Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1867-06-10

bury became Chairman of a committee
to open theaters and halls for worship,
and for religious gatherings of the work
ing classes, in London. A million or
so ofdollars had been spent in building
and endowiug churches, but he said that
the new churches and the pastors sent
out expressly to teach the masses failed.
The people were not at. home in any
church, aud would not attend at all.
But the halls and theaters were easily
and at once filed, and with listening
and attentive audiences, composed, in
large measure, of different people, gath
cred from the classes accustomed to at
tend those very resorts, and would not
and did not attend any other house Of
worship.
Even John Wesley would have felt
strange had he been invited to preach
in the Boston theater, where the Rev.
Drs. Bellows and Collyer have for some
Sunday evenings been preaching to i'm
mense audiences. With q small table,
covered with a colored cloth, in front Of
the stage, with the curtain up, and the
scenery Of the theater in the back
ground, surrounded on the stage BY the
most reverend, grave and influential
men Of the city, preaching, praying,
and the.whole congregation singing in
a most solemn and hearty manner, moth
ing could seem more natural and appro-
pirate and deyout. No doubt many
have been attracted by the novelty. |
More perhaps were there who never
were in a thsater before than those new
err in a church; but a DIFFERENTIATION
of the crowd t~hronging outside and fill
ing the street long before the door, were
opened, and an hour or two before the
service, would Show any n that the
audience was composed chiefly Of the
most respectable Of those accustomed
to resort on a week day to the recrea-
tons of the theater.
The discourses. too, have been wisely |
adapted to the auditors, and the effect
Of the whole is quite as devotional rs
much of the fashionable worship Of that
city, where lauguid w~orshippers in half
empty pews 60 through the accustomed
forms unexcitcd. Is this thing worth
attempting in other cities? Will it do
more good than HARM what will be its
effects? are questions now constantly
being asked, and worthy Of the gravest
consideration. In England the effect
has been the waking up of the public to
the fact that Christianity was losing its
hold upon vast classes Of the people.
Some were too indifferent ever to 60 to
church, some too poor apparently, and
some too vicious, And yet, where wor-
ship meets these very people in the right
way, they seem to enjoy it all the more
for the long ~privation. There laymen
are preaching, it is said, with marked
success, while bishops preach at railroad
stations and in cathedrals. Even women
preach as well as men. Amusements Of
a higher order are gotten up for the poor
in chapels, TO draw the workmen away
from the gin palaces on a Saturday
night when their wages are just paid.
Eminent medical men have created also
a medical Christian mission, where they
freely impars their service to the poor,
mingled with religiousadvice and prsysr.
Singers, too, 60 from house to house to
sing for the sick.
OF course,'to this new movement on
each side Of the Atlantic there are many
directors. Some say it lead, more TO
the theater than the church. Others
fear an irreverentisl tendency and many
kindred dangers. Tho mere love Of
novelty, it is said, will draw audience,
for a short time, but the interest will
die out. Still, no good man regrets the
MONDAY prayer meetings, begun some
ten years ago, and there seems nj rea-
son why preaching in thesters should
not be tried in all our cities. Il will be
eminently useful to any denomination
engaging in it, by opening their eyes to
see and their hearts to syupathize with
others. There is no reason why all
denominations should To- engage in it.
Religious ~stagnation is the bane of the
Church universally, but the effort to do
others good will awaken energy in the
coolest breast. Speaking to large au-
diences will FIRE up the least animated
preachers. The avoidance Of h~ackneyed
theological terms and phrases, so strong
" recommended by John Foster, and
the study to find out acceptable words,
ereu words Of truth, will often give new
life to old principles and make speakers
and hearers equally fresh men. In q
movement of this kind, however, the
very best and most active and expert
enced msn should be engaged; and the
object should be, not selishly to build
up a sect or congregation, but to do the
highest, the greatest good.
WOMAN SuFFRAaR.-The New Orleans
Time, il in a very cheerful humor. After
remarking facetiously that the South is