TRE CHURCH AND THE WORKING MAN.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 9590, 9 September 1909, Page 7

TRE CHURCH AND THE WORKING MAN.

CENTRAL MISSION AND BROTHERHOOD WORK IN ENGLAND.

LECTURE BY MR A SNO WvsALL.

In connection with the Home Mis sion Department of the Methodist Church, Mr Alfred Snowball, General Secretary of the local Y.M.C.A., delivered his illustrated lecture last evening on "The Church and the Working Man" to a very good attendance, in spite of the very inclement weather. The Rev. C. E. Porter occupied the chair. The first part of the lecture was descriptive of the social and other work of famous Central Missions in England, dealing with the welfare of the poor and the working classes in relation to the Church. The lecturer took hia hearers through the slums of London, and dealt with the poverty stricken districts of Stepney (East End), Bermonday and Deptforri, snowing the magnificent work of the Revs. Peter Thompson, N. T. Meakin and (iregory Mantle, finishing up the London work with a glimpse of the famous Leysian Mission. From London to Birmingham, and then to Hull, where an interesting account of the Brotherhood work was given. The work of Sheffield, Leeds, Wigan and Manchester was next illustrated, the latter mission being understood to be the finest social and reclamative work in the United Kingdom. Manchester, with j is twelve centres under the super- J intendency of the Kev. b F. Collier, has battled successfully with the poverty question of this great industrial centre for 23 years. The second part of the lecture related to the story of the famous "Eastbrook Brotherhood" at Bradford, England Considerable discussion arose, the speaker said, over working men's apathy to religion, and it was in a great measure left to the city of Bradford to lead off and show that working rrer. were not irreligious, and that the real fault of their standing aloft from church worship lay in the churches themselves. Class distinction in many instances kept men outside, making them feel that they were not welcome. The system of pew rents, the careful upholstering of the pews of the elect, and the general lack of brother!iness all tended towards this indifference. With this difficulty borne in mind it was decided to pull down the famous old Eastbrook Chapel and build a modern hall for mission purposes, and the system of pew rents and cushions were abolished. It was thus determined that man should be made to feel on an equality and at home in the new hall, which was opened at a cost of £27,000 The "Eastbrook Brotherhood" began its wonderful work on October 2nd, 1904, and crowds of men commenced to gather at its meetings, and have continued to do so ever since. One thousand members were mentioned as the aim of the workers for their first year's work. The thousand was reached, in four months, and at the end of the 12 mooths' work the total number of members on the roll was 2,634. In two years and a half over 5,000 men were enrolled. As many as 110 men have joined in one afternoon, and during the first 21 years the lowest, number of new members in a single day was 13. At the close of the first month an opportunity came never to be forgotten. The subject for the Sunday afternoon meeting was: "What'll Win?" and the Rev H. M. Nield, founder of the movement, had hoped to gam the ear of the betting fraternity of the city, which he did, and their eye, by the use of the "Sporting Chronicle" placards, on which the title was announced. On the afternoon there lay waiting him in the vestry a postcard on which was written "Re your address on 'What'll Win?' Hackler's Pride is good business for the Cambridgeshire." When this was read to the meeting a great roar went up, showing that the betting men were there in great force. As the result of this address many a man gave up having his "bit on,'' and some fine workers were turned on the moi'e aggressive portion of the mission work. The sequel of the post card incident was very amusing, for Hackler's Pride won the Cambridge- ] j shire, and the news went through ! the Bradford workshops that the | parson at Eastbrook had tipped the I winner. Ten flocked to the meetings I from that day forth, and although at first merely out of curiosity, many of them came to be staunch workers in the mission fields. Having got the crowd, an earnest effort was made to retain it. Every man was j visited if the roll showed an absenca of three consecutive Sundays, and the staff of thiry visitors were kept busy during the week. As might be expected, the church itself benefited greatly by this great influx of manhood. Nearly 5,000 pledges were taken during the first eighteen months of the mission work. It was a weekly occurrence to have 8,000 people gathered at the mission premises on Sunday. The good upon the city was incalculable, the speaker included, members of Parliament, magistrates, merchants, tradesmen, the Stipendiary and the Licensing Bench, all added their testimony as to the moral , effect on • the city life, in home and in business. ' The lecture was illustrated through- ' out by magnificent lantern views, depicting the various scenes in corv • neetion with the Cential Missior ' work in England, and the Eastbroul brotherhood, of which Mr Snowbal was secretary tor fifteen months. Oi the motion of the Rev. Porter, M Snowbail was accorded a heatry vot> of thanks for his lecture.