The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1891-08-09
SUNDAY OBsERTANCEa
The Rev. Howard MeQueary Replies to
the Rev. DR.. Plumb.

| In recent communication to THE SUN on
Sunday newspapers the Rev. Dr.. Plumb OF
Roxbury says: FOR thirty years. In two pas.
torates In the snvirone OF Boston. I have
watched the growth OF the Sunday newspaper.
and observed that in proportion as 1t becomes
. regular visitant in q family the habit OF
public worship falls on" venture to think
| that DR.. Plumb hero mistakes association for
| causation. and from few exceptions would
draw a general conclusion which Is By no
means true. The falling of In the attendance
upon public worship which he. in common
with many others. notes and deplores Is by no
means due to the alleged baneful influence OF
the Sunday newspaper. but to far more
serious causes. 1t Is certainly not compliment
tary 10 the pulpit to say 1t Is rot able to hold
its own against the Sunday newspaper. but II
It Is so. there is no use In denouncing the Sun
day paper In order to increase the attendance
on public worship Tha Sunday newspaper
has come to stay. and denunciation Of II will
simply ALLEVIATE mon from the pulpit rather
than bring them under its influence. There lie
only one way hy which the pulpit can be made
to draw" and to neutrnlizs the influence OF
tho press. and that Is BY elevatinR It's intel
lectnal and spiritual tone. l do not reflect up
on any individual clUrgyman's mental or re-
ligious character. but simply make general
statement whom say the pulpit is not cxertinR
the influence 1t should exert. simply because
II Ia for the most part doalinR with problems
which no longer interest the 0reat majority OF
thinkers. DR.. Plumb's dates are significant
During tho last thirty years great revolution
has 'nken place In the intellec unl and social
world. During that time physical science has
made some OF its erandest discoveries and tho
labor problem" has assumed gigantic proror.
tions. Has tho Church a. whole taken cog
nizance OF the change and adjusted itself to
tho new conditions Has It stretched out
welcoming hand to the new science on tho one
| aide, or to social reforms on the herr Some
men In the Church have tried to bring 1t In
line With the new thought, and have
strivon to arouse it to q sense OF the
Importance Of the change. But the
vast majority Of clerical teachers have set
themselves dead against what they arc pleased
to dub science. falsely so called" and have
cried Peace! peace!" to the toiling millions
when there was no ponce. They have thus
alienated on the one hand the educated
classes aud On the other the laborinc classes
No! tho Sunday newspaper Is not responsible
for the sparse attendance upon pu bile Worship.
Thinking men don't want to go 10 church to
hear opinions which they know to be true de-
nounced as false by men who have paid but
littlo attention to tho subject with which they
deal. or to listen to expeditions OF dry dog.
mas which were formulated in an age OF su-
poIStltlOu duu cum lRnOEAQC0. DQG
If the clergy were less jealous In tho
defence and propagation Of incredible dogmas,
and more earnest In preaching we'll substan,i-
ated truths. think ing men and women would
more willingly listen to sermons. know Of no
clergyman who accepts the now truths OF sci
ence who COMPLAINS OF his educated parish
toner's staying away from service to read the
Sunday newspaper. Lot Newton. an Abbott.
a Briggs. or even lessor light who Is really
light" and not a lickerng taper bedmmed
BY medieval damps and fog preach 10 con-
Gregatlon OF educated men. and sec II they
won't lay aside their Sunday newspaper until
after service and attend church. They go.
too. not because Of tho sensational ism OF
the preacher. but because they expect to DO
edited. They know they will not hear cid
wives fables or nui sorry tales but a vigorous
discussion OF living and important questions.
Give US such preaching and the Sunday ne VS.
pnpor will DO no hindrance to public worship.
There is plenty OF time on Su nday to listen 10
two sermons and to road the newspapers also:
and whom the sermons are made as interesting
and instructive as the newspaper Is. there will
no longer 10 complaints about non attendance
on public service. II may be pnrdoned per-
sonal testimony may say that, although o.
cupying humble position In the clerical pro-
fession. have never yet lacked for an audience |
when announced that would preach on |
some important subject. and this. too. |
despite tho fact that at least three OF tho |
leading Sunday papers OF the country were |
largely circulated in the little city In which |
lived. Surely what an rdinary. obscure. and |
young rarson has done doctors con dol Turn |
ing to tho working classes. we constantly hear |
it said that laboring men do not attend church. |
and this Ia a fact. OF course some do. but men |
who have paid special ate ntion 10 the subject |
tell US that as class the workingmen are be- |
Ing alenated from tho Church. Here again |
tho cause is not found In tho Sunday newspa-
per nor even in the depravity Of the human |
heart. but In the hypocrisy of Christians. Prof.
Richard I. Ely. who Is certainly com petent to |
the Church. ~, the c5Eerresentatlye men and
q n sort fnsy d not Gys ,is and S
wide hiyergence between profession and prac::
toiling, masses that they TAIL to undo, stan |
their desires and tho mc1iyss o. thsr action:
WaI TO ,. 81 ss a. fYs an
SdSsss il
rarely Il ever, do YOU hear The CORR, ri methods
by which the masses, have been robbed and |
ap:i denounced With righteous indsnation.
I'd e Hsl ss. i & :aa
about tho duties Of prorerty. for We Americans |
rights OF properly" Once moro, the mega |
tive attitude OF tho Church with respect to |
and oven, angc,s worSingmen, Tho rliRinus |
press and pulpit nre concerned with tho er, ors |
ri socialism. tho errors Of Henry George. and.
in short the errors Of any one who PROPOSES |
anything positive" | may add mT testimony |
10 the professors md lay that. though placed |
in position where l could not do |
mIch OF such work, ! have never |
men Whenever preached on a .ubiect OF roal |
interest to them. Anarchists. Socialists. |
have all come. svon whom they knew would |
not on orse their particular opinions. Here. |
indifference toward the pulpit II Is mere
.hallo Wness to attribute such indifference 70 |
pulpit must open its eyes 10 facts and discuss
VIA, Questions IN Gear cnmprenensivr; Mt
viii It drnw men in,S Il, The SUNDAY news.
millions -men WHO lnYe M time ur incllnn- |