The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-28

world. We al, remember the stofy Oh IVA.
polcnn. who. finding in Ron'c statues o! Ins
twe,ve apostles fn silver, declared be WouIu
end them on their mission through Tue
world. and forthwith had them coineu
into money, There Is moral 10 lhls .naS
we NAV web reject upon. If the cnurches
cannot now recast their grand buildings Muo
money! they should at least pause peo,e
thew 70 farther in such waste OF the Lo.u
money as to build churches running UP 'h'o
the hundreds OF thousands.
The policy we are criticisipg leaos 10 eN'
c,nsiy.ness. while it engenders price. Eacn
congregation il 50 fully engaged 10 its own
schemes for making grand ceatre Ina. 'ne
claims of the poorer sections are SET asioe VI
entirely ignored. owe canpot heip you
inst now: we have our hanas tu'i VIII oui
own church, which is to cost us one OF tmo
hundred thousand" is the reply often mace
to appeals for aid in building modest i'V''e
chapel to cost a few hundred dollars.
It is wholly mistake TO propose 10 reaIu
the masses by building fine ana cos19
churches. The poor are. deferred from GU,
tering them. The rich may go, Dut ra,els
the Door. This has been seen IN Lon9oh'
where taking St. Paul's MS cen're) tueie
are scores and scores Of the hnest cnurc r
in England. Do the poor go TO them! No.
This has been 80 fully seen by the We'iesans
that they are now hard at work ouiioing JOG
hundred Mousand dollars worth OF chape's
in London.
vets silks. satins, richly-cushioued pews,
champinc steeds, glitteripg carriages, hireo
singers, often ungodly, whose interest IN the
melody of the sanctuary has only none
tary value. Can any suppose that poor
woman in a calico dress and sun.Donnet, OF
|aboring man in his plain GARD, Will ven
; ture into the midst Of such scene
The houses for Gods worship should De
plain. neat, substantia', commodious, ana
large enough to accommodate several hun.
dred peope; and they should be free 10 all
: classes-lke the sunshine, like the rain, IKE
the air. Anything, everything, should DC
=, avoided that might turn single sinner away
4 from the door. Every one that comes shoulG
Z feel that he is coming to house That Ood
owns, and where the humblest Of His crea-
lures can learn the way OF salvation.
What an example do the Roman Catholics
set us in this matter. Who claims exclusive
:. privileges in their churches? No man. be
; he great, or wise, or rich all meet as Coos
: sinful creatures in Gods house.
When shall we have reform in this mat
ter of lavishing our money on churches
When shall We come to Il sense Of our DUTY
in the work of sending the gospel among
9 the poor, and building in their midst chap
els wherein we may gather their children
: and themselves and teach them together the
way to heaven: ;.
{ One of the signs of Chris's kingdom !:
that "the poor have the gospel preached tc
: them" But do they have it preached tt
= them in the magnificent churches on which
, protesting Christians now lavish thell
: money! Would it not be preached to thou
sands of them that never hear it if we puc
less for fine churches and more to misslona
rieS, Sunday schools, and chapels, among thu
poor of the land!
Let us think on these things.-Mtchmont
Christian AdcOcQte.