The New York herald., 1875-07-19
ALL SOULS EPISCOPAL CHURCH,
BROOKLYN.
t;wHY DO so FEW PEOPLE ATTEND CHURCH ?"-
SERMON BY DR. PoRTEoUs.

tiwRY DO so FEW PEOPLE ATTEND CHURCH ?"-N
SERMON BY DR. PoRTEoUs.
Yesterday morning good congregation listened
TO discourse upon the above subject by Rev. DIR.
PoPteous. He took no text but said that the topic
had been suggested TO him by seeing an advertise
nent wherein western clergyman wished to
proonre an essay upon the above subject
This question interests us alias a Church,
as receivers of Gods truth, as men and
women who attend places OF worship or who
FOR good reasons absent ourselves and even as
neulrals 1t is not matter OF speculation, but
one OF statistics, that not more than one-half of
the population attend the recognized commodious
churches of the land. They know that the Church
free; that 1t is open for worshippers; and, not
witnstandiDg the general respectabi!ity OF the
attendance ana the orthodox pabulum given and
received they pay very little attention to the IN
yitetioH join the Christian churchgoers in their
deyotions in the sanctuary. The tide, in the
pTeachor's opinion, seemed TO be drifting away land
not toward the Church Very intelligent men In
commercial circles go here or II they do they
GO TO PLEASE THEIR WIVES;
very inrelgent men in professional circles never
darken pew by even so much as their shadow
rne best scientific men not only never discuss
the merits OF the Church, but dismiss 1t from
thetT thoughts Many OF the best comm ercal
| and scientific men, poets and philosophers keep
who arc too imbecile to exercise Sunday con-
| science, too poor to purchase sunday clothes
Keep outside also; and the solution OF the ques-
ton seemed TO demand On analysis of
/ the reasons which Keep both classes away. The
/ speaker wished to analyze those reasons which
superncially are alleged as su1lcieRt cause for
men TO absent themselves from public woHSAip.
Men tell US that they are not satisfied wttsuiao
Church as an institution Of ecclesiasticisn They
think religion was never designed TO be O cnurchly
affair; that nowhere in the sayings or doings Of
! the Great Master does He sanction or emphasize
the building of churches, but He lays the inJunc-
tlon that men shall
WORSHIP THE FATHER IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH.
These men assert that so far from the Founder
OF Christianity laying down an exact measure
ment OF ecclesiasticism Ia the churches His
speeches. admonitions and suggestions ere all
tinged with distinct hints to the contrary. They
cSm. which is permitted to be called orthodoxy, ia
not IN found the Church OF Christ but 10 found the
81 Of aa to make e the
thing OF name and not Of life, the prop
erty of Baptsts, the exclusive right OF
Episcopallans the monopoly OF Presbyterians and
noe she gift to the human race. Men allege that
bney 40 not md an intelligence commensurate
with the expanding intellect OF the day IN the
MADE Since The ' Council Of Of Eice that It si IS
sds they sere taat OUTSIDE the churcns @
tue Bar, In the Senate, the medical and other pro-
iessions-whole troops OF brilliant men are to be
found. and only imperfect specimens generally
sink in TO the pulpit The preacher conceded that
Ia oiner fields OF labor there were evaugei!sts OF
Gods trutn in a higher sense than the preacher
uf Jle nlodern orthodox gospel II Will net sur.
prise you when say that
MACHINERY HAS CIVILIZED THE WORLD,
and tbat the waeels have been creased by men
outside OF the Church. Men who have been called
iBndels and latuudlnarans have done the most
ior humanity. do not believe that tue Lord
Jesus Christ ever intended that there should be
any eccleslasticism In the world or that we should
be formed into communions. He ala not mean
that we should not have churcnes. He meant
that wherever two or three were gathered to-
getheT under the Inspiration OF HIS name there he
would be in the midst Of them as Mediator and
saviour TO bless them and to do them good.
Church going In England 10 essentially a Gus
tom, net fashion. Everybody goes 10 the parish
church for centuries. In this country your at
taehments are neither 10 ancient nor 80 stable.
we go 10 the eaGTch to NJ hear preachers rs f9T wnat
yiCe mat plesses US, or wo obtain sentiment
tAere which does something TO us that we call
tns ehurc6 we expect the quality OF the sermsn
70 Ds SSS You ay T tss Sm1s t o.De
got good deal Of 1t Notwithstanding. The minis
ters give what they are expected. Now, until the
thaf shall not be sutagonistic TO science we mast
nave religion that oispenses with
THE PABLBs OF OLD WOMEN;
we must have q religion thai GUS the ground OF
500 prst and speaks to US In the language OF prog
rsss; religion that shall come out OF the highest
Ssas Dd mat Sssgss Ss n H's s %ep oe1
Until such gospel Is preached-until Cathoicity
taxes the place OF dogma. But there Is another
beoause the momont we are observed we are
asked 90 Join the membership, TO come INTO an or:
ganIzatlon, not TO support the love OF Coo and
make the attendance, to give our monoy-wbat
Tor To bring down barriers Of nerce contention;