Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-11-03
Churchcs for aIlOIasses,

1t may not be q waste OF time for US 10 con-
slider q little on q Saturday the custom which
civilized and Christian nations have Of "going
to church" ou Sundays. It is eminently a
Christian institutions, In the way that we per-
form il. Mohammedans assemble in their
mosks on Fridays at noon, for prayer, and occa.
sionally hear an exhortatory address from
sheik of the mosk, or derwish Of reputed
sanctity. Some pagan nations have special
days for meeting IL their temples to pray and
praise their deaf gods. But the practice Of
gathering in well dressed crowds, to sit bolt
upright in pew for two hours of Sunday
morning, and nearly equal space Of time In
the afternoon, listening to muaic, staring around
at one another, hearing sermon, and separat-
ing, Is eminently Christian custom, and may
perhaps be styled almost exclusively Protestant
custom. Et. .3.
Far be 1t from US to say aught irreverent Of
the house of God, or of the services Of the
Sabbath day. The assembly in the church is
to some Christians, who 60 there devoutly, the
most sacred and refreshing hour of all the
week, the hour In which they gather most
strength for the labors of life. But It cannot
fail to be suggested to the rejecting mind, that
there ID something wanting In the forms OF wor
ship in our churches, or something too much Of
worldliness mingled with the services. The
church ought not to be place for the display
of dresp, or into which any person should be
deferred from coming by any effect of poverty.
Il cannot be doubted that In our American
churches the lines of social life existing out
side of the houae of God aretoo marifestly pre-.
served. Let any stranger, brought from an In
telligent but churohless country, be placed on
Sunday morning, in one Of our city churches,
and asked TO explain what was going on, and
without knowledge of the language be might
be exceedingly puzzled to guess the nature
of the ceremonies he was Witnessing. 31oc g
He would listen to the music, as do the con.
gregations mostly, and would admire the ele-
gance of the assembly, as all do. But 1t is
questionable whether the bowed heads of por.
ton of the audience would suggest to him the
idea Of prayer to the God Of the Americans, or
il be did take that idea he would certainly In.
quire whether the same God was worshiped
by the Door as by the rich, and If 60, where
were the former class, immensely outnumber.
ing the latter as they always do in all commu-
mites. -s rtf st .s-f,
II is one Of the curious characteristics Of
many of our city churches that all the congre
cations are people Of wealth, or at least of com
Portable property. The poor are not visible
among the thousands who thropg them Why
is this sol In the country, we are all familiar
pews allotted to those who are unable to pay
for their sittings. The same, custom prevails
in some of the city churches; but in most of
them the gallery pews command high rents, and
the poor have only two or three remote seats,
near the door, which they seldom or never 90.
cupy, and which are quite likely to be appropri-
ated by we'll dressed strangers.
The truth is, there Is great mistake made
in the church architecture among Protestants;
q mistake which has become 90 prevalent now
that 1t has become part of the manners and Gus
toms of England and America, but especially
of America, and It is greatly to be feared will
never be corrected. This mistake consists in
the introduction of peWs. They should never
have been allowed to mar the interior Of reIig-
ious ediices and bring, as they inevitably do,
social distinctions into the House of God -
There ought to be no distinction In His pres
ence between the poor and the rich. The
most proud and delicate lady should kneel
unhesitatingly side by side with the child Of
shame, IL by any chance the latter could be
broughtinto the place of prayer. susl
There should be nothing In the church ar
rangements which would prevent rich or poor
from entering the assembly for lack Of "some-
thing to wear" In general, churches should be 80
arranged for public worship that no person In
entering, or in preparing to attend, should have
appearance, fashion, or dress, even suggested to
the mind as forming part of the considerations
OF attendance. No humble poor person should
fear remark upon his or her shabby apparel, no
hesitating daughter of fashion should be pre-.
vented from seeking the place Of prayer in the
plainest clothing. saaJgs4El tas s ,ep,aa
Hospitality in pew holders is great, most
desirable virtue. In some Of our city churches
it Ia cultivated. In n7others it s absolutely IN.
known But this virtue in perfection would
never supply the deficiency to. which We at pres
ent allude. Nor, 80 long as pews exist, which
are sold at enormous prices, aud charged with
heavy ground rents, is it probable that churches
will be common ground for the rich and poor, OF
be freed from the exhibitions of dress and fash
ion. But could il be otberWisel We apprehenC
that great difficulty would be found In correct
ing the evil and keeping up churches on the vol
untary principle. Sill IL might be done. @
In Continental churches, especially in the
| cathedrals, the floor is free to all the world
Near thes door 10 kept q great pile Of cheaE
stout chairs, which the cust0dians, answering q
our sections, carry up to the front of the altar
as fast % they are demanded. Each person
having Q chair pays one, two or three sous fol
it. The church is thronged with those who
cannot pay the sou, but who kneel on the pave
.ment BY the side Of the wealthieat. The result
of such system IL, that the street beggars worr
and haggaRd, pfays at the altar With the banker
The daughter Of crime, wrapped In her veil
kneels, s0bhing. By the side Of the matron ant
lhar pure daughters, Old and young rich ans
Ipoor, noble and iguoble, sinners all, and In th'
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