The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. [volume], August 28, 1918, Page 2, Image 2

About The Presbyterian of the South : [combining the] Southwestern Presbyterian, Central Presbyterian, Southern Presbyterian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1909-1931

Image provided by: Library of Virginia; Richmond, VA

                
FEDERATION OF CHURCHES.
Much is ?aid and well said about the
diuretics getting closer together. Some of the
higher Church courts, as the Northern Pres
byterian General Assembly, have expressed
themselves in favor of the organic union of
all churches. This looks a little like trying
to run before they have learned to walk.
In some of the cities of this country a very
practical movement has been started in the
way of getting the local churches into closer
co-opera t ion.
In HuiValo, N. Y., a Federation of Churches
has been formed. Connected with it. are 111
churches, representing seventeen different de
nominations, and having a membership of 47,
-l!>7. The total membership of the Protestant
churches of the city is 77. 1:17.
The object of the Federation is thus stated
in its Constitution :
"The object of this Federation shall be to
foster religious movements; to promote the
spirit of comity and co-operation among all
our churches; to advance the charities of the
community; to safeguard the welfare of chil
dren; to encourage the feeling of mutual help
fulness among all parts ot' society, especially
in industry; to protect the interests of the
Sabbath, temperance, good citizenship, social
purity, and law and order; and to secure other
objects pertaining to local betterment."
These are the departments of work engaged
in by the Federation:
1. Comity: To aid in the wise location of
churches and religious enterprises, and to pro
mote harmonious denominational relationships.
2. Keligious Work: To foster and direct
community evangelism; and any other reli
gious work, not otherwise provided for in this
Constitution.
Missions, llome and Foreign: To aid in
the evangelization of the foreign populations
of our city; promote missionary giving; dis
seminate missionary information; and further
missionary programs generally.
4. International Justice and Goodwill: To
promote the application of Christian princi*
pies of civil government to nations, and uni
versal justice to world organization.
f>. Keligious Education: To advance reli
gious education in the churches; and to en
courage unseetarian moral training for citi
zenship in our public schools.
G. Social Service: To include Sabbath ob
servance, temperance, industrial goodwill, so
cial hygiene, legislation, law enforcement and
any community betterment not otherwise pro
vided for in this Constitution.
The aims for this year are stated to be:
"1. Definite training for service in cacti
church, directed by ttie pastor.
"2. An instruction or catechetical class of
prospective members, conducted by the pas
tor.
"3. The promotion by the pastor and church
officers of some definite form of family reli
gion in the homes of members.
"4. Six thousand new members added to the
co-operating churches by May 1, 11)19.
"It is understood that each church is free
to use its own methods in carrying out the
program. In no way will the committee in
charge attempt to dictate the method of evan
gelism to be used by the individual church."
Among the things this accomplished during
the past year was the adding of .r?,f>!}2 new
members to the churches in the Federation.
Vice conditions in the city were very bad,
because of a Mayor and other officials who
would not enforce the law. As tfle result of
movements started by the Federation, a clean,
strong man was elected Mayor, and he is do
ing more than lias ever been clone before to
make Buffalo a elean city.
In this efl'ort he is materially aided by the
Federation. It seems to have been very active
in a quiet way and very successful in getting
information in regard to vice conditions, which
lias been furnished the Mayor and Oiief of
Police. These officers are showing a willing
ness to carry out the wishes of the Federation
as far as possible.
Among the results accomplished, it is said
i hat Buffalo is now one of the cleipiest cities
in the country. It has a city administration
that its best people are proud of. Over seven
ty disorderly houses have been closed, and the
Chief of Police reports that !)S per cent, of
the "red light.'' section has been cleaned up.
Only reputable people are allowed to occupy
these buildings. Vicious cabarets have been
abolished. Forty-six gambling houses were
closed. One hundred and, eighteen saloons
were raided and forced to obey the law, and
eighteen of them had their licenses revoked.
Much was done in preventing the giving of
immoral shows in theatres, as well as in mak
ing great improvements in moving picture
shows. Good work was also done in securing
a better observance of the Sabbath.
Along educational lines much was done by
arranging simultaneous observance of home
and foreign mission programs in conjunction
with the Laymen's Missionary Movement.
The methods employed seem to have been
sane and practical, and such as no reasonable
man could object to. It has been the uniting
of the spiritual forces of the churches for the
upbuilding and advancement of the spiritual
and moral welfare of the city.
Such a movement, wisely carried out in any
city, will show that there is unity of aim and
effort in the churches, and such a union of
strength will enable the Christian citizenship
to secure any needed change of conditions in
any city or community in this country.
LIVING ON LESS.
It would seem to some that we have gotten
to the bottom of the economic scale. Yet it
is inevitable that sterner days are before us.
Those who anticipate a short and compara
tably bloodless war are as sadly mistaken as
the optimists who from the "bomb-proofs"
predicted a ninety-day ending to the Civil
War, which lasted four years. The German
Empire is not exhausted by a great deal, and
the leaders of this mighty empire know how
to use every ounce of resources to the best
advantage.
This means for America, more soldiers, more
guns, more food, more ships, more men taken
from the ordinary vocations of life. And it
means just as surely less for ourselves who
are compelled to remain at home. The bur
den of taxes and sacrifices will be greater as
the months go by."
"We had as well look plainly into our lives
and see where we can live on less.
We cannot get on with less religion or fewer
of the ordinances thereof. This would be false
economy. The Spirit of humble piety must
furnish the all-conquering s-pirit that is to
nerve our men to heroic toils and sufferings.
It may not be the time to launch high em
prises that can wait ? but the work of God's
kingdom cannot and ought not to stop.
Many of our choicest ministers are going to
France, and they ought to go. The army of
Y. M. C. A. men will do more to win the fight
than anything else?
Many of our choicest women must go to
care for and nurse and cheer the wounded
back to life.
Many of our medical men must go. The
need is great, and will be greater. The gain
in lives will be incalculable. Our hospital
men must go.
And all of these will leave tasks unfinished
at home. We must take them up, and in the
spirit of Christ bear them nobly for human
ity's sake.
We cannot get on with less edition.
Knowledge is power, and never in all the long
story of the world was there more need of
educated men than there is now. We are no!
compelled to rob the school-yards yet, and
never will be. The draft will take many older
men; it ought not to take any younger.
Our schools and colleges should be crowded.
We will need keen-minded men to solve the
post-war problems.
We can get 011 with less material things;
especially the numberless luxuries that have
become necessities in so many lives. We ought
to know just how much food and how pro
portioned it is necessary to have for the proper
nourishment of the body. IIow much we need
lo renew the strength and keep the fires of
life burning.
Economical processes should be studied to
warm our homes, and cook our food and light
our buildings. There is a tremendous waste
going 011 in all our usages. Recently it was
figured that the water usage of a southern
city was 6,000 gallons to each water taker per
month, while economical usage would reduce
the amount to 2,000 gallons.
The Christmas gift trade of America runs
up into the hundreds of millions of dollars
annually, much of it sheer waste and utterly
violative of the spirit of the lowly Jesus. It
should be cut off largely.
We cannot get 011 with less of the spirit of
good checr, and neighborly kindness, and
loyalty. This is no time for gloom and dis
couraging thoughts or remarks. The man or
woman who spends his time in this sad busi
ness is a burden and may be an evil-wisher
to our country.
It is 110 time to nurse grudges and fan the
embers of sectional or neighborly enmity. We
are one, and the love of country and the dan
ger to our very national life ought to drown
out all feelings of hatred. They are wrong
at all times; peculiarly sinful now.
At the same time we want less of the fri
volity that may be excusable in other times.
Recently the Khaki Club of a city church
gave a big dance to the men of a certain
camp. It was utterly out of taste. This is
no time to dance; no time for great entertain
ments; certainly no time for a church society
to leap over the bounds of common propriety,
and excuse it by the unusual nature of the
times.
We can live on less: we will find it no hard
ship if we remember we are doing this in the
name of the Master.
A. A. L.
Contributed
"HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF."
By Rev. N. B. Mathes.
When David approached the city of Jehus
to capture it, the inhabitants intimated that
they had a powerful fighting force and an im
pregnable fortress, while David's army was so
very inefficient that it might be compared to
a company of blind and lame soldiers. They
sneered at the idea of his taking their city.
They thought to discourage him and his men