Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-21
Sunday Newspapers and Empty
Churches.

Within the last few months ministers vi
the gospel in q fferent parts OF the country
IT, their sermons have had great deal TO
say about sunday newspapers. Some
have condemned them, others have simply
pointed out Objectionable features, and
still others have upheld them. Those
who have attracted the most attention,
because they have been rather violent in
their manner Of treating the subject, are
Z those who have condemned them.
/ They pretend to speak for everybody,
and particularly for all church-gOlng peO-
pie. A matter Of tact it is doubtful If
they can show that a majority OF the
preachers are in harmony w tn them. Toe
New York Star has been giving consider
anle attention to this matter, and on last
Wednesday printed the views OF IS Of the
most prominent preachers, located in dt-
fereut parts OF the country. on the sun
day newspaper question. Ofthis number
y declared against Sunday newspapers,
aud 30 favored them, although some
Of the latter thought certain notifications
ought 10 be made in them.
Whil- we think that the influence of the
sunday newspapers is good rather than
bad, and while m ijority OF tue promi-
nent ministers appear also to think so,
the question is suggested, whether there
are not influences hostile TO tns cause Of
Christianity at work in nearly all Chris.
tan denominations which are overlooked
by sunday newspaper opponents.
II will be admitted without question
that the churches IN the cities and larger
towns do not contain accom- mOdatiOns
for one-fourth OF the people, and that, as
a rule, the accommodations provided are
more than sutic ent to meet the demaud
upon them on all ordinary occ asions. Why
Is this? The people who stay away from
the churches are not influenced to do 80
by the Sunday newspapers. About all of
those who attend church read Sunday
newspapers, while the majority of those
VINO do not attend do not read them. The
Sunday newspapers are not what keep
people away from the churches.
Poor people are largely in the majority,
but they are not in the majority in the
churches. The rich and the weil-to-dO
people are to be found there, and in pro-
portion as the church houses are costly
aud richly furnished the poor are absent.
Indeed, in the ornate churches of the
cities, where the congrt cations are
dressed in broadcloth and silk, and dis
play diamonds and other jewels, there is
no place for the poor. However strong
tue invitation from tue pulpit to the poor
may be, it is seldom accepted, and that it
will not be generally accepted is fully
pew rents IN the rich churches, and il
they enter them they must take places
set apart for them. where their poverty,
on that account, will be con-
splcuOus. Rather than sacrifice their
pride very large percentage Of them
stays away from church altogether. 1t
is true that the rich help to build churches
tor the poor, but even in these churches
the distinction between those in comfort
able circumstances and the poor is soon
drawn.
There was time when the poor ard
Questionable people generally were to
be found ia the Methodist and Baptist
churches, bat that is the case no longer.
As the wealth of the country has in
creased. the rustic OF silks Is heard and
the sparkle OF diamonds is seen In the
Methodist and Baptist as we'll as in the
EpiscOpalian and Presbyterian churches.
and to be a Baptist or Methodist is no
longer regarded as an indication Of lack
o wealth or social position.
In place Of simplicity and earnestness,
once so conspicuous in the churches.
there is now formality, and an appear
ance OF ind ference that is emitting. ANY
expression Of satisfaction with the utter
ances Of the preacher or any loud response
to his prayer, such as was once quite
common, would now be received W ith
surprise if not amusement in the fashion.
able churches.
No, the newspapers are not to blame
because the people stay away from the
churches. They are not responsible for
the apparent lack OF interest in divine
services on the Sabbath day. Notice how
crowded the churches are when reviv-
alists are in the pulpits. The reason IS
that the people feel that the churches
are free then, and that all meet on
an equal footing. The poor have pride
as Well as the rich, and they fnd no
pleasure in seeing, from back seats or tue
galleries, the rich arrayed in costly ap-
parel occupying the places OF promi-
uence.