Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-18

| Mr.. Moody says, not unSindly nor
| superclllouSly, that the churches do not
reach the masses of the people The
newspapers frequently say the same thing,
and 1t is much to be feared" saws the
ChGreiInan, that Mr.. Moody and the
newspapers say nothing but the truth.
| The churches do not reach the people.
Many of them are not intended to reach
the people We may as well take notice
of the fact; for fact it is. and it is the most
deplorable fact in the popular Christianity
| OF the time, that its churches are not in
the true sense popular. In great cities
the tendencies of the churches is to fol-
low wealth, leaving the districts in which
the masses of the people are to be found,
and crowding together in manifest rivalry
IN wealthy districts. With most of them
this is simply necessity. They are not
endowed; they have no means of support
except the voluntary offerings or pew-rents
of :helr congregations. To attract a con-
gregation they have adopted expensive
ways of conducting divine service. 1t has
come to be understood that if people are
to attend public worship they must be en-
tertained. The duty of public worship has
been lost sight Of"
Every pastor must OF course use his
own Judgment" says the New York Er0l.--
| ge!lSt Pres. J, "aS to how he can best shield
his flock against the destructive influences
of modern skepticism' Recognizing this
| tact, we venture TO suggest that
| the desired shielding may oltea be accom-
| phshed best 10y not making the subject too
| prominent, and not calling special atten-
ton 10 II by a direct attatk-in brief. bv
letting alone. His people do not bother
! themselves about II SO much as he SUD
| poses, and they will care less and less aboutit
| II their attention Is not called 10 it from the
| pulpit. Private conferences With those who
are in any perPlexity of mind is the best
| way OF meetingit. Pulpit discourscs against
| SKeptlclsm must state fairly the arguments
In Its favor before attempting to answer
them and when the pastor has done this.
| ms people may remember the arguments
more than his reply After all. the old
| Gospel is its own best evidence, rs il has
lost none OF its Conquering power. II is
still able to take care Of itself, and the pas
tor who goes on preaching its truths, with
out special regard to the new-fangled in
fidelity, will prove himself the best
shepherd of his flock"
The JcOish Messenger speaking of the
| persecution of Jews in Russia, saws: "Prav.
why are the American papers, so many Of
when can devote whole pages to Kilrain
and Sullivan, and publish the most vile
and brutal stuff to poison the minds of the
| young, and dittuse yulgarity in the COM
munlty-why Is our American press silent
| at these repeated acts of Russian vandal-
ism Is not the Protestant aimed at as
well as the Jew? Is not the spirit of our
| age openly travestied? And we cherish
| intercourse with such a Power Is is be-
| cause the spirit of the American nation is
| Itself changing that such iniumanity is
unrebuked? Is it because American
patriotism Is fast being prostitutel for
selfish gam and business methods are
| degrading all parties and sapping the ma
tlonal energies? We dare not, we cannot
| believe 1t. We have faith, ardent faith in,
| Americas mission as priest and prophet,
| and here Is an opportunity TO prove to the
nations that our country will not endure
the spectacle of Russian inhumanity. Our
country should maintain its old-time rep
utatlon as the champion of the oppressed
in every land"
1t IS difficult" the Christian Adrocate
| says, =" to conceive the danger to spiritual
! lie which turks in modern habits AMI
| customs. The constant movement of pop
| ulatlon from one country to another, from
| country to city and from city to country
| again, tends to break up church relations
| and put an end to religious exercises.
those who abide in one place all their
| Lifetime easily acquire settled habits of
| church-golng, Sabbath-keeping and family
worship; but when family moves from
| the country to the city its connection with
| the church is at least temporarily inter-
| rupted, and 1t is not easy to re-establish it.
| The stranger is backward about going to
| church at all. Possibly when he goes he
IS not treated with that cordiaiity he has
right to expect in the house of God. Ger
tainly he misses the familiar faces and
| hearty welcome to which he was accus-
| toned in the old church home. Unless he
is well furnished with grace and estab-
| llshed in the faith, he will be sorely
tempted to neglect his religious duties or
wander about from church to church. and
not anchor in any"
"The function of true criticism" saws
the Standard of Chicago, SIS a perfectly
| legitimate one. Such men as Lightfoot,
Westcott, Ellicott, and men of like reputa.
ton IN our own country, are themselves
critics, and their work, in its results, is of
exceeding value. So also is literary criti-
clsm legitimate sphere of literary labor.
The trouble is that criticism in both these
spheres is apt to degenerate into mere
| trade. The literary critic loses, after a
time, the sense of obligation to deal with
| absolute fairness, especially where grave
| interests of truth are involved. He allows
himself to write what will crafty personal
pique, or display his own acuteness and
learning, or coddle some prejudice, literary
| or religious. The New Testament or Old
Testament critic, anxious for the honor of
originating a theory of his own. or already
encompassed by theories of every magma
bic sort so as to be like man lost in a
wood, GlsmIsseS the consciousness of hay
ing to do with sacred things and wanders
about in a way to lose both himself and
those who accompany him more hopelessly
than ever"
The introduction of religion as an ele-
ment into our political affairs is a terrible
menace" says the american Hebrew. "to
the development of the ideas underlying
the republic; is in truth a threat against
the maintenance of our institutions in their
integrity. 1t is distinctly opposed to the
character of our Government that religi-
Gus belief shall be made political test.
This is directly done, however, by any citi
zen who votes for or against the election of
any candidate for Office out of considera-
ton for the religious belief of that candi-
date. We trust that our fellow citizens of
all creeds will realize that this is not a
Catholic country, Protestant country,
nor Christian nation, but an American
people deyoutly believing in God and re-
verently loyal to the Constitution of the
United States"
Rev, 81. R. Haweis, the popular London
preacher, preached sermon the other day
against bearing reins for horses. He said
that at great garden party at Bishops
palace the other day he saw hundreds of
fashionable carriages standing with the
necks of the horses in front Of them
strapped back and the poor creatures toss
ing in agony, while the lazy coachmen on.
the boxes occasionally licked them for
their restlessness, and the gay, thought
less crowd a stones throw distant we're
enjoying themselves quite regardless of
the mass of animal torture hard by.
Rev. DR.. Hough and Rev. John KIM