St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1888-06-02
WHY HE LEFT THE CHURCH.


pect and Demand Too Much Personal
Attention of Pastors and Others.
He gave up his pew and went with
his family to another church. He had
only been a few weeks in the church,
OF rather in the congregation, for he
had not united with the church, al
though he and 4 part of his family
were members Of church, in the neigh
borhood from whence he came He
never called on the pas or, or init
mated that he wou d be pleased to have
the pastor call upon him and his fam
lily. Indeed, he waited to be found
out and hunted up Well, that some
times is matter of time in large
church in which there are hundreds
and thousands of people dropping
i'm and dropping OUT from week to
week. He never fingered moment
after any service to speak to the pas
tor. but forthwith, as the manner of
people is, he bolted from his pew to the
door as soon as the benediction was
pronounced, and was lost in the crowd,
all endeavoring to accomplish the same
purp Sc. But why did he give up his
pew? Why, because the pastor had
taken no notice of him or his family"
notw. thstanding they had been to
church for month or six weeks. Had
he ever intimated to the pastor that he
had become pew-holder and wanted
to be counted member of his flock?
No! Had he ever dropped his name
and addr IS on the plate or in the
basket, intimating that he would be
pleased to have the pastor call? No!
Ha he ever tarriel in response to q
frequent invitation of the pasor, to
speak with him at the close of the SER
vice? No! Had he ever made single
advance toward an acquaintance with
the pastor? No! But why had he done
nothing? Because he said sit was the
pastors duty to notice" him and 'look
him up Therefore he gave up his
pew and left the church to go to an
other one, to ascertain whether in that
church che would be noticed and
looked up
1t is difficult to adjust a charitable
Judgment to such a Christians atti-
tude. 1t seems more like that of a
spoiled child who had only an idea of
his own Importance and selfish esti-
mate of his own worth. But in this
case it was a grave and elderly Chris
tan man, who ought to have been by
this time strong helper, rather than
a weak, spongy Christian, living only
to absorb attention, fixed to the rock
of self-importance, and waiting to be
fed by that which might. could, would,
or should drift toward him, or be
brought to him by obsequious atten-
ton.
We mention this case because it is
somewhat typical. 1t is one of the
wicked developments of our day that
requires the pastor to be on the alert
to see every new face and then rush off
like mad to pay court to the owner.
lest happily he may not be caught and
strung on his particular church line.
One can understand the necessity of
such alertness in the case of unconvert-
ed people, who, like fish, must be
caught by delicate or skillful attentions;
but one can hardly understand how
the case is parallel when it is ques-
ton of sheep and not fish. Sheep are
wont TO come to the fold, and if they
are wise sheep, get near to the shep-
herd.
At anv rate, we protest that Chris
tians who move into the neighborhood
of churches ought to make themselves
known and promptly offer themselves
for membership and service, and not
wait to be coddled and petted by the
pastor before they will condescend to
be counted among the household of
faith. Moreover, there are q great
many Christians already members of
the church who are so full of conceit of
their own Importance that they make
it conditional that the pastor shall pay
them so much attention, visit them so
often, speak to them just Sc promptly,
and know of their presence each time
they come to church, and especially
note their absence and make inquiry
after them, otherwise they become dis
gruntled and sulk away from church,
or else take their letters to some other
more attention. These Christians are
the bane of manya pastors life. They
never help bear his already ponderous
burden, but only serve to add more to
his care. If all such would look about
them and then above them, find some
Christian work to do, speak often to
their pastor, volunteer their services
to help him, and cheer him once IN q
while with an encouraging word, they