, 1880-06-20

0oH HAhC~
COMPARATIVELY FEW REGULAR ATTENDANTS
sFashinotoal Cos1xspo1,s1e.ce New FORK tbst.
The notion occurred to me some ttuso cago to
inquire into the religious ties and habits OF
members OF Congress- requested the pastors
OF the city churches to give me the names OF
National lawmakers who first, were members
OF their religious bodies and. second, Of those
who attended with sufficient regularity to Justify
one In counting them as members OF the con-
grpgation.
In most cases the information sought for was
given. but the returns are incomplete, in some
cases overlapping. and In others givenon condt-
lions which preclude publication. On reflection,
therefore, have decided to give reslilts>and de-
ductfons rather than details.
Members Of Congress- as body Of Iman, arc
not church-goers- Out Of about three hundred
and fifty Senators and Representatives estimate
that less thai one hundred can, under tho most
charitable construction Of the word, be thus
characterized. Most Of them, l presutue, have
some church associations at home: they.pay pow
rent, that is, and occasionally attend @urch in
vacation Leisure with their families, But while
eugaged ut Washington during the sessions Of
Congress 1t is the exception II aIueulber goes to
church. To Judge from my imperfect returns
many State delegations do not contain a single
member Of this habit Further, If we check the
names ct meubcrs who by comuon consent are
leaders and nre thus In iarKcst measure RESPONSE
Bile for legislation, we shah be struck by the few
names which will appear on the two lists. Rroad-
ly stated IT may be said that. for better worse,
our lawmakers, white making our laws, do not
60 to church. On u tine dAy, or on some speclM
occasion, perhaps, Que fourth Or tho TWO Houses
OF Congress mny be found In the house OF wor-
ship, but my reports and my personal obsezya-
uon convince me rhat not one member In six,
perhaps not one in eight Gun be called regular
attendant ut my church.
. do not know now this ratio compares with that
which holds among men in other occupahons,-
aulong lawyers, bankcrs, t".tors, shopkeepers.
mechanics, and day laborers, for Instance. The
fucr is not given to prove that our law making
citizens are more indifferent TO the Institutions
uf religious worship than are our law abiding
citizens, but simply TO state again IL fact, which
is not ciui1ned us discovery, that members Ut
Congress, us Ii class, do not 90 to church why
they do nor tnight lend to IN Interesting and
profitable inquiry, but do not cure to pursue It
here. The churches In tho Capital are attract
i've; tho local ministerial talents are OF a very
respectable order; all shades OF faith can find
congenial mo1e3 Of worship; u lawmakers
duties are not eugrnsstng beyond those Of other
busy men, aud Sunday is or may be almost always
with him q day OF uninterrupted leisure.
Permit ME to eulbellfsh this plain statement OF
facts with didactic tnle. Once upon time
teegFaph cSse Was e or On ehsy Sm
OF Congress. One of those sure and fleet rooted
boys who wifi truck II 1nan down like Nemesis
herself was forthwith dispatched with message
and rcccipt-book to the me1nbers room in orc
of the hotels or private boarding. -hOuses,--1t Is
inmateriat which. He Wis not ill., The nature
OF tho messa@o was urgent, and me ordcr was
n,ediutely. The sender wns waiting for the
answer, and delay would be calnmitons. The
member hnd gone our7 so the boy was told, With
out indicating where be might be found. Tho
lad, however, was an experienced MESSENGER.
aud was, moreover, endowed with great native
ingenuity Ut mind He set out On his travels,
therefore, with Intelligent expedition. He went
the rounds Of the hutels; no member. He took
cur aud visited the Capitol, where he explored
likely co,,mttee-rooms; no member. Uu-
abashed, he went from one popular disreputaole
ali the liyery-stable- keepers If the member had
hired team that day; ITO clcW there. He had
not done afl this canvasstng alone. o1 course
No, the urgency OF the message ana t1e pro
fcssional pride OF the office, piqued by faiIurc.
had prompted the manager to call into service all
his unengagcd messengers, and us the moments
succeeded one another, the mombers frlenus
interested themselves in the seurth, and even
strangers caught the sylnpathotic injection un-
til the whole city was reused. The excitement
yns intense. The detectives had Il theory that
he must have been fonl!y dealt With or have 70.
conjecture being supported by the anxious looks
OF the landlords aud Of several tradesmen and
salary brokers.
| RESOURCE WIS exhausted. and the town was in
despair Could it be possible that the detectives
for unce were right, or were there still reHnln~
Ing Gongresston:l retreats neser e yet exRorSd?
examined every possible nook. He must be dead
At Gd this supreme moment of despair tho men,
her snddeny pn9 e. anrg tae of ao
and tho search WAS instantly communicated to
hfln.
- But where on earth were you?" exclaimed
one. awe thought We looked everywhere"
.sWhy," he replied In u 1ono Of Fexiltion. as
he wrote the answer to the dispatch, II went to
church"