The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-11
WoRK1NGMEN AND THE CHURCH.

The Majority Are Outside Protestant
Lines, Mt. Wick Says.
The morning sermon yesterday by Rev.
X. K. Wick, in the Wayne Street Church,
was Of marked interest. The text was from
Luke xiv, 23s-"Go into the highways and
hedges, and compel them to come.s The
preacher said:-
"in the primitive days OF Christianity, it
held good that not many mighty, not many
of the earth's nobility, were called to the
hope and ministry Of the Gospel; but gra-
dually this state Of things was changed until
it has become somewhat reversed. The
twelve men who were the chosen leaders of
the faith were mainly from the laboring
class, and the great body of believers were
the common people. Now Christianity is
the great factor in our civilization, in pro-
motlng education, in furnishing benevo-
an exceptional array Of wealth, intelligence
and enterprise, but there Is one peculiar fact
worthy OF notice, that the majority Of those
whom we call the working classes are mainly
outside our Protestant churches. At the be-
ginning OF this century five millions of our
working people were non-churoh goers, now
more than thirty millions. This ~estrsnee-
4Ao AN e W IGD6dtSQ
investigation, and, as DR.. A. H. Bradford
states, the careful inquiries into the causes
OF this alienation show that not only is the
neglect of church institutions on the increase.
but the feeling of aversion and hostility
keeps pace with the neglect. In England
the situation is no better. The Earl Of
Shaftesbury, whose zeal for the spiritual
good OF working people is well known, states
that not more than two per cent Of the working
population attend any places Of religious
worship.
SIT behoves all true Christians to INQUIRE
why this is SO. No doubt the neglect and
dislike are caused in great degree by the
natural enmity Of the human heart to any
thing which savors of God and his truth.
but we point also to the fact that the profess
SION OF Christ, as seen in our churches, is too
much OF q class affair. 1t is no Christian
accommodation of q church when admis-
sion to its communion Is regarded as equal.
IN any worldly sense, to a passport to select
society, II is a pity when a Chris
ean Church is SO select as to
compel working girls to leave it, because
they could not find any co~ngeniality or spirit
OF Christian recognition there. 1t is wrong
when it could be said of any church. when a
reformed drunkard desires admission to it.
we have at present no vacancies. Mr..
Moody says the gulf between the churches
n the masses is growing wider, and deeper
and darker every hour.
Nov the need of the hour is to 90 out and
compel them to come in. But this cannot be
done by force. 1t cannot be done by aims
giving. 1t annot be done with a show of
dignity and condescension. 1t must be lone
humbly, fervently, lovingly, enthusiastically
and per%sistently. It must be lone by per-
sonal service. The salt must be taken where
with to ensure contact with the purifying
elements of the irreligious. 1t is the Divine
command to all who love the Lord Jesus to
go out and compel the reluctant by the force
OF affectionate' and prayerful appeals and
sympathy to come in.h