, 1880-11-07
FREE CHURCHES.
. DIE. roR THE ABOLITION OF PEW RENT

GEpR(sE ~ 1NA@ANAA-A"As ~"7tNAN
FREE CuURCHl1S-
n1rA roR THE ABOLITION OF PEW RENT
AIS,
n tbs Editor Of The Chicago 14tonns.
Nc,, yovy. Oct, 3l.--Several ecclesiastical
os.n,,,,,,, oas-the Pa,l~Presbyterian Synod.
10 Watho,l,st Conferences, the Baptist Con-
1,ention and the Episcopal lConventlon-fave
raoan,Iv brpn in session, and, with tile eXcep-
tion ,f the Episcopal Convention alt nave ell
| tirply ignored the question oi making our
houses Of worship. free. Anu tn that CON
| yenslou only memorial was presented call
! ing attention to the scalsat "',lca IS oelie
hrnu o1,t upou the Christian religion and to
tna r.secr:,1iou Of Gods house ny the prac-
ticn nf new renting, and that was promptly
hrnsh.d aside as being inexpedtent to dis
o,ss The question is also Ignored by the
or1,;t and by the RELIGIOUS press. 1et i'll the t
iivhr If t1e institution OF tho Church in the
,ynril.-tlat is, OF its'. founder and tile object
If it's lns,ltution,-no question can oe OF
gfsSnerf fnr p%fIa%gs was instituted by its Great
Head to be lie channel or lnldl;'mot COM
n,,nication between God an1 those ot our
race who are supposed to oe alsastlously al,
fec:ed hy tue f.! 81 iu IN lost eot,on, and
in need OF information alu ani."1i .Rnenves Tn.m Tr
shall make them wis unto sa4satlon tIon
thc Atl:.ic CHURCH to me IT Rtesf5 ;iaa anu as !s.
aar1rptable worship has been offered II Gods
onnointed way, has always o9sl!t ia anu always
wHill he. the mt,st blcsset! ana the most pre-
cit,ts place upon tls eat.h "; y, . .'r.rat;n9
ca1Se i ?t PM an fase beSaSse Crisasays Whers
W. ".t' ~ u1 thrce are gathered tdgelher in My
name, there am III tne tnets t';ns1 y ~ n, ane.',
MaIr rha rhmrc}r il corposvtl Of ulose who, rsai-
;,imv e their list confilion have entered into
cnvenamt with God after repentance, by
protSsHn 4f 1ait His II 9n5st aosnei e and M ~
e.raai nssi''ns. m,s and to them is !contted the
!erSest ;H.siv oracles. the truths Of His Word-
to hoId, to exp.,und, and To pIeacn 70 "a ai Lne
~ the world, a city which is set upon hull"
Cnnr.r,ing r. those who are nut IN the Church,
but vet for whom Christ died and 9ysr whom ni
lie is yearng WITH [ot stF3m W"r savs ues.s Who is
sG sGsyehf r. s':ati saved s H"w lien sa they call
Oh lin in whom they have Ssn not osl'eyfa r, ig3
aud how . shall ,dx tnes mt 4'4Ssa lizard? How How
g eh,,1 !" th@y hear wtuout a preacher? h2w
yrtae sxyept ey qc p ft Ssnt fest rs It of +
t' n 1Isi tnat PiI pi1."rs Of good tIlngs And to
t,,e Church which is to cooperate with the
pr,.acnrr bv provld ny place lor sufm tha
t,vs ns'l: :! {;n umI int, tie highways and hedges
aud compel theul to coMe iu. that NY mouse
may be- ded." Time woul, Iali tns 10 ;1txs Htvt-
finn the various Scripture texts "hicn Illus
trate and enforce the above propositions. :,
Nav. in view Of these premises. what l:
the actual situation? By the system OF pew
renting the great a9iy q a1e
-, robbed Of their rights n me mouse u uu ;sta
'n, and shut out from its privileges ana penents =
zee and blessings, and more @ put tne ,eo,i Me! n;nnr
no wn,ea ;,yMaGa taud aue AE thersp ~ surely neyl
~. .it Sto ny, arm to prove Ills statement. BY thi
NJ treat nu wronz :the Church Of the living God
The pillar aud ground o. tne ehratss etu,' ts pIa pn
Ill wosk. into private clubs or social circles an
il the ministry is diverted from preaching th
to Gospel to every crsatupe TO R1eaci thei
is hearers ] In a manner to fl! the house with ,
,ch lint IL pursuing this work the Son OF 70
cc down from heaven t ~ aa sqsafu nsnyed Je th
re- destinits for eternity Of canning generaton'
ne whether that destiny shall be one OF peac
Jus and unalloyed bliss in the colipanionsuanE;
I'D scif-reproach, and unavailng regrets, IN th
~ ~ company Of devils al1d Alu1derers, and q
'les tie vile and inpenite2t OF earth; ana l wne
all we cunsider that te angels N iieaEen i. ~ g
ex- | watching the progress OF {he "orA, ~ ~
mes there is joy in Heaven overtime sinner II
uer- repents,'' say when we consller ne:
to things the idea of evangelizng the wofla
to such churches, and such a; presental1on
as tie Gospel, is really lud]cross.
pes This system in its results IS not Only ~
Tie representing our holy religion and holdll
outa false light to the world. 9at u % 's ,et
ria aud causing spiritual leclenslon. 1t IS
ntal desecration of Gods house thus to NM
,eAn merchandise Of its advantages. IL ,'s IS Wot
,ies. than DISSERTATION, 1t is mockery. to build a
rab, dedicate house to God, and thell, like a
avs anias. to retain part of it as private prt
CEN erty for exclusive use, and to sell other pa
and Of it to the highest bidder WHO TOT ,,! WORT
tain advantage or otherwise chooses TO puy.
sub is making our American people Natlon !
teue non-churct-goers, with all that that fact
here plies. Let us suppose Christ to appear las as
the the dhys M or 1iS fToM ,5 wic' nj but the wc
r.fts dn are thus excluded. He would denoul
ght~ lie practice in terms that would cause
rica, perpetrators of the wrong to tremoie. !
tria- heart would go out after tie scattered;
liner wandering ones who have been thus drs'
lions from hearing Ills Gospel 80 at least Is
here have learned Christ. .,.
,.,,rd Now. If such be the facts In the cast, tn
r. ~ is nn Ell existing in the churches which
their So heinous in tie sight Of God rs this. y, II
tie well understood among eXRerl4entaih 1hT rm
!, and tians-studenrs OF tile B!ole-that tnrol
stain manifold temptations anu tie peis e!ntt
mat Of human nature, practices are permits;
they unconsciously at times-to creep into dlv'
sen ly recognized religious bo'!ies which
pry Erleyous III tne s'sHo =, ~, etr"tv NV ,nd Il
re, to Ills holy nature 1et oy entie',s ~ a ~
- but away the wrong, Then, if persisted
His patience, and torbearance, ana o,,s1 1ls,
nv frring eventually become exhausted, ana NJ
L I. withlraws His presence from them. Th
1Ery. trnr Notwithstanding that His compass
'dy's) fail not. Now, am fully persuaded
Ills character In Its practice there car
WI whom =, but rather fa!lins.off, because Of the
se drawal Of the spiflt; ;r,,nce n discussing