The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1892-03-23
olSUNDAY TH0UGHTSbo
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MORHLS& MANNERS
By A CLERGYMAN.

the growth of cities in America-and this
despite Mr.. Pcrter's hocus-pocus of the
statistics. Our cities are growing twice rs
fast as the country at large Is. Today 20
per cent. of our total population is living
IN towns of over 5000 inhabitants. II the
present ratio of increase is maintained the
coming fifty years will abolish the country
aud transform the United States into a
vast huddle of cities. Originally, those
who dWelt outside the cities were called
heathens, because they lived on the
heath-tillers Of the soil. Indeed, the
word civilization is derived from the
Latin civis, which means city, and really
signifies cityizaIion. For in the past as
in the present, the cities were the nerve
centers of the world. They have always
held the sovereignty IN morals and man
ners. But now, even more emphatically
than in former times, the problems OF the
cities are the problems of civilization.
Wrapped up in them, saved or lost with
them, are not only the voice of the states
man, but the instructions Of the pulpit
and the progress of the race.
Every city is q microcosm. Itstsnds for
history and prophecy. Its combined
forces point back and point forward. The
apostles recognized this. They always
sought out the great centers and made
them the scenes of their persistent labors.
They knew that if they won a town the
surrounding country would be gained. too.
Ever since, the metropolitan churches
have been paramount in inluence-often
unduly so.
The question now arises as TO whether
the city churches are not blindly adher-
ing to customs that ought to be read
iusted to the conditions of today.
Times change. Methods change with the
times. See how it 10 in trade,
politics, iournalism-eve department of
modern activity. The churches alone are
plodding away IN the old "ruts." There
are too many churches There is too
much preaching. In apostolic days
Christians met TO pray and exhOrt. and
then adjourned to practice their religion.
So should We DO. We recommend less
preaching ana more practicing, fewer
churches and more faith and hope and
love in every day life.
The churches are badly managed. Com
mercial enterprises. if conducted as they
are, would go into speedy bankruptcy.
There must be divine element in re-
ligion; otherwise it would never survive
the suicidal policy of its administrators.
Take, for example. the average church
buildings. 1t has been pointed out again
and again that enough valuable property
Is wasted in their erection to evangelize
the community. Everything goes 10 the
auditorium and Sunday-school room.
When public buildings OF other kinds are
put up, al the available space Is utilized.
It's so even n our dwelling houses from
cellar 10 garrett. But in the churches 100
square feet ere devoted 10 an auditorium
and chapel which are opened only once or
twice a week. The basement. also 100
Buuare feet, il given up to a furnace and
a coal bin. Why not raise this basement,
light il. heat 1t, yentilate it. fill IL with
books, papers, games and make it a coffee
room, and thus set it in competition with
the saloon on yonder corner? In this way
scores OF delightful resorts might be pro-
vided for the benefit of people who Go not
care for religious exercises, but who would
use such retreats. Once there they would
be within the reach anu protection Of re-
ligion.
In the old Jewish temple there was a
court Of the gentiies." But our churches
Seem to ignore the needs OF all save re-
Egious classes. They should open
court of the gentiles. not in
the shape Of mission chapel
In a side, street, thus establishing
separation between the rich and the poor,
but under the same roof If the problems
of the city are TO be solved, there must be
more sanctifed common sense among
Christians, more economy OF moral force
and more spiritual enterprise. Let us
have less churchianity and more Chris
tianity.
Capt. Crawford pays this well-deserved
tribute to the sisters OF charity: "On oil
Gods green and beautiful earth there are
no purer and more self-sacrifcing women
than those who wear the sombre garb OF
the Roman .catholic sisterhoods. During
the civil war | had many opportunities
for observing their noble and heroic work,
not only in camp. but on the battlefield.
right in front, where bullets Kissed and
shot flew, and dead and mangled forms
lay. l have seen them moving over the
field, their faces vet with tears, admins
tering 10 the wants OF wounded,
whispering words OF holy hope
In the ears of the diving,
now kneeling to moisten with water the
bloodless lips on which the death angel
had left his pale imprint; now holding the
crucln8 10 receive the last KISS OF the de-
parting penitent. l am protestant, but
shall never forget or cease to cherish with
profound reverence the memory of those
noble. holy women"
Col. Ingersoll says: mo one has YET
shown whether death is a wall or door. "
The colonel is 1900 years behind the
times. Jesus OF Nazareth proved it to be
a door and not a wall, first by raising the
dead and second by his own resurrection
and ascension.
lis better to say 81 know" with St
Paul, than 10 preach the gospel OF If
with the skyrocket agnOstic.
A writer in the current number OF the
Homilitic ReUiel0 remarks that nothing ir
the history OF religious thought, criticism
and discussion is more noteworthy thar
the steady defeat of those who have sough
10 disprove or discredit the historic ex
istenee of Jesus Christ. Paulus, with hi
explana alton of rationalism Strauss, with
his explanation of myth Baur, with hi
explanation of modified forgery; Rena
with his explanation OF legend-each il
turn has been re.egated TO the land o
draana and their thnriaa hava hear