New Britain herald., 1926-06-14
New Britain Residents Honored
 at German Baptist Contention
Edward kiesewetter Elect ed President of New England Assn. - Mrs. Schneck Again Heads Women.


 elected to the presidency of their respective organizations at the clos ing exercises of the 29th annual convention of the Association of German Baptist churches of New England, which was held here the last three days of last week.
 Edward I<iesewetter was elected president of the association at the meeting Saturday evening. Other officers elected at that session in- cluded the following; Vice-president. Vincent Knold of Meriden; secre- tary, Miss Elsie Rund of New Brit ain; treasurer, Miss Clara Berger of Bridgeport; field secretary, Rev. Julius Kaaz of New Haven.
 Reports of the home at Madison and conditions of the association were made during the Saturday evening session.
 In his address Saturday President Kicsewctter stated that Life and religion are alike in that they rep resent the relationship of man to God and man to man,
 He pointed out that the human element is an important element in Christian relationship and that in the last analysis 1t has been re- solved into the two laws found in the Gospel, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God" and Thou shak love thy neighbor as myself"
 "Our relationship to God is lost if our relationship to man is not saved, one is as important as the other. Fellowmen grouped together form a community and a group ot Christian men form a church.
 "The most immediate group we have to deal with is the city. The city and the church have not al- ways been friends but they have never been strangers. The church was born in the city and citizenship was made a requirement of mem- bership. The identity of the church with the city would have been an astounding vision to the anclents.
 "The church should aim to build up the community out of itself, rather than itself out of the com munity.
 "There is evidence enough that the attitude of many serious minded men toward the church, as toward religion in general is beginning to change from one of criticism or in difference to one of interested and beInful reconstruction.
 Tn an inmitable essay on Heck ling the Church'-in the Atlantic Monthly for December 1911, Dr. II. E. Fosdick said:
 "'A perusal Of current literature In reference 10 the church reveals how much the rage it has become to ccnsure the blunders Of organized religion. There are fashions in magazine articles as well as in dress. and the present vogue Is, by any means 10 drub the church. Recent essays in which with force and cleverncss, both friends and foe have pointedly remarked upon ec- clesiastical failures-leave the i'm pression. not only, that there are greyious errors to be criticized, but, that some people are having rare sport criticizinG them
 But since pr. Fosdick's article was written, many things have changed and to some extent, at least, the position of the church in mod ern society.
 "At such time 1t is appropriate to face again the function of the church in human society, and to at tempt to restate the reasons which justify her support and guarantee her future The functions Of the church fare naturally into two parts. One dealing with the con- tinuing responsibilities and the other dealing with passing obligations in modern society.
 That religion is a permanent ele- ment In human nature and life may be fairly taken for granted among thinking men. but 1t is conceivable on the other hand, that there are those who think that whereas re- ligion may abide the church as out lived it's usefulness. This is precisely the question.
 Tn view of the social dependence or all our higher life-the church offers-or should offer, means Of combining the limited strength and means of many individuals into an army Of corporation. Collective ef- fort accomplishes what the indi- vidual cannot attain. So in the church they may pool their spiritual capital.
 "A second expect Of the churches function. closely related to the first is that the church not only fur nishcd stimulation to those who come in its contact but the church itself is quickened by the historical parsonages who have had unusual spiritual power. The most out standing of these being Jesus Christ.
 "A third aspect of the part Of the church can be stated more simply. It Is that no task so vast and in tricate as that to which Christianity summons its followers can be ade- quately attempted. much less ac- tomplished only by organized society the responsibility Of accomplishing great things through human instru- mentality is also the churches.
 But there remains a deeper req son why the Christian task can he accomplished only by a society. It is briefly that the Christian ideal for human life is social ideal. the Christian gospel a social one. and that therefore this ideal can best he realized only through q society. If it be true that our present social or der is unchristian and that the task of the church Is not completed until it as well as the individuals who compose 1t are deemed, then, by the H.