The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1857-12-12

Il 10 MS tNeilt| 5Ss~bu Jc"t, II V"S
neighborhood. BY listening to the impas-
stoned soul-stirring addresses of Davies,
the spirit and fire of his eloquence were
kindled. S. G..
From the Pr, sbyterian Herald.
How Congregations Can be Increased.
1t is a painful fact which forces itself
upon the attention of every intelligent OBJ
server, that but a small proportion of the
people in any part of our country are habi-
tual attendants upon the preaching of the
Gospel. Most of them go to some place
of worship, occasionally, when some star
preacher comes along, or some great meet
ING is held, but it is only one here and there
who makes habit of being found in his
place in the house of God on each returning
Sabbath. That this is SO, may be seen by
computing the number of people in given
district, and then deducting from it the
number who are in attendance upon the
churches in that district from Sabbath to
Sabbath. Those who have never made the
trial will probably be astonished to find how
many more there are who neglect the house
of God than there are who frequent it..
Learned, able and pious men preach to
congregations varying from one to two,
three and four hundred, whilst as many
thousands in reach of their ministry are
either doing away the sacred hours in their
houses, visiting or wandering aboutin search
of their own pleasure. This is not true
simply in one locality, but it is fearfully true
all over this Christian land Of ours. The
question is, How can the evil be remedied,
and habits of church-going established
among the people7 The usual answer is,
Get eloquent and attractive preachers, line
houses of worship, and attractive music, and
the people will come to church, and many
good men settle down into the belief that if
this can not be done, their responsibility
ceases, and their efforts are useless. But
really eloquent men, in the common mean
ing of the term, are very few and far be-
tween; and fine churches aiAa ln,gt ;RasiGc can
only he had at great expense, and but few
communities are either able or willing to
procure them. If the churches are never
filed until every community is supplied with
these, they will never be filled at all. We
must devise some other method of remedying
the evil or it must continue to exist. What
practicable remedy can be adopted?
Both preachers and people must combine
tbeir efforts. or the evil, except In eXtraOr-
dinary cases, can not be reached. They
must see that it exists, that it ought to be
removed, and that the responsibility Of its
existence rests upon them conformity. The
preacher can not remove it unaided by his
people, nor can they remove it if he does
not second their efforts. They and he must
work together, or they will fail. He must
prepare himself by solemn prayer and care
ful study, that he may be able so to conduct
the services as to make them interesting and
profitable to the people when they do attend.
He must fill his mind with thoughts that
breathe, and clothe his tongue with words
that burn, and utter his message III such
manner as to attract the careless, instruct
the ignorant and warn the tl"ughtlcSs
Only few men can be eloquent, but all may
be earnest and instructive, if they will only
use the means which God has pnt within
their reach. And after all is said, earnest
ness and solid instruction, delivered from {;
heart glowing with ardent love for the souls
of those who hear, will do more to attract
and hold the attention Of the masses than
honied words and graceful manner. Al
earnest minister, whose heart yearns over
the condition Of dying sinners, rarely lack:
for hearers, unless, indeed his church Grip
pie his efforts by their want of cooperation
with him. Doubtless one of the great rea
sons why men are not more frequently at
tracted to our churches, is the fact that W,
who preach do not address them as if w
really believed and felt what we were saying
when they do come. There is somethin!
in the human heart that responds to an earn
est appeal upon almost any subject. If tn
preacher be in deep earnest himself, he vii
impart more or less of it to his hearers. W
admit, then, that very large share of tn
responsibility for small congregations rest
upon the men who preach. They do thei
work in a manner so careless and indifferent
that those who hear them do not becom
interested in it.
But we contend that very large shar
of that responsibility rests also upon tn
churches to which they minister. They d
not hold up their hands and sanction thei
efforts as they ought to do. Church men
bers are frequently not in their places whe
the hour of public worship comes roun,
They sometimes attend one part of the day
and either wander off to some other pac
of worship, or are doing in their beds g
upon their lounges, when the second scryic
is held. Men Of the world lool, in and sc
empty benches, and find the church-membrr
, absenting themselves for the most friyolot
| excuses, and they conclude if these Chri
| tians can neglect Gods house, and trci
f Gods minister, whom they have invited an
D, selected as their spiritual guide, with indi
q ference, we can and will do so too II
: preacher delivers his message coldly, al
$ with but little animation, because he is d
i livcring it, in large part, to empty benche
ID His people take no interest in it how c;
v he expect sinners to feel it? His hea
sinks within him, and he becomes discoura
ed in his work, and does it very poorl