Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-26
RELIGIONS REALM.
MATTERS OF INTEREST TO MINIS.
TIERS AND LAYMEN.
Regard to All Denom-
nations.

There comes periodically from the clergy
of every city the complaint of absenteeism
on the part Of members of their congrega-
tions, and of the very limited success which
attends their every earnest and most con-
scientious efforts to reach the n~on-church-
going population-the transient visitors
who are at the hotels, and that great and
usually self-respecting middle class which
is above the reach of the city missionary,
and for some reason does not come within
the influence of the organized church.
The former trouble, that of non-attend-
ance by those who are members of any
church congregation, can usually be ac-
counted for by some cause existing within the
church, and can only be met bylocal rene
dies honestly and fearlessly applied; the
latter presents a far more serious problem,
and one which, could it be solved, would
soon 10 only dispose of the empty pews.
but would call for the building of more
churches and the work Of more clergymen
in every field. 1t is one presenting, too,
the greast difficulties. These men and
women lead useful lives in every field of
labor; are thoroughly respectable and self
respecting; many of them have COMFORT
able homes, and are bringing up families
to respect written laws and unwritten
morality; are educating them well, and
are giving them every opportunity to
attain a symmetrical maturity, except
such as comes with religious teaching
and the association with people whose re-
ligion is an everyday, transformations, and
sincere influence over their own acts and.
Indirectly, over those about them. The
social influence is quite as important as
the pulpit work of the church, yet there
are hundreds of comfortable and reputable
homes where no religious observance,
reading. or, so far as any one can know, no
religious thought plays any part-hcmes
from which no person ever goes church,
ward, and where the Bible, which is
DOUBTLESS somewhere in the house" would
be difficult to find. Americans are very
jealous of their own independence and of
their right to maintain the privacy oftheir
own circles. House to house visitation
must be done with the greatest tact, in
order not to offend by the im%pertinence OF
zeal, by the slightest hint ofcondescension,
or by any suggestion of missionary work.
Such personal work as the acknowledged
differences Of rank render practicable in
England would excite antagonism and
would be worse han useless here. 1t
seems to a layman that the worst obstacle
in the way of extension of the usefulness
of the thoroughly sincere and intelligent
clergyman, is that the members of the con-
gregation expect him to do all or nearly
all the work, whereas the men and women
of he flock have in their own hands a social
influence more powerful in bringing nom
churchgoers inside the door of the sanctu-
airy than any one man, certainly than any
one clergyman. Once within the sound of
his voice, it is for the clergyman to do
his utmost to see his words are such as to
bring them a second and a third time, if
possible adding them to those of the house.
hold. He must not tire them with too
much profound theology, or disgust them
with tiippant sensationalism. Let him
preach Re ligion-liberal, tolerant, kindly
and helpful religion-with the most of
common sense and the least Of pretension,
and the people will stay. When a mem
Der of the church meets q friend who is
not such, let him not say " You are a
sinner; you are in danger of hell fire.
Come to church tomorrow and the
preacher will tell YOU the same thing"
Let him, instead, say "Dine with me to-
E,orrow and bring your wife and little boy.
By the way, why not come to church, and
We will walk homo together ~ Let all
those who are of the fold meet their visit
ors as members of Gods household, where
all are equal, and let not Christian court
esy and cordiality be dropped at the
church door, but carried into the weekday
life, bringing habitual aud sincere kindness
to all. Then there will be no empty pews.
Detroit Free Press.
A beautiful prayer, which should be
committed to memory by every son and
daughter of Ireland. In a little book
lately issued in Dublin, there is a PRAYER
for Ireland which one may wish that every
lrishman breathed. 1t is to the Sacred
Heart, and among other things it asks
the Irish nation may be preserved in
in purity and in charity. "May the
former glory of its apostolic faith again re-
appear. May it become again the seat of
learning and religion. May the rising
generation see its rights restored. Nav
the zeal OF its holy priesthood increase.
May the purity of its daughters preserve
its stainless character. Nav the honor of
its sons remain unsullied. May the evils
of intemperance cease. May the spirit OF
infideliiy and rationalism never reach its
Aspirations to which Christian
lrishmen of every creed will say "Amen."
-Noaitor.
There are three distinct methods of rep
r%esenting the Mourning Mother" to
whom the afflicted of the Catholic world
address their prayers, feeling that she has
the deepest pangs of earthly sorrow.
As the Mater Dolorosa, she is alone. seated
or standing, and frequently only a head or
half figure; of middle age, with bowed
head, clasped hands, sorrowful face and
streaming eyes. Often the bosom is pierced
with one, and sometimes with seven
swords. As the Sabat Matsr, she stands on
the right of the crucitix while st. John is
on the left. The whole figure expresses
intense sorrow. She is usually wrapped in
a dark violet or blue mantle. La Pieta.
third Sorrowing Mother, when strictly
rendered, consists only of the Virgin and
the dead Christ.-Monitor.
ono Nemoto, who was once connected
with u japanese mission in San Fran
cisco, is 0 a student in the University
Of Vermont at Burlington. He recently
visited Washington and called upon the
President and Senator Blair and Secreta-
ries Blaine and Proctor. He is requested
by his neighbors in Japan to return home
and stand as a candidate for the new Jap
anese Congress. He is to graduate in
June, and her will go to Japan, but
to preach the gospel to his people.
He was a very warm friend of the late DR..
Otis Gibson.
Helen Chalmers, the daughter of the
Scotch divine, lives in one OF the
lowest parts of Edinburgh. Her home
of a few rooms in an alley. sur
rounded by drunkenness, poverty and suf- |
Every night she goes u into the
lanes of the city with her lantern, and she
never returns to her quarters without one
or more girls or women she has taken from
the street. The people love her and she is /!
molested or insulted.
A unique penance was performed during |
Holy Week by a prominent society wo-
man in Boston. Clad in a working gown
and equipped with soap and towels she
vpnt m rho Churcb of tha AJra,t 81 |