, 1893-02-25

PENDANTS las they would sly, from necessity
because OF the bearing Of their church toward
secret societies.
8. Twenty men gave lack of desire to
attend as one leason, though very few gave
that az the only one. They differed from
those who gave habit as mn excuse. III tins
non-attendance was The result Of more deli
berati II and purpose. II do not attend be-
cause | do not want to. ] 10 not want to
because / had too much of it whenl was young"
three Of them said, while with others it was
q reaction against church authority but with
most Of these it was some othsi Sunday
snterprise-hunting. boating, ..picnicking, base
ball, etc.
The Catholics | talked with (thirtesn in
all complained more than the ProtestantS
Of the interference of the saloon with church
attendance.
Want of faith was given by many in
this class. They were unsettled relleiously.
They ranged from those who thought Mr..
Ingersol uttered more truth than all the
preachers, to those who are graphing
with the greatest questions Of science and
religion.
4. Thirty one men said that absence is she
fault of the churches. A number made this
the chief reason. The criticisms of the
church attacked the organization. : the
ministry and the members. They said that
the church ia not social men find mort. gen
uins fellowship in the lodge OF club OF bar
room. The church is too narrow -. g., too
many needless divisions There were fifty
five men who spoke on the oreeds. Twenty
one said the creeds were in the way thirty
four said they were not. Twenty one would
advocate changes. Their positions ranged
from that of a man who said, Not one in five
hundred believes the creeds," to another who
said, Some cresds keep some men away"
One instance was given of a large number OF
students converted in a college about twenty
years ago, and many desired to join a~.certain
church; they studied it's creed (t was the one
orp Presbyterian brethren are now revising),
decided they would not accept it, and joined
another church. Of the twenty one who said
the crseds are "a barrier, six were lawyers.
three physicipnsss three ministers, three manu-
tacturers, two teachers, two office holders, Que
u druggist, and one farmer.
Concerning the minister, most of the men
considered him as an important factor III this
problem. They said they went to church to
hear what he hadIto say, rather than the music
or ritual.
Several thought he should be regarded in
business and society as other men, be drawn
as q juror, and not go Oh "half fare permits"
ard " per cent of, +" in order to best commsnd
himself to men.
Too much Of the preaching "is not pIacti-
GAL" BY this was meant dwelling on the
supernatural, assuming what the nearer
doubts, failing to press most what all believe,
taking up the doctrinal rather than tho ethi-
cal, preaching too much Bible-t. o., discus
sing the Israelites or the Bible worthless in
stead OF present questions.
Ministers fail to reach men, they said, be.
cause they are "too oredu1ous;" they do not
take the scientific method into their thinking
they emphasizefsminlne rather than masculine
virtues.
Their social life is detective; they do too
much cne-sided pastoral work, see too little Of
the men in other than church relations.
Several lawyers saidssthe minister too often
does not make his case" he ignores the
either side"
Sixteen of the thirty.ons found fault with
the unworthy church smember. Very few
made the charge that the men at church, and
in the church, are no better than those outside.
for not one of the hundred repudiated the
church 90 useless or said something better
could take it's place: but the knowledge men
have of each other. the unpleasant relations
in business or politics, had a bearing OH church
attendance.
About two years aro made another ex.