Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-08-13

Undoubtedly the practice which 10 prevalent
In this and other cities Of closing certain churches
In the hot summer months is founded In error
and productive OF more or less evil, Looking at
10 In superficial way, IL 10 said that the congre-
cations are very small, that the clergy need Va
cation, that two or three summer congregations
can well be accommodated In ons church, and
that, therefore, there IL no harm but q positive
relief In the custom. On the other hand, II 10 to
be said that the clergy should be relieved by the
sermon mig ht be omitted, and the services " con on
nned to the acts Of PRAYER and praise which are or
oughtto be the chief objects Of 'going to church"
Ihere are numerous ciergymen whose health has
compelled them to resign active employment, and
young men engaged In study, who would gladly
occupy city pulpits for few summer weeks, and
who would thus be employed to their own profit,
In their services which they needed.
On the other hand, the mallness Of congrega-
CATION is no excuse for closing place Of worship.
The erroneou, notion on which this excuse 10
nence given % the sermon in most Protestant
churches. The idea 10 prevalent that II there IL
small congregation, 1T Ii Is hardly worth preach
assembly, or at least a respectable assembly il
necessary to the full performance of the Sunday
exercises. Surely it needs no argument to eIpel
mi, notion ftom sensible minds, and yet 1t cannot
be doubted that Thousands Of very good people are
impressed with the idea that they 90 to church
tRr sermon, and would be vastly more disap-
pointed II the sermon were omitted than they
Two or three in a gathering ought to be a canon
lcel congregation, and q church ought never to
be closed on Sunday II two or three would come
Into IL for prayer.
1t 10, perhaps, too true that our churches are
very generally "chapels Of ease" They belong
to q body OF pewholders who seem to keep them
for their own special use, and not for the use Of
all sinners. They have built them al their own
praying places. for the accommodation Of their
own bodies and souls, to be taken care Of there
by their own hired minister. We do net know
OF any country In the world except America
where this practice Of close corporation churches
prevails. Heather temples are always open to
the feet and the knees Of all worshippers. Mo-
hammedan mosques are never closed 20 any Of
me faithful nom the dawn, when the voice Of
the Muezzin wakes the sleeping worshippers
win the cry that "prayer Is better than Sleep"
TO the hour OF darkness, when every good Mos
lem goes to bed. European cathedrsls, chapels
to enter and pray. England has partially adopted
the custom to which we object, but America has
perfected q system Of doing her religion by the
JOB, on speciaed plan, for given number OF
pevholders and contributors, who claim a cer-
tain specifed interest In church and clergy
man.
Perhaps some Of our excellent readers who
have been thoroughly educated In this system
will think that we deal too harshly with It, 1t is
certainly better than no system at all, but II 10 a
certainly very poor system, separates religion
from daily life. 1t crowds II into Sunday, and
teads 70 keep II out Of other days. II attaches
ideas Of dress Of social position; Of earthly re-
lations, closely with the duties Of prayer and
praise Ii makes the clergyman a slave, requiring
OF him the weekly production Of 4 sermon 70 meet
a certain standard, and instead Of leading the
worship OF his people, al the prominent duty OF
bis calling, Ii compes him to look on the preach.
Ing as the most important part OF his once. I,
may be too late TO eject q change In the general
practice Of pews and private sitttngs In churches
but IL surely not too late for good people to
revise the custom Of closing large places Of wor-
ship FOR several successive weeks, when they
ought TO stand open with the invitation 70 Ali
who will enter for worship.-N. Y. JosysaI Of
CoRanlkKfa.