Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-11-08
REV, DIR. H. p. GUHSE
On Community Church Work

THE community church is one which has
L large and sympathetic background Of
the whole wide range of human interests,
which touches life at large not superhcially,
but very vitally. according to the Rev. DR..
t,;an FL GSarsS Guhss; pastor OF the Oxford pFs'0S
"The big appeal Of such . church" ,,;nS ssid
It brings the church home to them in their
everyday life; It touches life in the days
Nssan work and j. hsssss Ss.t not u Hs sHS uS
with church work today is that it breaches
a message on Sunday and fails to set that
message in the midst Of life. Patriotism
is the central motive of everyday life ana
I want to weld patriotism and religion, SO
other.
Religion and Occupation
"Another phase Is the fact Of putting re-
ligion into vital relationship with occupa-
tions and rofessions-applying religion, IN
other words, and applying 1t intensively.
Big business leaders are advocating prac..
tical, liberal gospel which the Chnrcn shT%ia TS;a
makes religion real because 1t puts 1t In as
n definite background, not ethereal. but
real force.
.'The housing conditions Of the larger
communities are altogether diherent from
what they were even ten years ago. This Is
apartment house and in the fact that so
many persons are Just staying IN their
little quarters, holding on to them because
they must have some place to put their
possessions.
''There Is now little real home life and
was the greatest feeder to morality in days
gone by, now either does not exist or is
the exception rather than the rule.
The Church's Great Problem
"The apartment house and the rooming
house have not been touched by the Church,
and this constitutes the great problem OF the
Church in the United States today-to get
these people into the Church and make them
progressive movement in the community and
not merely negative entity. Young people
come to the city from the country to work
or to study; they find themselves engulfed
In an atmosphere Of loneliness or OF lowered
Of the ties of friendship or the grip Of the
home or any other constructive force to as
sist them in their struggle.
'"The average church is darkened all the
week, but the dance halls and the gambling
places are not, and they make their constant
Sesna SppSa to asss Safs $ wh
the people what to do on Sunday and then
does not offer n comprehensive program of
opportunity to carry out that message.
my thought In meeting this situation,
which Is a serious one. Is to have q church
with an adequate program for young people
and old ones as we'll, first OF all giving that
vital and unfailing spiritual powe~ which
alone can sustain our people amid the battles
Of life. whether physical. mental or moral.
We do not mean to lower In any way the
standard of spirituality. or to put less
emphasis on religion, but rather more.
Opportunities for Play
"But we must do this by the expressional
side Of our program. BY this I mean,
among other things. providing opportunities
| for play In the gymnasium, with shuttle
| boards. pool tables and the like. We must
| also provide proper social pastimes, with
formal and informal evenings, and with a
| wide variety Of program. There must be
concerts, moving pictures, musicales, and
the dance is not to be excluded.
| 'The athletic feature OF this program is
| an important one, as II affords ample op .
portunity for the physical bettsrment Of all
who take part In It, both young and old,
for it Just as important to train and de.
yelop the body properly as It is the mind
"My thought is to have less courting in
the cabaret and more In the church. A
kitchen IL q substantial help. as II promotes
! the idea OF having those peol le who work
vicinity come here and eat In the
!. 4. -hich would DO thrown Wide opsn
III ~ q ninss ioSethos an1 suck
So. iht care 20 9avs. ye'