The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-08-11
Non-Church Goers.


Of the sanctuary fail to attract and in
terest so large a proportion, especially
of our city populations. 1t is not be-
cause of the poor preaching, nor of the
miserable singing, nor of the " aristocracy
of the members" nor of the high price of
sittings, nor Of any of score of reasons
usually assigned The fact is, that as a
rule the preaching is good, the singing
quite passable, the welcome hearty, and
the contribution wholly voluntary while
it is difficult to imagine in what respect
the neat, well lighted and well venti-
lated church is a less attractive place in
which to spend an hour and half on a
Sabbath morning than any OF the or
binary resorts of the non-church goers.
The truth is, that the church is chiefly
concerned with a department in human
culture that the majority of mankind
sadly neglect. There is no difficulty in
deyisinS entertainments that will draw
crowds. Only let there be plenty to eat,
plenty to drink, and abundance of fun,
and the masses will be on hand, and
ready and able to pay without grum-
bling Why is this? Because the masses
love to eat and drink and laugh and
(,
nature, they enjoy the crowd. ~ "a.
l., But people do not expect either to eat
or drink or have lots Of fun" at church
They are supposed to 60 with different
purpose. Church goers are under the
impression that there is department of
their being besides the sensuous or the
social or the aesthetic that needs develop
ment-and they are satisfied that neither
eating nor drinking nor laughing will
supply the needed culture They have
an idea that it is good for them at least
once a week to be transferred into a
realm of thought and feeling apart from
the routine of daily experiences, into a
realm higher Gas they suppose) than even
that of the most unexceptionable social
enjoyment with the least harmful sensu-
Gus accomplishments; that is, into the
realm of the moral and spiritual. They
feel the need of being brought into close
contact with Just such truths and facts
and associations as they find in the
sanctuary. Their experience of its
! services, its songs of praise and devotion,
its ministration of the word" its ap-
proaches to " the throne of the heavenly
grace, its "sweet communion, solemn
vows, its recognition of the powers of
the world to come" is, that they are
adapted to bring peace, comfort, strength,
and elevation to the soul. And we hest
tate not to affirm that the most weary
toiler OF the week days, whether with
hands or brain, will find himself more
completely refreshed for new weeks
work by waiting upon the services of the
church on Sabbath than, by either rest
ing ever so quietly Gin the bosom of his
family" all day, or roaming about hold
ing communion with nature "in her visi-
BILE forms, or by any other of the hume
rous appliances usually resorted to by
non-church goers " to pass away the time
on Sunday
The best of philosophical reasons can
be given for this affirmation but it may
well be left to the testimony of compe-
tent and unimpeachable witnesses to
prove that, even ignoring our relations
to the hereafter, the services of the
church are conducive to the highest cul-
ture and development of the soul.-Oc-
cldent.