The Hazlehurst signal. (Hazlehurst, Miss.) 1883-1885, 1883-12-13
International sunday.sell0Ol Lessons.
rnrnrn QUARTER.
IS CHRISTIANITY DYING IN OUR
ua 4.' LAND!

Superficial observers OF anti.rcligiOus
tendencies and Christians inclined to
pcssimism have talked much about the
dccadencc Of the Christ IN religion In
this country. The former, with o few
local or partial statistics, or their own
imaginings as basis. write persuasive
ly of the failing influence Of the
Churches. The latter. regarding the
days of the fathers rs better than these,
can not too loudly bcmoan the acconlo-
dating spirit of the Churches in suitiDg
themselves to the world ut the cost Of
their spiritual power. 10
II the Churches were really failing In
spirituality, in genuine religion, the re-
suits must soon become manifest in de-
creasing membership. In the breaking
up of congregations, and in many other
ways. II, on the contrary, they arc
steadily increasing in communicants,
in church-buildings, In contributions
for church and benevolent purposes, the
conclusion is inevitable that they arc
gaining in spiritual power; for II men
lose confidence in Christianity they will
inevitably fall away from its support.
The statistics of all our Churches, with
only few Insignificant exceptions,
easily explained, exhibit steady
growth, either by years or decades.
They never did SO much for foreign
missions rs in the past year; they never
had so many members, ministers and
churches.
Go over tho country and you shall
find halls, formerly occupied by non.
religious societies OF one kind or
another, now put to other use. One
organization after another in secular
societies has risen and fallen; but where
are our dccaying Christian churches!
Hinduism aud Buddhism arc dying re-
ligions, and their deserted temples arc
turned to other and sometimes less
sacred uses; but only the movement OF
population causes n Christian congrega-
ton to surrender. In order that they
NAV build another, consecratcd cdiiico
for business purposes.
II the anti.rcligious prophets OF Chris
.tianity's doom want intelligent people
to believe their statements and prophe-
cics, they must get at the census re-
ports, they must examine tho Church
year, looks, and give the statistical
grounds of their conclusions. As 1t Is,
their conclusions are like Mohammcd's
coffin; they hang between heaven and
earth. resting on nothing. The Eren-
ino Post, of this city, furnished an illus
tration OF this sort Of reasoning in Its
remarks last Saturday about tho Prot.
estantism of Germany, which, we feel
sure, 1t would have no little trouble TO
support with tho hard facts. II said
that tho great bulk of those who cclc-
bratcd ON that day tho four hundrcdth
anniversary of Luthcr's birth "havc no
more faith in his doctrines than he put
In Tetzol's, and care no moro for his
Bible than he cared for the Missal." 1t
added that "therc Is now but little no.
ligious belief Of any kind to be found
among the educated classes of Protestant
Germany" We can. give what Is TO us
conclusive proof that Germany, the
most inclined Of all Protestant coun-
tries, xe readily grant, to indifference
In religious matters, is misrepresentcd
by tho Post. Where Is the best Biblical
and theological literature produced. II
not In Germany? Where ape tho best
theological schools. II not In Germany?
Arc these not by and for the educated
classesp II our present purpose war
ranted II, awe could givo many facts
which are. not Ircconcilnble with the
Posts statement.
II those who are dcvoting themselves
to tho abolition Of religious belief as an
enslayement Of the human mind-which
reaches, they would havo us believe, Its
'tftest nobility and It's highest develop
ment,in utter unbclief-hr6 anxious To
get for the first time, perhaps. sglimpse
Of the task they have assumed with
such bepefccnt purpose, In, all its mag
nltude, we offer, them tho following
table for close study. II those who
think we can not sleep with . good
Christian conscience until God Is recog-
nized by name In the Constitution Of the
United States Iwish TOR q comforting
| thought against the day Of their final
d isappointmcnt, We give. them this
table with tho suggestion that 1t shows
.tliat Gods name Is lneilaceably writtan
| In the heart OF the people. Those who,
| like Ell, are trembling for the safety oi
the ark may DO reassurcd and may thank
God aud take courage from these figures