Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-09-27


The following are, in brief, the twenty
reasons
/. People do not 60 to church be-
cause the church does not, except to a
limited and exceptional extent, ask them
to come to it.
2 The inducements presented to the
community are generally not Of the prop
or kind or character
8. The clergy, as a whole, are nota-
bly, deficient and inefficient. Chat is
too often given instead Of the needed
wheat
4. The expense is too great. Where
free seats are provided the location is,
for the most part, an insult to whOmso-
ever they are offered. This offence has
few worthy exceptions in Boston and |
maybe, elsewhere.
.. There is too much doctrine and |
sect preached, and too little real chris
tianity. Facts are facts.
G. The requirements as to dress are
excessive If the church, as such, is
not responsible for this, its members are.
Z. IL is too much the resort Of fash
ion and gossip. Ladies 90. those who
feel that they safely can, to see and
show, compare and criticise, and after
that to discuss the latest soiree, and
slash and cut everybody available char
acter in general. The attendant mel
20 because-the women do. ats the
thing, you know my boy" The church
is thus perverted from its high and no
Die purpose.
s. II contains too many rings, and is
too ''muchly" managed There is a too
abundant amount Of the cut.and-dry ar
rangemcnt. The living spirit of chris
tiauity gives way to mere duty and
mouldy form. So, you know.
9. There is little or no sympathy for
the poor and unfortunate. 1.-The poor
ye have with you always" is practical
ly ignored. They are hustled into the
back seats where hymn-boOks, liturgies
and bibles are as unknown as in hea.
then lands.
10. operate instead Of religious mu
sic is given by the choir. People pre-
fer the operea at the theatre, and tn
devotional in church. That'sso.
IL. The preacher generally holds fOrtl
TO the richest men and heaviest tax-pay
ers. As they are mostly bald-headed
he has no difficulty in arranging hi
sermon under df not UPON the prOpe
heads. Guess.
IL. Sunday is, or should be, day
rest. Many Of our religious services al
50 numerous and so crowded togethe
that rest is out Of the question. Eve
no rest for the righteous saint, lettir
alone the needful wicked sinner.
Is. Full One-half the clergy in 8
wi NAtltoi % WILL 10 ObuGI
are the right men in the wrong plat
That is 10 say, they have mistaken the
occupation. They might be frst-ra
merchants, mechanics, manufacture
laborers, inventors, artisans, etc,
are very indifferent preachers. Tit
are not over ten olergymen in Bost
who begin to Eli their respective bOus
even with eight or ten deacon horse-p c
or to aid them.
II. The church is woefully lack
in the social element. 1t is too often
cold as an iceberg. and as stiff as a r;
rod. II is not only a sect, but set
10. Some people perhaps they
MISTAKEN believe that with the b
aud well-selected library Of religi
and other good works. including the
sermons in print, they can pass the {
bath as piously at home as in chu
where politics, temperance and Of
secular subjects are often offensir
showered upon the congregation. H,
they remain at home.
lG. Black sheep abound in the a
not unfrequently covering the pulp
we'll as the pew. Now and then a
or woman is so ridiculously partiC
as 20 have some little care about
company he or she keeps. Reput'
is regarded as something.
H. The church is given to sea-
1t Is sad TO make this assertion, bV
IS too true. That formal professor
religion-Ineek and humble COR SUP
70 be- followers OF Jesus Christ s.
descend to such wickedness as sla
back-biting and all manner Of une
ableness, is melancholy CONNER
the church and its membership.
are some--if not many-who avoi,
sanctuary for this reason. The r
too great
Is. The worship Of God was
before churches were built, or so
organized. Accordingly the clai
the community that it is under
ton to seek the sO-called house Of
ship, is not universally recognized
quite Folks will think. turn it
look at the inside and the Outsid,
then 60 to logical sequence; q
doing 50 they sometimes becom
siders. "Hr "