Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-07-06
vrom The Hartford Conn Times.
Political Fanafi SIN fuJuriOus to
Christianity-- why are there so few
addifiOns IN Our Churchest

We find IN the second DAYS proceedings, June
nth, 1863. of the annual convention of the gen
eral association of the Congregations churches
of Connecticut. held at Hartford, the following
proceedings:
The report of the committee on the question.
"Whv are there so few additions tO our churchesl"
was presented bv Dr. Cleveland, of New Haven
The substance of The report was. thit there hid
not been since 1858 an outpOuring of the Holy
Ghost eqnal TO the wants of the churches. II the
churches had been willing TO take in any persons
who had been haptise1, aud who had Il general
religious knowledge and "a fair moral character.
they would have been tull TO m unprecedent ex
tent: hut thew have properly refused to receive any
save those who show a true regeneration. The
committee also deplored the GOODNESS that follow
ed the periods of great revivals. and the lack Of
warm co operation on the part of the lay mem
hers OF the church. The ministers OF the gosrel
were also blamed for the laxitv of the present in
terest in the churches. The report was acrep,ed.
The report of the committee ON a more gen
eral Observance of infant baptism was read hy
DR. r. s Vprmilve, of sat Windsor Seminary.
There are 2S3 churches in the State. In 1862
there were rs churches in which there were no
infant bapiiSm. and il has been less in compari
son with the EpiScnpal Church. in The ratio of
one 10 FIVE Out Of 2S3 churches in the Safe,
there we're only IL who blptizel ten and INV ird
III - ~ WIFI ARAN VIM "IIL wv ~ ~
is one church in which there has mot heen - hap
tism in five wears. There seems to he a leaning
toward the B ptist theory. IA %oppo>ei to the sac
rament of inftnt hiptism II would seem that
FIVE infants should occur To every bundled COM
municantS. AT present there are not two to a
hundred Ministers aud laymen are both To
blame for the falling away ia the practice at this
ordinance The report Of the COMMITTED very
strongly urged the Importance and necessity of
| infant haptisr, Tho raDort MAS aecpnfaa
THE great laxity of the present interest in the
churches" on the part Of the ministers, j. readily
accounted for. A good share of them are on the
stump. spOuting on politics. and make their
churches mere caucus rooms or places for politi
cal discussion. There are. of course, few ad
ditions' tn such churches People prefer TO join
a regularly organized political party. than to con-
meet themselves with a church protesting To- teach
the principles and precppts of the Prince of Peace.
whilst thev are preaching politics the most OF the
lime. The Episcopal Church. it appears, bap
ties many more infants-fve to one-thsn the
Congregational. The Episcopal Church rarely
NEEDLES with politics. The result. quite reason
able. too. j. found in this report ct the Cpngrega
tionnl Committee. These facts are worthy at
the consideration of the Christian community.
But we do not doubt that they will he lost upon
the churches. Indeed. another of this
same General Assembly reports that the churches
of tine Association have shown themselves most
truly loval supporters of the Government and of
The mr. MES now fighting the battles of liberty in
the held"-which il rath er hosstiul Of their polit-
ical hdeliiv n church organic ,tions. and by infer
ence assumes that other churches NAV not ''be
loyal 10 the Government and the armies" which
II not a remarkable instance of Christian char
ity. Il IL strange that thinking p,rents do not
Get their infants baptized in such political IN
stitutionsf