revealed clearly the position of Chicago churches on this subject.[1] Their answers vary all the way from those who oppose substitution to those who tell of their billiard- and smoking-rooms, gymnasium, tennis-courts, baseball and cycling clubs. The following quotations show the general trend of thought: "Our leader believes the devil leads the clubs, and I am of the same opinion." "We have nothing of the kind and do not approve of clubs in churches." "We have only a few men." "I preach temperance from the pulpit and try to correct a 'bum's' life in the confessional, by charity, and, when necessary, by refusal of absolution." The following scriptural passages were quoted: John 3:3; Gal. 6:15; 2 Cor. 5:17. One writes: "We have no club-rooms. Rom. 1:15 states that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth. I Cor. 15: 1-4 tells us what it is. We trust to nothing else. If you will read the first chapter of Genesis carefully, you will find that every sociological idea advanced in the nineteenth century failed in the Garden of Eden."
Most common of all, however, is the reply: "I regret to say that we have no such organization. We are contemplating work of this kind." "We hope when we build our new church that we shall make several new departments along the line calling for special attention just now." The struggle of many men, especially of the younger men, against the conservatism of method and prejudices that are restricting the usefulness of the church, is epitomized in the following pitiful wail: "None whatever. We are too much under the domination of orthodox ideas for such 'innovations.' We hope that there may be a degeneration sufficiently marked as to bring our people into sympathy with such worldly methods." Lest these quotations should convey a false impression, let me give due proportion by the following statistics: Letters of the first class (those opposing
- ↑ A letter, inclosing a blank with the following questions, was sent to each of the 751 clergymen in Chicago: (l) What organization has your church that is specifically for men or young men? (2) What are its social features? (3) What are its recreative features? (4) State the number of meetings a month. (5) State membership. (6) State the average attendance. (7) At what time are the club-rooms at the disposal of the members?
