SUBURBAN CHURCHES.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 892, 11 August 1910, Page 5

SUBURBAN CHURCHES.

■■•; LACK OF SUPPORT. '~ The, tendency of suburban residents to/join city congregations, discussed at the meeting of the Wellington Presbytery on Tuesday, is of no, little moment as affecting, tho growth'and progress of the Church. The- Presbytery, since,it. declined to. interforo in tho matter, evidently accepted the- view that.church-, goers must be left free to chooso their own place of worship, but it is probable that some further effort will bo made to obtain assistance for outlying churches ■ in 'rotaining as adherents Presbyterians who reside in their' ,im- : mediate neighbourhood. The Itcv. Mr., Hutson, in speaking on behalf of the Brooklyn ; congregation, described; a case of some hardship. A large pro-, portion of tho Presbyterians residing in Brooklyn,'he declared, attended citychurches.- ■ Their- ■■ children; attended Sunday School or Bible Class in tho suburb, but tho adults attended churches in town. As. a result tho Brooklyn Church had to depend for a part of ! its support on tho augmentation fund. Given as a congregation,. the church members living in the suburb, it would quickly . emerge from • its languishing condition, and become selfsupporting, but as things now stood progress was woll-nigh impossible. Attempts to increase the church membership vttrc constantly defeated, peoplo approached stating that t-hoy were already attached to churches in tho city. Mr. Hutson evidently felt- the difficulty of his position keenly,' for ho stated that, had ho known tho true state of affairs prior to accepting his , chargo, ■ ho would not .have taken it up. A prominent member of the' Prosby'tery stated to a Dominion representative last evening-his belief that sonio way of assisting the suburban churches would have to be fonnd. Unless people could bo induced to prefer the ecclesiastical! establishments at their own doors to those in the city, tho'former might as well be permitted to drop out of existence. Anything in tho shape of coercion was, of course, out of the question, but if a united effort wore made people might bo induced to accot-d voluntarily the support of which tho suburban churches stood so badly in need.