il6i7: iOlIl
Always IN our house. especially ON
sunday md "Wednesday evenings there
hre number ~ vacant seats ON, may
De- ahead ~ YOU and silently eloquent
OF your duty and privilege. II speaks
your chance to share with othors the
mspiraiiont help. ana delight. u the
church service. Al that the occasion
meant Co you Il may have meant to
hem. ana mere. The Singing. the
'raycrs, the sermon. and the assocla.
ION, which holp,d tu calm your soul
nd send forth better mnn or woman,
night Just rs well thrilled them also.
VI the other hand the lesson which
vas p'rhapa only commonplace TO YOU.
night have been vcritahlc revelation
Q scores with whom YOU meet and talk
Turing the week.
That vacant seat IL the most cN.
'cnsiv" thing In our meeting house. T.
Vn have minister who dcvotcs all his
'imc to the work and not have the
'ousc filled a. its limit az all services
means that every vacant pew IL a very
Npensivc piece ~ furniture for the .
hurch 10 own. Every cmnty seat can
~ filled without the expenditure NJ n
inglc extra cent and with infinite
rrofit. Sermon. Light Warmth. are
III supplied watcvcr the audience.
Success here IL from an economic stand F.
point. decidedly chcan; failure expon.
i've and wasieful Tho cmnty sent
costs as much ~ YOURS and Yields moth. .
INK In return. Fin Il and YOU hive
not only given hut YOU have gained .
u that empty scat was filled IL would .
Weld n not Gain for all. II would i'm. .
prove the sermon which can be- no hc,. .
ter than the congregation. No preach. /
or con I'm the pulpit" ~ a halfNn. .
ID church.housc That empty seat I.
'Shortcircul,s" the lesson. he cannot /
throw the current NJ interest across IL. .
II Ne are To- accomplish our part In the .
conversion ~ the world In Christ there I
must BE- revival II church Attendance I
10y every member q the local body. and /
an Invitation 10 the community 10 come /
ana enjoy the better things
Tell your uclghhors that good sun
days In the Church makes better Mon. T.
days In business and the home"
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