The Washington times., 1923-12-10
DIR. FRANK CRANES
DAILY EDITORIAL
The TnLLgsf Church IN the World.
Bv DR.. FRANK CRANE.

BY DR.. FRANK CRANE.
yNyHE new Chicago Temple which the Methodists are
about to build in Chicago may not be the greatest
church in the world for opinions might differ Is
to what greatness in church should mean, but it will
undoubtedly be the tallest
It will stand $50 feet in its sock feethat is to say
from the sidewalk level to the top Of the spre Other
interesting figures are these:
There will be twenty-one stories; from the sidewalk
grade the roof $50 feet from the roof TO the base
Of the tower is 40 feet from the base Of the tower to
the spire is 156 feet There will be ITO square feet
of rentabIe floor in the building and the space
used strictly for church purposes will be about $4,000
square feet The total amount invested in the build
ing and site is $6,286,00O.
But this church building represents something more
than mere structural bigness. The most significant
thing about it is that it is situated in the very heart Of
It Is not located somewhere out in the fashionable
suburbs where the Well-to-do have withdrawn from
unpleasant proximity with the poor.
It will not be mountain top nor IN 9 vast park
nor in any other place where its proud proportions
have an opportunity to show off.
It is right down on the bank Of the river that is
ming black with It is in the thick Of humanity.
In this respect it is typical Of the spirit Of this and
of the noticeable change that is taking place il
ligous emphasis The church Of the past was situated
n the middle Ct a ~ aTOonG = were se
ton that in the grip Of the past and controlled By
the ghosts Of tradition.
for the present and the future Of the So the
Chicago temple stands like huge lighthouse where all
about it are the buffetng of life The church
Of the past was too much for those who wanted to
escape from the world and too often the effort to
escape from sin amounted to effort TO escape from
The Chicago temple means that here religion is not
running away from the world, but plunging into the
world.
It is not to be haven Of refuge for those who want
to flee from evil, but rallying point for those who
want courageously to meet and to fight evil.
It will be an imposing reminder both to big business
and to the hosts Of labor that the church is amongst
them, factor to be recognized in all their struggles
It will be an outward sign of the fact not too we'll
known that the church is the increase and not
the decrease The idea that the church petering out
in the United States is based transformation and
perhaps tainted with inclination AS matter Of fact
church membership is increasing in proportion to the
increase in population.
For instance in 1890 the population Of the United
States was around g. O0O and the church member
ship at that time around Il 100000 IN 1922 the
population had increased to los, 900 600, while the
church membership had increased to around AZ 100000
Those figures that while the population in
creased So per cent during hirwo years the church
membership increased 1874 per cent.
In 1920 the church membership was "a per cent Of
the population while in 1922 it As per cent Be
sides the numbers of those enrolled in churches there
considerable of others who closely affiliated
with and are in sympathy with the churches
While you cannot reckon moral sentiment force
entirely in figures, yet it means something to have
this large proportion of the population identified with
organizations whose main purpose is to develop and
strengthen the conscience of the world.
And to have great structure like the Chicago
temple rising in the midst of the swirl Of Chicagos
commerce. is significant of the useful and practical
nature of religion in these days.
This temple is not to be put up with any govern
ment assistance, by forced levy Of any sort, but
by the free contributions of people interested In the
idea that it stands for.
who back of this enterprise conceive it to be
not UNCONVENTIONAL or sectarian gesture, not
for Methodists against Presbyterans Jews Caho
lies, but rather for those who believe that is
divine spirit as against those who contend that ne is
thinking animal.
This temple says to Chicago and to all the world:
"Thou shalt not say, Lo here nor Lo there for the
Kingdom OF Heaven is amongst you.
Copyright, 1873. Mcclure syndicate)