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¢ ¢ ae IR December 10, 1927 REV. JAMES A. RICHARDS GIVE CONGREGATIONAL MEMBERSHIP "PLAIN TALK ABOUT NEW CHURCH" Preaches Unique Sermon on Plan of Congregational Church for New Edifice At the Winnetka Congregational church last Sunday morning a sermon was preached by the Rev. James Austin Richards in regard to the campaign for funds for the projected new church building. Since then there have been so many requests that it be printed so that the whole community may read it, that Mr. Richards has supplied it to WiIN- NETKA TALK. He called it "A Plain Talk About the New Church." The text--Amos 7:8, "Then said the Lord, Behold I will set a plumb line in the midst of my people Israel." Mr. Richards said :-- "They use plumb lines in building. They are a means of telling whether lines that ought to be extensions of radii of the earth are what they ought to be. They are a means of testing, of asking questions and of getting answers. Certain it is, however, that Amos was thinking of far more than masons can build or carpenters can do. It was his genius beneath all out- ward events to read a moral and spiri- tual issue. That is why this text has haunted me all the past week. Once again God will set a plumb line in the midst of his people--a means of test- ing, a means of asking and answering questions. It is not the life of Israel that is at stake this time. It is the life of a great Christian church, a church great in size, great in its mis- sion, great in that the eyes of a Chris- tian nation are on it as they are on but few churches, great in that some- thing of the better hopes of American Christianity are in its keeping. "The plumb line of this building en- terprise asks us questions. The first question it asks is, 'Do you under- stand?' In government this church is more democratic than was Israel. Of- ficers it has and to them it commits important duties. Popular assemblies always have to have many matters set- tled for them. The ability, the train- ing, the devotion, the toil brought by the officers of this church to the tasks CHRISTMAS FLORAL DECORATIONS are here now in profusion. Wish- laid in a bigger and finer stock than ever before. There are holly wreaths, of course, as well as mistletoe, poinsettia, and all the other yuletide offerings. But big as our stock is, the demand will be equally big, and, there- fore, we advise early selection. Flowers by Wire DESIGNS -- DECORATIONS Henry y lig Established 25 Years CENTER ST. AT PINE 4 : { ! : 4 9 4 4 ) b 1 3 4 9 1 4 4 9 1 3 4 4 4 \ 4 4 ) 4 4 : y b 1 9 1 b 1 9 4 4 4 . 4 4 4 4 4 p73 1 } ing to please everybody, we have ) ) by 4 4 4 1 { b 1 4 1 3 1 4 4 4 4 b : by 4 3 4 1 ) 4 3 S 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 ! 4 9 1 1 TEL. WINNETKA 313 PS TYPOS PLUS || WINNETKA TALK 13 you have assigned them are beyond all telling. But the major problems of our church life, the major projects of our common endeavor are not settled for the church. They are settled by the church. That is one of the pri- mary meanings of the word 'Congrega- tional'--government by the congrega- tion. But, the successful working of any democracy, be it in nation or state or village or Christian church, rests at last in just one place. It rests in the understanding of the people. So among us every great enterprise is a plumb line asking us whether we understand. Much Preliminary Work "The history of this enterprise is too long to be detailed here, nor is it necessary to give details if only we understand the nature of that history. Much work has been done--hard, de- voted, expensive of time and strength. It has been done without applause or thanks and it has asked for neither because it has been done in joyous and single devotion to the cause. Many tentative steps have been taken, all in due order, all in properly called and advertised and con- stituted meetings and all after open debate. I am reminded that it takes seven years to hold this history. I am told that this matter was debated before I myself had ever so much as heard the name of Winnetka. There is calmness and perspective in under- standing this history. "By this long path we have come to the present place. At a church meet- ing last May, more carefully adver- tised than I ever saw any other church meeting in all my life, certain general plans were submitted and approved by a vote of a little less than two to one. Re ------ There is very much that it is neces- sary to have widely understood about that meeting. It is necessary to have it understood that it was so advertised and that it followed at least seven years of study, of education, of questioning. But other understandings are even more necessary than that. It is neces- sary to understand that nobody, so far as I know, regards a two to one vote as a final settlement of very much. It might be taken as a final settlement in nation, state or village. But the de- mocracy of a church is different from that of these political units. It is more like the democracy of a family. Some questions in a democratic church might be settled by a comfortable ma- jority or even by a bare majority. But any matter so large and vital as this, any matter that calls so loudly for the enthusiastic and sacrificial devotion of the multiude is not well settled that way. (Continued on Page 14) "HE fome Bank [or Winnetka feople" Qficers and Directors HENRY R. HALE President L.B.KUPPENHEIMER Vice~/Yesicdens SANBORN HALE Coshier CEORGE W. MEHINNEY Asst Cashier VICTOR ELTING ~ NOBLE HALE C'mon Folks! Sign Up Now for "Gift Money" in 1928 you? bers of year. lucky ones? Were someone to hand you a check for $100.00 or more right now, you'd think you were dreaming. .. Your first thought would be, "Well, now, that's more than enough to buy all the Christmas gifts I want and still leave me a tidy margin for the New Year!" That's exactly the thrill hundreds of mem- 1927 CHRISTMAS SAVINGS CLUB have experienced. Were you one of the If not, see to it that you are next our Enroll To-day in Our 1928 Christmas Savings Club! .wouldn't Br FL If WINNETKA STATE BANK LIM ST. LAST OF LINCOLN AVE. 8Aa.m. ; mm 8AmM.lo 12-30rm. and 7 lo Br. BANKING HOURS A.M. lo 3S P.M. I