The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1890-08-14
INTERESTING READING.
THE RELIGIOUS SENTIMENT OF
HENDERSON.
An Interesting Article on the Subject
by One of Our Popular Pastors.
IBy Rev. Alexander sprunt. !

IBy Rev. Alexander Sprunt.]
There are five churches in our town for
, the worship of the white portion of our
Baptist, Methodist Episcopal, Methodist
fsProtestant and Protestant Episcopal
Services are held in these churches twice
eyery Sabbath and also during the week
on some evening This is not the place
| for the statistics of the churches. These
can be found elsewhere. What we desire
now to dwell upon is the cordiality
! and harmony existing between the
| various denominations of the town.
| However true it may be that there is
more or less zeal, on the part of a few
! for their own particular denomination
which would arouse a suspicion OF RI
| yalry between some of the churches, this
cannot be said to characterize any of
| our congregations. 1t is we'll to have a
spirit of emulation in every good word
| and work, but beyo ond this it is danger
Gus to venture. The pastors of the town
are upon the most cordial and fraternal
! terms-there being no petty jealousies,
Or alterations amongst them. The pas
tors of the NJ. E., NJ. p, Baptist and
I Presbyterian Churches meet together
every Monday morning and discuss
questions pertaining to their work and
the general cause of Christ, for one or
two hours. And on the first Sunday
| night OF every three months the cOngre-
cations represented by these four pas
tors have a joint service when one OF the
ministers breaches in the church Of some
other one and the congregations of the
four combine and worship together.
This spirit of fraternity is exerting a
wholesome influence over the Christians
OF our town and we trust over others as
well.
AS in almost every town there are
types of genuine piety to be found in all
the churches of Henderson. Some there
are who are universally respected as
Christian men and women. And it must
be confessed too that there are some who
are far from what they might be. Yet
the religious sentiment of our town is
| fully up to the average of towns and
| not only of the type OF piety to be found
| in our churches, but OF the general senti-
F., ment of that unfortunately large element
outside of our church membership. And
while we mourn over the Indifference and
worldliness which keep this large class
| from active participation in holy things,
it must be said that as q general thing
the sobriety and moderation of our pop
ulation is conspicuous. 1t is seldom any
| serious breaches of the peace are COM
mitted and almost unheard of that fla
grant crime is openly charged against
| any. Drunkenness and reveling is very
seldom witnessed on our streets, and
robbery almost unknown, beyond that
| which falls under the classification of
petit larceny. Our population as a gen.
eral thing, black as we'll as white, is law
abiding, quiet and Industrious.
| In all towns of thrift and enterprise
there are to be found many "men of the
| world" They are much more concerned
about making money than about any
thing else. This is true about many of
our business men. They do not seem to
care for anything unless there is money
in it. This spirit of wor,lliness and gain
it is feared is sadly prevalent amongst
the youth of the town. They are not as
careful of their spiritual privileges as
they should be. They do not attend the
public worship of the sanctuary on the
Sabbath day as they should. Too much
time is spent in sleep and idleness on
Sabbath morning and too much sOcia-
bility prevails in the evening for the cul
| tivation of wholesome appreciation OF
y
and we have as many as any town in the
State of like size, are in great danger of
| ignoring their greatest good, through
carelessness. There is room for improve
ment with this exceedingly interesting
class of our population, as well as with
many older than they who should exert
| a more wholesome influence over them.
| Our Sabbaths are usually quiet and Or
derly. Indeed we do not recall the Sab
bath when there was a necessity for our
town officials to exercise vigilance in
support Of the sanctity and quietness of
the day. There is little eboisterous laugh
ing and Joking even in the groups of
men that will gather at different places
on the street during the day. So that
we can truly say that the religious senti-
ment of Henderson is far more whole
some than in former times, and will COM
pare favorably with any other town of
like population and enterprise, although
at the same time we freely acknowledge
that there is abundant room for i'm
provement as there is always in this
direction