The Topeka state journal., 1922-03-07
WHY THE CHURCH LAGs.

WHY THE CHURCH LAGS.
An examination of the church sta
tistics printed in The Living Church
Annual of 1922 reveals the fact that
j the total contributions for all pur-
poses in 1920, reported in 1921, were
I $40, ,4s1,O larger than in the preced-
! ing year. This was an increase of
more than 40 per cent in one year.
In an editorial comment The Living
Church Annual says: These excel
lent results on the spiritual side are
than ten million dollars in contribu-
tions during the year. which would
seem impossible if the figures had
not been very carefully scrutinized
and verified. Both on the spiritual
and on the material side it cannot be
doubted that the nationwide cam
paign is primarily responsible under
God for a remarkable showing
Notwithstanding these liberal contri-
buttons of money. it is pointed out by
THE Church at Work. in an editorial
article that religious surveys have
shown that half. probably more than
half, of the people of the United
States are not even nominally con-
nected with any religious body. This
means. it says. that there is an enor-
nous missionary field right here in
America.
Continuing its discussion-of the sub
ject. The Church at Work. says:
That the. problem is not being solved
is demonstrated by the fact that the
Nfnrfc - ~t-u =. l..
are not growing any faster than the
population.
All over the United States efforts
are being made to reach the un-
churched. Evangelistic campaigns.
parochial missions. the opening of
missions and mission Sunday schools,
educational and social service efforts
with evangelistic motives. all these ara
found to some extent. Manifestly they
are not proving successful in any large
way
Most churches. of all kinds. are sat
isfied with an effort to get unchurched
people to attend church services. Ad-
vertisements in the newspapers, fnvi-
tations on bulletin boards. circulars
and dodgers are all used in an effort
to bring people in touch with the wor-
ship of God and the preaching of the |
gospel The evidence all indicates
that these efforts have very little sue
cess. Part Of the failure is due to the |
fact that if unchurched people do at
tend a church service they are not |
likely to hear an evangelistic sermon, |
that is, a sermon definitely addressed /
TO unbehevsrs. AS all congregations /
consist almost exclusively of believers. I,
il is very natural that practically all i
sermons should consist of the applica- |
tion of Christian principles to life. the |
exposition of Christian truth for the /
reasonably expect to win any consider /
able part of the unchurched for Christ Il
by these methods
How shall We reach all these un
churehed people with the message of
the gospel. these neighbors and fellow
citizens of ours in every city and town |
and township in the land ?" asks the
paper and then replies to its own ques-
ton as follows:
We believe that there is only one /
way of reaching all of them, or nearly
all of them. at once and regularly, and
that way is thru the public press.
Here is a medium of evangelization.
almost wholly neglected, the value of
which cannot be overestimated. EV-
erybody who reads at all reads a news
paper. Business uses this medium
with conspicuous success Why can
not religion?
Here and there churches are timidly
spreading the gospel message in ad-
vertisements or in church notices Here
and there editors are using distinctly
religious matter and are reprinting
All Of the newspapers are
using church news and are glad to do
so. All church news is indirectly
evangelistic, for It at least keeps the
readers reminded of Christianity. or
ganized and active Everything that
attracts attention to Christ and the
things of Christ has some evangelistic
value.
But the problem of using the public
press as a thoroly effective evangelistic
has not yet been solved. Many
are studying and experimenting. There
are probably a variety of wise ways OF
procedure. 1t IS not likely, however,
that correct solutions will be found,
DIT that efforts on a large scale will be
made. until the members of the Chris
ian churches realize better than they
do now the vastness and vital impor-
lance of this missionary problem
which is right around them and the
duty of attacking il on an
adequate scale.