Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1883-07-15
Is CHURCH ATTENDANCE DEcREAs-

The enterprising editor OF the North
American Review is much given to at
tempting to get authoritative opinions
upon mooted social and political ques-
tions. His magazine from month to
month Is q continued and unsatisfied
search after oracles. To be sure, in these
symposiums, which he has made fea-
ture of the Review, he gets plenty OF
opinioas-though not much else
which are sometimes sensible, occas-
ionally ridiculous, but oftener amusing.
His latest search after oraeular utter
ance Is on the question Of "Church
Attendance" which Is discussed in the
July number by "A Non-Church
Goer," and three reverend doctors
WILLIAM HAYES WARD, JAMES NJ.
PULLMAN and ]. III. RYI.AND.
Ifone is looking for the maximum
amount of rare assertion and denial,
with the minimum of argument and
evidence, he cannot do better than to
read their eymposlam. But, notwith-
standing its rather barren character, 1t
embodies very well good deal of the
popular belief upon both sides of the
question, occasionally REINFORCED by
proof, though the 6 reater part Of 1t is
merely argument after the very usual
method of making sweeping assertions
founded merely upon individual belief.
The nOn-church-goero opens the dis
cussion with an article in which he
AYERS that church attendance Is rapid
Embarrassing; that sit is not the daring
atheist or the reckless evil-doer that Is
now chiefly found in the ranks of nom
attendants at church, but the sober citi-
zen, the father of family, who is loyal
to his convictions and faithful to his
duty,n that "the majority of intelligent
and well-meaning people" no longer
believe what the churches teach, and
are not found among lis listeners, He
accounts for this in several ways, say
ing that the church proscriOes thought
and cramps the brains of its ministers;
that the church is behind the age, and
no longer furnishes proper nutriment
| for the minds and souls of men; that it
is doing less for morals than is science.
Then he finds another reason to be
that men think they cannot a.
ford the expense Of church
going, with the multiplicity of demands
that will be made upon their purses. He
thinks, also, that in the church the man
is gagged by the amount he gives, and
his social status set accordingly, q result
that is revolving to any man OF self-re-
spect and price. Churches" he con-
cludes, Sat least in large cities, are for
| the rich, and serve rather social than
a genuine religious purpose; chapels
and mission schools are for the poor,
who are thereby made 10 feel their in
feriOrity; but for the great class Of read
ing, think and active men of the age
there is no provision made fol spiritual
salvation.
In reply to these assertions DIR.
Wurd brings up figures to show that
thirty-six out of our 5O,0O0,0O0 of popu-
lation are church communicates, that
Evangelical communicates in this
country have increased per cent. Of
the population in lSOOto 20 per cent. in
1850. An increase in church people of
twenty-seven fold against ninefOld in
population. DIR. Pullman thinks that
church going in the United States is in
creasing; that church services have new
er before been attended by 50 large
number of intelligent and responsible
people, and are "the most striking re-
ligious phenomenon Of the age-the
rise of the children's church-makes. it
certain that religious instruction and
worship are more universal among us
than ever before" Strangely enough,
DR.. Ryland accepts the nOn-chuch-
goer's statement about decrease of the
attendance las in the main sound"
DR.. Pullman AYERS the ability Of
science to give moral training, and
thinks that the public conscience must
be trained and controlled 10y the church
flaw and government are not to fall
into decay and become powerless. "The
non-voter and the nOn-church-gOer,"
he says, "are the dead wood of the So
cial order, both unfaithful to duty, and
both claiming to be privileged class
the gentlemen pensioners of society"
He declares that the church can no
more be called beggar than can the
State, for each asks money, and each
gives service in return. There is no
such thing as decay of faith, he says,
but there Is q change for the better in its
objects, while "the wane of doubt and
negation" has spent itself without form
ing any new institution outside the
ci urch.
Dr. Ryland admits to the full def
ciencies, follies and weakness of the
church, but after it sf thinks there is no
other Institution or medium that can be
that power for good among men and
women that the church las been and
is.