The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1883-05-25
CHURCHES AND CLERGYMEN.
Yankceis,n in the Church.

Inc lev. Charles Cuthbert Hall, of the
Henry Street Presbyterian church, Brooklyn,
writes to tho Christian Union Of s'Yankecism''
i'll the church: "When the strains of Thomas
orchestra had died away in one chnrch, to be
succeeded by Shakspearsan READINGS and
when in another church, after gIoe club had
relolced the audience aud portions of Julius
Cesar had been recited. the pastor arose. in
the place whers he ordinarily breaches the gos-
pei of Christ and administers tho
iInimitably funny address on Shall
he Wear Silk Hat? when-we remark
these exercises were concluded, it did seem a
not uniting timo to ask thinking Christian
peoples. Is the church social club or divine
'oundation? In the name OF God, whom We
'either, what is it? The idea of the church.
as CHRIST gave US that idea, is fading out here
Children are finding out that the place can be
demeaned for. all sorts Of uses with
out rebuke from any quarter. Young
in their claim upon the church buildings in the
interests Of jollity that passes for religious
activity. The modern communion Of saints is
freely believed to involve salad and ices; that
your church will not be successful unless YOU
get the people together for social Intercourse
Everybody must be made to feel at home,'
winch practically means that before or after
divine service everybody must chat with and
nod to his neighbor, and gayly discuss current
topics, IN order to dispel the feeling of stiff
ness Tho Christly ideal of the church is
Iadlng out. and is being supplantod by the
PRINCIPLES Of action suitable in social club
And this fading out Of the Christly ldoal has
been accelerated by several influences which
we can only mention as secondary 10 our main
point Among these We may mention the prac-
ice OF church sociables, conducted by an
organized entertainment committee; the Drac-
tice of arranging fairs dramatic, literary, or
musical exhibitions, for tho filling of
empty treasures and the bols,ering up
OF slckly enterprises; tho yet grosser
practice of letting out the church as q con-
cert and lecture ball, or for such unmention-
able degradation as may be included under the
name of 'wax-works, enticing the public to pay
d n the people ought to pay or not contract
The disease fastened on our American church
ilfe 10 fankeeism-the idea that you must be
chatty;' and if everybody is 'chatty,' and the
church life buzzes along with little sociables and
parties, and suppers, and entertainments and
everybody has u jolly time, that church is all
rlght--plenty Of life in that church. That isn't
on. one OF your proud, s.uck,up churches Il hero
IN and out for month, and nobody speaks TO
you, and there is nothing but the service going
on What is the Gauss Of this Yankeeism?
people are looking at each other, and not ut
Christ, and they want the spice of worldly life
introduced in the church. If wo looked ct him
and ,worshiped him, the church would satisfy
us, the worship would satisfy us, and we would
deplore US an intrusion any petty social amuse-
ment introduced III connection with our church
life. We would say: Defile not NV church
life with the footprints of the world. Let there
be one place whore the world is not suggested
Let me have one Holy Of Holes left in nv life;
a place where can commune with my Saviour
and lose all thought of smaller matttors in the
infinite greatness Of Calvary and the heavenly
Jerusalem!'"