Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-10-25
ABOUT CnuRCH-GOING.
A1oyc NEW sNcLANDRoADs.

n udonfd Houses OF WosVsF nv" w"
garland minissers are EmpIosed-Puisis
Exsrsvusssees.
Mr.. Prime, in one Of his charming lct-
ters to the New York Journal Of Com
merce, says:
Driving to-day through lovely val
lev in New Hampshire, we passed
large church standing by the roadside,
in partial ruin and going rapidly to dc.
cav. asked at house near by, and
was told that the church had been
closed more than ten years. This is
far from being the first abandoned
church we have found. | can remem-
Der several, seen within a few years.
To the traveller who goes from village
to village, and town to town, In New
England. as we do in carriage travel, 1t
cannot fail to be Q subject Of serious
consideration that the traditional OBJ
seryance of at least external religious
character has undergone change.
This fact has been several stimes re-
ferred to in these letters IN former
years. Every successive year makes it
seem more noteworthy.
IL has been customary to think OF
the people of New England as retain
ing at least so much of the ancient in
fluences as would induce an outward,
if not real, regard for churches and
religion. There are probably localities
where such influences remain strong.
But in many long journeys, passing
many Sundays in large and small vii
lagos, and in more lonesome country
places, have rarely found such locali-
ties. On pleasant October Sunday
mornings we have seldom found a
church one-quarter filled with attend
ants. In general we find that church
which will seat three hundred people is
occupied by from fifty to seventy, fire.
quently by much smaller number.
This is apparently true of churches of
all denominations. When | inquire Of
the people am told everywhere that in
old times the attendance was large, and
that the falling off has been manifest
within the memory of living men and
women. Such, indeed, is the evidence
given by the old churches. They would
never have been built as large as they
are if they were intended for only a
fourth of the number Of people they
would seat.
Whether connected with this fact or
not. there is another fact showing a
great change in the character of what
we may call the religious community.
This is the gradual disappearance Of
that once influential person, the pastor.
Churches with regular pastors are get
ting to be rare hereabouts. Congrega-
cations hire ministers by the year.
There is no relation between the church
and the clergyman except that of bar
gain to perform the external religious
functions, chief of which is the preach
ing of a sermon, or perhaps two, each
week. The idea Of going to church
seems to be, as it is in many city par
ishes, going to heaf sermon as a
weekly recreation or custom. 1t is
not surprising that so few Of the peo-
pie care to do this. 1t is in many cases
fearfully poor preaching. But it is
probably worth as much as is paid
for it.
The minister hired by the year has a
hard time of it if he desires to retain
his situation. Doubtless the large ma
iority of this class Of clergymen are
honest, conscientious men, seeking as
we'll as they can to do the work Of their
Master. But their position essentially
controls their preaching. There is more
or less tendency to present novelty, de-
liver interesting lectures. give the peo-
pie a satisfactory Sunday morning sit
ting for their money. There is none Of
the independence or responsibility of
the pastor, to whom these people belong
"as a charge from God" and who has
for his life-duty the % care of souls"
Within few weeks have heard
sermons in several country churches.
In each of these sermons the minister
told his hearers that he had studied his
subject with great care, and was thor
oughly convinced Of the doctrine he
presented. In each case the doctrine
was heresy according to the teachings
Of the several churches to which the
clergyman Dominally belonged. 1t was
amusing, Sunday after Sunday, to hear
this same self.asscrtion, 81 have made
up my mind on the subject" the man
preaching himself and his own reason,
and utterly ignoring the faith once and for
all delivered to the saints. Three of these
were young men, not long out of a
kindergarten, anu only little shorter
time out of theological seminary. In
schools of philosophy and schools Of
art, as in all schools Of common sense,
young teachers are expected to deliver
TO students only that which has been
authoritatiyely delivered to them by the
great masters forming and formulating
the ascertained truths of science aud
the tested methods Of art. There is
not one man in thousand in any de-
partment Of study who is capable of
adding to the sum of knowledge, or
teaching any new theory or fact. But
in theology it is the queer notion of
some people that there is no authority
to control teachers, that every preacher
may preach his own notions Of doc
trine, whether he be young and cal
low or old and experienced. A vast
amount Of nonsense is poured into the
ears Of congregations in the country
land. for that matter, in cities as well).
Nonsense is not an extravsgant word.
The churches which send out as fit min
listers, with full ordination, semi-in-
structed boys, have vastly more seri-
Gus responsibility than government
which sends uneducatcd surgeons and
medical men to care for the health OF
soldiers. Is there not an inconsistency
somewhere in ordaining young man
who has given, at the most, three or
, four years to the study Of theology, or
man of weak power and unstable
mind, styling him presbutsros, an elder,
, preacher, priest, an episcopos, an
oyerseer, q bishop, whatever be the
nominal Office in whatever be the
. church?
Be the cause what it may, this is
sober truth, that there is as much need
Of missionary work, by all the orthodox
, churches. in New England "a in China