The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1878-11-21

We make a further extract from the
October number of the Atlantic Monthly
Certain Dangerous Tendencies IN Amer
ican Life
"Iu the more prosperous American
churches in the regions to which modern
STYLES of dress and living have extended
the -e are now but few poor people ana
these feel more and more each year that
the church is no home for them There
| ia for them, usually no fraternal assocla-
| tion with their more fortunate neighbors
| in the church no wholesome, natural,
cordial relation between them as human
beings or brethren. And there Is very
large class who are not extremely poor.
hut who are obliged to dress plainly and
to nractice rigid economy in order to oo
tain the necessaries of life. In favorable
times they may be said to rlse.to conol
tious of comfort, but for the most part
they are familiar with the pressure OF
hardship, and their life is q struggle ior
the means to live They of course can
not aspire to what Is no" consioeTeo
good social position, as that usually de-
bends upon the style of dress and house
furnishing more than upon character -
This is a very important portion OF our
nonnlatiop. Most of them are indus
trious and honest, and many OF them are
advancing in intelligence. Some OF them
have q strong desire for knowledge, and
read the best books they can obtain -
There is good material among them Tor
. more rational and practical culture than
l is vet possessed by their neighoors wh'
are in better circumstances. lhls clas
also is rapidly passing out OF the church
The movement is largely the result
impulses from the more prosperous pee
l IL l. oh nd G caused
J much by the growth Of irreligion anon
;. these men and their families as by tn
i development of an unfraternal spirit
q clas.feeling,-among those more success
# ful in ACQUIRING this worlds goods Man
>. who are thus separating themselves fror
d the churches are injured by the changt
/ They enjoy their greater freedom tror
It restraint. and often sink to life of les
" strenuous effort at self-direction. The
d do not feel bound to resist temptation
Of or deny appetite its qualifications Bt
most Of this class are still, in the mall
moral and wholesome in character an
personal influence, chiefly from the po'
= er of habit and family traditions OF re
titude. Many of them are graduat, !,
OF becoming hostile and bitter toward II
IN church and all specifically religious actl
to tiles. and their children usually recel'
er at home no religious instruction whate
I'd er. being free to 60 to church or not
"a they please. The effect of this parent
indifference upon the culture and mora
of the Young people is not favorable
Among the more intelligent of this cls
there has been, within the last titte'
wears, rapid development of what
lh- called infdelity; that is, of opinioo
w, which involve the rejection of evangel
er- al Christianity. Up to this time
,at great mass of plain people in this col
try of those who work with their nan
know nothing of any. reilglon oesie
are evangelical Professionalism and Rom
Catholicism. The people who reject
popular religious creeds, both among
;. poor and among the more prospert
and cultivated, with some exceptions
to be noted farther on. are generally CIV
rew up religion entirely. No new system
form OF religious belief or life is tax
.no the place of the old faith which has
his its power But these people are still
his cessible to any vital improving intiuen
he not specifically enthusiastically In TO
u; Their morals are commonly as good
o'i those of the most prominent chu'
members, and they are probably M
Geo. truthful, conscientious. and just t
,rl. most people in the church But they
..oI not religious that is, they have no Id
we" principles, or beliefs in regard to hur
AXE responsibility which exercise any con
rid erable power of restraint upon their
nee duct when interest or appetite ls Inv
,u,a ed. They feel no impulse to associa
..,u .,, with their neighbors for any kim
lths moral or religious culture. few ART
clined to propagate their negative not
rely and hostility to religion; the gre
six number are simply indifferent. Man
hair, them have read the newspapers and
and azine illusions of the writings OF Oar
very Huxley, and Spencer, and have thus
nner strengthened IN tnelr opPooilia W
EN-. old Beliefs. Most of them are sens
now practical, capable people. not gIve1
NELL sentiment or illusions of any kind;
tive, somewhat narrow and hard, but
all valuable intellectual and moral quail
,ered Their greatest defect seems to be
1reat they feel too little responsibility tor
? ao. moral culture of their children snd
of their neighbors. They have too