CLERICAL DRUM BEATING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIII, Issue 19221, 9 January 1926, Page 1 (Supplement)

CLERICAL DRUM BEATING.

DRAWING PEOPLE TO CHURCH

BY LADY ADAMS,

To be a clergyman anywhere in America must be difficult, to be responsible for a church and all that that implies in Los Angeles must be nerveshattering; one of the hardest tasks in the world.

Los Angeles is the home-town of boosters. This wonderful city has been built on climate and brag; both of firstrate quality. Still, a church cannot be filled by the most dexterous combination of climate and brag; indeed, the climate is the main drawback to churcli-going here. Practically every Sunday is sunny from dawn to dusk, every third person in California is said to own a car, the roads are like oiled silk, the sea, the desert, the mountains and the rivers are within a Sabbath Day's journey, and climate and motors must be the two worst crosses to sincere and well-meaning clergymen here. No wonder they advertise. They must beat the drum, must display their goods in the shop-windows, they must be attractive, or else preach to pews. It is quite natural that Bob Shuler—no reverend about it—should preach on " The Yellow Streak and How to Cure It," with a " Prelude."

(a) Is Vice Rampant in Los Angeles? (b) Main Street Cesspools of Vice. (c) Is Venice to be Los Angeles' RedLight District? (Venice is a seaside town newly annexed by Los Angeles, and " Red-Light" is Americanese for " dangerous.") (d) Open Saloon Conditions Compared with To-day. At Eleven a.m. I pick, at random, some morning subjects from the advertisements: —"The Dinner Pail Gospel;" preacher, a woman; place, a theatre,?, " Will Movies Supplant Ministers and Missionaries?" "Significance of the American Conquest of California." "This Othniel —Who Is He?" In the first Presbyterian church the clergyman, Dr. Walker, will talk on: " Backgrounds and Foregrounds in the Building of a City/' (The 28th anniversary of Dr. Walker's arrival in Los Angeles). " Was Eve Adam's First Wife ?" " The Earth as the Geologist Sees It." (This is at " A Church that Does not Evade Facts.") "Publishers of Good Tidings." " Annual Woman's Missionary Society sermon, in which the men will be greatly interested." " The Challenge of Los Angeles." (Dr. Kenngott knows. For 14 years he has been a Southern California leader and a Southern California booster.) " Heresy —A Dialogue." A layman to prefer the charges, a clergyman to defend his position. " Kipling, Poet and Prophet of the Strenuous Life." From Noon to Night. During the day. there are " Old-fash-ioned Basket Lunches," " Coffee Free to All," Vesper Songs," " Twilight Talks." At night they become quite intriguing, "those poor men with the churches to fill. " The Christian Woman and Marriage." (Broadcasted, too.) • (a) Is it .more Sinful to Use Pink Powder than White ? (b) The Secret of Lasting Youth. (c) Should a Woman who is not Gifted for motherhood Marry ? (d) Should a Christian Woman Marry an Un-Christian Man to Convert Him ? Movies are everywhere. "Daddy;" a Jackie Coogan Picture. "My Son,"— announced simply as "The Picture." "My Country, 'Tis of Thee;" (Stereopticon views, 71 beautiful slides.) "Zander the Great." " Drusilla With A Million." The music is varied. " The Daughter of Jairus," with 55 voices; violin solos, " Inspirational Music by an Unexcelled Quartet;" tenor solos, an Italian programme, "Roosevelt's, Wilson's and Harding's favourite hymns," " The Sacred Idyll, Rebekah," " The Driggs Musical Family," a pageant, " Jclizabeta, ' a " Thirty Piece Silver Band," Spohr's " Last Judgment," a musical programme by a Welsh male choir of thirty voicesorgan and flute, harmonium and concertina, are all offered.

As for the sermons. " Hear Dr. Riley on ' The Unpardonable Sin.' " Dr. Briegleb preaches on "• Shall I remain in The Ministry?" "A service for sinners only. Saints and righteous people, please stay away." " The dilemma of a Churchman who would be a Prophet of God, the creator of spiritual ideals, but who finds himself raising budgets, enacting the role of a religious ' Jack of All Trades,' and who, because of thoso demands, is the subject of criticism, gossip and fault-finding." Of course there are less sensational titles. " A Thirsty God Seeking Drink at the Wells of Earth." Jimmie Tolan talks on " From Hell to Heaven," but Jimmie is an Irish evangelist, whose methods are not too calm. "Is Jesus Equal to <in v Age Like This ?" Honesty compels me to say that quiet titles for evening sermons are hard tofind in the advertisements, but the Metropolitan Tabernacle offers an " All Day with Jesus." and the Gospel Hall hais a Gospel meeting at night, a prayer meeting and a Bible Reading through the week, seats free, and no collection. Quite a usual draw, that one. A Dangerous Calling. * The poor clergymen run great dangers in this so-called Land of the Free. On the one hand, they must fight the climate and the pictiiie halls with their own weapons, must have a sunny atmosphere and good movies, must be snappy, have "pep," and " zip," and " crack" and go. They must be " fine, red-blooded, real he-men," must have personality and compelling power—indeed and indeed, they ask a lot from their clergymen over here. They must be able to lead discussions, at a moment's notice, on murder cases and on monkey trials, must be perpetually on the outlook for " Some* New Thing.". And, at the same time, they have always in the background —and not so very far back either —the haunting knowledge that their veiry desire to be popular, to attract people to church, may lead them, swiftly, and very surely, into a heresy trial of their own. There is nothing more startling,, in this land of astounding contrasts, than the craze for self-expression and the amazing lack of liberty of speech. It is a distressingly hampering combination. Yet, what can those poor men do ? How they must long, in their hearts, for the grim days of our grandfathers, when clergymen were expected and commanded to bring a message, to preach Jesus Christ ® and Him Crucified, when hymns were looked' on with dour disfavour, and when the Psalms of David, without instrumental accompaniment, were the fitting " musical portion" of the &er vice.

The new, quick way to teach Bible stories is by a combination of loudspeaker and moving picture. So far as I can judge, the results are poor. The Bible, even as literature, is little known here, and nobody* seems ever to have heard of the Psalms of David.

Pity the poor clergyman, who is really trying to do his best for his parishioners.