The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-09
Why Are the Churches Emptyq

There was an interesting conference of the
Protestant clergymen and laity in New
York last week. 1t was well attended, and
extended through three evenings. The
purpose of it was to inquire into the causes
of the indifference to religion and the
small congregations in the churches Of that
city. The question, why are the churches
empty is botheriug the Protestant clergy
men of New York a great deal, and, it is
probable that the clergymen Of other cities
are not Indifferent to it.
| Several reasons were given for the lack oil
interest in religious matters the chief one
being the great increase in the percentage
of the population Of foreign birth. Some
of the figures given, however, were calcu
lated to create the impression that this
reason was far from satisfactory. Although
it is estimated that the foreign element is sc
per cent of the population of New York, YET
there are 500, 600 Protestants. OF this
number however, only about 100000 attend
church. Why is it that the number OF
those who make up toe religious congrega-
tons is so small
The answers given to this question by
quite different, showing that the real reason
was not understood. Among them were Ro-
manism, with its grand loyalty to foreign
ecclesiastical power" Judaism, infidelity
and the selfishness of professed christians.
All of these things may have some influence
in causing decrease in Protestant fervor,
but can it be said that any one, or all, of
| them keep Protestants away from their
churches.
| Above Fourteenth street in New York
the better classes are to be found, but not
withstand;ng the vast increase in the popu-
lation of that section of the city there is no
increase there in the number Of Protestant
| churches Below Fourteenth street the for
eign element is largely congregated. and
| the population has doubled there within a
comparatively few years, but the number
Of Protestant churches has decreased. In
| that locality, however, there has been an
| increase in the number of Catholic and
Jewish churches.
There is no doubt that the Protestant
| clergymen are very earnest workers, and
are sincere and good men, but do they do
as much missionary work as they ought!
II the money collected for for foreign mis-
sions, which, Canon Taylor says, are fail
ures. were spent in mission work at home
and the missionaries, who waste their lives
| in trying to make christians of savages,
were employed in making converts in
christian countries, would there not be a
sudden and gratifying increase in Protest
ant churchesl
The churches that New York has are not
filled. Neither are those of any other city,
but the effort to ill them is not nearly so
great as that to win the heather to chris
tianity. In all the cities of this country
there are thousands of poor people who
never sec the inside of church because
their pride refuses 10 permit them to appear
among the richly dressed people who own the
pews. They haven't the means to pay pew
rent, and to respond to the various de-
mands for church purposes 1t is true thai
nothing would be required of them If they
were to attend the churches, but they
would rather remain away than to seem to
be objects of charity. Tho oaly way to
reach them is to establish mission churches.
in which they viii not be conspicuous by
contrast and toward the support of which it
would be pleasure for them to contribute
their mite.
1t may be that infdelity is gaining
ground. Felix Adler. in a lecture in New
York last Sunday, on that wonderfully
popular novel, Robert Esmere, said the
reason that book was so widely read was
that christians were not thoroughly con-
WINGED of the truth of their religion. He is
~ 6 II
many doubters, but the great mass of
christians have so strong a faIta in their re
ligion that they would willingly make any
sacrifice, however great, for it.
What is needed to fill Protestant churches
is not so much the removal of doubts as a
thorough arousing of christians to their
responsibilities. II they can be made to
appreciate the magnitude of the work there
is for them to do, there will be no difficulty
in filing the churches.