Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-07-18

1t is very probable moreover that If the
large French and Irish populations i'll the
cities of Portland, Lewiston. Biddefor'l, Ban
gor, Water,ille and Augusta were left out
of the reckoning, the proportion Of non
churclI-goers among the native American
families in the State would show rs high a
percentage AS - in the hundred rising, as
have already stated, in one county even
to 20.
But mere statistics on non-church going
are not all with which we have 10 deal.
There is much beyond this. Who is there
among ourselves, brethren, accustomed to
take long drives into the country whose
thoughts have not been forcibly turned to
this question by the mean and scaniy pro-
vision made for the religious educationof TIE
rural population of our State everywhere:
The only symbol of Gods worship, the only
public sign of the religion and kingdom of
Jesus Christ, which Il large proportion,
probably u majority of those brought up IN
the country can witness is Il cheap
often implanted, building, indistinguislable
outside from the poorest district school.
and with very I uncertain and irreg-
ular preaching services, held amid
surroundings and with accomplishments
such as are far fram tending to elevate the
| thoughts, or inspire faith III the supernn'- y
al or encourage deep reverence for God.
| Here let me quote the article itself to
which | have referred "A more serious
consideration the writer says, than that of
| church attendance. is the character of the
religious privileges afforded in the rural re-
yiens. There are no strong, vigorous
churches in those communities, uniting the
! int ltinnpf.a the res the sp1lptS OF
an entire village and township i'll uplifting
worship, hearty good-fellowshi dgn'ied
social life, and aggressive Christian work.
| The services of the church are meagre and
uninspiring: the e,iiiccs and their appoint
ments are often barren and forbiddiug;
| and even the spiritual life of the church is
dependent ON spasmolic rcyivals rather
than sustained interest. Financially the
| churches are ON the verge of bankruptcy.
/ What money l.. raised comes, not directly in
| subscriptions aud pew-rcntals, hut through
| the sewiu g-circic, from fairs and entertain
| ments The church is supported practi-
caly by Il club Of women. not by families
| and men rastoratcs are short, and both
pastors and people are in a chronic state OF
I dissatisfaction with each other.
! Such brethren is the view hich careful
| statistics and observation alike present to
/ vs. of the religious condition If rural Maine,
and to a large cXt"nt even Of urban
| Maine Moreover. the picture is one drawn
not nv a stranger or an enemy, but by lone
| of Themselves even prophet of their own
! Tit /: y - who is. on the whole, i'll SYM
| patty with the chief features of the relig
I ious principles which have brought about
/ these results.
| Surely, in view Of all the facts SO far AS
| Maine is concerned. we need not wonder
i that President Hyde hcaiIs his article with
the words Impending 'aganism in New
| England
! Now what wish TO call Your especial
attention to as churchmcn is the circum-
! stances unler which all this state of affairs
has grown up. Maine perhaps more than
any other state in the | Mon, has been the
peculiar and almost exclusive possession of
the least conservative of religious bodies.
| Such denominations as the Presbyterian
| and Lutheran have never had any foothold
here. The Roman Catholics are late COM
! ers of foreign birth, and are confined chiefly
10 the large cities. As regards the influence
Of the Church it need only he mentioned
that As late as s2o we had but two parishes
and two cierqymcn in the whole State.
namely. those of st. Paul's, Portland, and
Christ church, Gardiner. Congregation
ahsm in its various forms of Or
thodox and Unitarian. Baptist and Uni
versali,t, together with good contingent
of Mcthodsm, has had almost complete
! sway. Moreover. an examination of the
table of statistics supplied by the Bible So
/ eictv shows that those counties where the
proportion of uon-churcl- gocrs rises high
! it,at tbnsa wi nr,, thp 'bnrfb bu :