Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-12-27
bitterness is gone, or fast going; the cold
ness, the sadness, the questioning remains


INSTITUTIONS AND RELIGION.
I was impressed with the great number of
institutions and their completeness and
strength in the East. They have some or.
panized mode of relief for almost every hui
man want. These are the pride OF the peo-
ple. There has of late been great increase
In the costliness and beauty of the churches.
They ara monuments of taste and religious
faith in the cities and towns. New academies
and seminaries have been founded and old
ones further endowed by private benefac :it.
Princeton College has received over million
within twelve years, and other colleges ana
institutions have also received munincen5
amounts. More than nineteen millions have
haen o;ven as free gifts for educational pur-
poses by individuals within the past fourteen
wears. But I have been impressed that all
these do not gave the people. Besides lnstl-
buttons there must be power back OF 1nem
and working through them-a Christian
power. The necessity of this is noticed IN
New England, where, by the going out OF the
old puritanic stock to the farther West and
incoming of foreign element according to
statistics 5000 are Roman Cathollcl, the
New Englanders must stand apart TO allow
the communities to be tinted with their col
ors. The great institutions of learning must
be kept actively alive with Christian spirit,
Referring to the subject of the religious
outlook at the East the speaker said there
has been q marked falling off in the observ-
ance of the Sabbath. Carriages are trundhng
through the streets. the railroad whistle
shrieks. multitudes are hurrying to excursion
trains people drive to the country for pleas
ure. and various other methods OF recreation
are engaged in. Places of business, however,
are closed. The day is not robbed from God
and given to mamDon. The people are not
mercenary enough for that yet. Among the
external causes for this condition of things
railroads are prominent The running OF
trains on the Sabbath has been at once an
effect and cause of the lowering of respect
for the day. This, more than any other cause,
has corrupted the public conscience in refer
ence to the sanctity of the Lords day. and
cuts multitudes a6rift from the influences OF
the churches and the means of personal and
social upbuilding.
With this change l noticed smaller at
tendance at churches of what may be called
the outside element of the population. This
class, which formerly were drawn to religious
services as affording the most attractive ie-
sort that was offered now are drawn IN other
directions. This makes many OF the old
churches in communities not invaded by.
Catholics thinner. and especially are the con-
gregations smaller at the second services.
This is the case with churches throughout
New England, except with those having I'M
usually attractive preachers. Among the &C.
tual church membership, however, there has
been no falling off, and, indeed Christians
were never more active nor doing SO much Tor
the faith as now. Never were they so reso-
lutte, never so sanguine in reference to speedy
fulfllment of the promises for the conquest of
the earth to Christ never looking with such
indifference on the arrogant forms of skepti-
cism, usurping the name of science, which
have become familiar and already lost their
terror In fact, the religious outlook North,
South, East and West is most hopeful, and
Christianity to-day, though the most funda.
mental, is the most molding and determin-
ing force in the land.