Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-03-30

not enter -; indeed, they are not expected
to be seen within such walls. Congre-
CATION after congregation has thus moved,
and although it may be said that much Of
the lower part of the city is given up to
stores and commercial purposes, still, it is
undeniablc that there is no adequate sup /
ply Of gospel ordinances provided BY the /
Church, for the masses of the people who ,
still remain. The wealth Of the Christians
Of New York ha, been misapplied. We
do not object to the erection Of beautiful
and tasteful edifccs ; bu. We hold that 1t
is altogether sinful to squander OH one
building a sum which would erect three
or four, when these arc required to accom-
modate the people, and when funds also
are needed to sustain ministry to go out
among the goddess and ignorant and COM
pei them to come in. Let no one say
that church Of wealthy members should
not be debarred from erecting costly
ediiice, if they use their own money,and If
they build structure which snot beyond
the scale Of luxury and magnidcence to
be seen in their own homes. Christians
arc but stewards, and if the heather in
our cities are going to ruin here, and has
TENN to ruin hereafter, while the means
which God has given his people to be used
for his glory,arc spent on costly mansions,
and on costly churches to vie with those
mansions, while the gospel is withheld
from multitules whose souls are perishing
let such professors gee to it. They will
have their account to render at the judg
ment seat of Christ. And not only there,
it will be seen that even in time there will
be reckoning. Let the Church of God
neglect the multitudes in New York, in
Philadelphia, and in our great cities gen
orally, and the fostering masses Of moral
putridity will speedily cause their delete
rious influences to bo felt, till they con-
vince even the thoughtless and the selfish
that there is law Of retribut;ou in the
government Of God-a Law which can not
be violated with impunity.
/ In this land where there are no national
endowments, no ecclesiastical funds and
rich church corporations, it is left to the
Church from age to age, to meet The fpl-
ritual wants Of the population. If those
wants be neglected BY the Withholding CT
means, then rest assured that in taxation,
in law, in insurance, il depreciation of tie
value Of property, in loss Of life and the
general Insecurity Of society such short
sish,eiuess and such Iisgardlincss in re-
gard to the means Of moral influence,
will meet with their reward. There
is that withhoideth more than is meet, and
it tendeth to poverty. The warning is be,
ing uttered in the ears of the church. The
evil may yet be remedied. The peop! !e Of
God have abundant means to meet all the
difficulties of the social disease wu.2h is
spreading among US. But there is need Of
,rompti;udc. Iti is fully time that tLe
church would see to it, and that by hcl
wise cou-sels, and liberal action, aud per.
scvering efforts, such provision shall b
made for the outlying masses Of the popu
iation as shall convince them that there /:
vital principle it the Gospel; aprincipl'
which leads the servant of the Lord to cart
for his brother and to sock his tempora
and eternal welfare. With many VIA
never enter any house of God, the ide'
prevails that religion merely means costly
churches and high salaries for ministers
Leave the masses TO their ignorance anc
this feeling will spread, while their ignor
ancs and crime viii, as We have already
said, be sure to bring host of evils II
their train.-PrcsbylcriGn R7aaer.