The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-15
CHURCHES FOR THE RICH.
DR.. Rainsford Says Christianity Has
Hard Time Before 1t.
New York Times.

New York Times.
christianity has hard time before
It," said the Rev. DIR. w. S. Ransford
last night in ST. Thomas Episcopal
church, at a service of the Archdeaconry
of New York.
1T is getting harder every day." he con-
linued, Ito get people to come 10 church.
1t is getting still harder to get the com
mon people TO come, and / feel discour-
aged at the outlook.
Yet at the same time the sense of pity
is permeating us today as never before.
The SORROWS of others grip us until we
feel their burden, as Joseph of Arima-
ithaca felt the weight of the cross We
are realizing az we never did before the
idea of sacrifice.
I'VE in the church are so wrapped up
In what we do that we forget to ally our
selves with outside agencies. a wave of
sympathy with suffering is passing over
the civilized world, more prevalent in this
country than anywhere else. Because we
have historic church is the very reason
why we should open wide our arms to the
untried and unorthodox masses.
I'VE get out Of touch with the people.
We get out of sympathy with the demo-
cratic life which is the stay OF his coun-
try Too much of the idea of the English
church clings to Us: too much Of the idea
of an Importation instead of native
growth.
eve need more liberty. l want to see
the ,hurch come back to the common
people. I want to see the church go 10
the common people ! know the census
and the figures which show the Increase
OF church attendance during the past ten
or fifteen years, but the common people
are getting further and further away
from the church.
Hundreds Of thousands who never
darken the doors OF a church are set
down as church members. In the census
returns many persons are counted over
and over again. ! myself know one man
who is set down as an attendant by seven
different churches.
THE men here tonight have an lnspira-
ton Of power ard love and OF sound mind.
They should consecrate their best and
brightest boys TO the.service OF the Chris
tan ministry. Men pray for the church.
but they do not give their children. The
ancient Greeks looked on their children
as the fairest offerings for the gods. while
we send one child 10 succeed his father In
business ana the others 70. the eallings
for which they show a preference
The rector OF one OF the most prosper
Gus churches In this city told me a short
time ago that with sorrow he had to con-
fass that In fifteen years not one member
OF his congregation bad been consecra'ed
70 the Christian ministry. tntil we put
our nest youth 70 the service of God we
A warm living. breathing Christianity
The Rev. Or. Geer. vicar Of 81 Paufs,
said that fashionable Christianity was the
name OF the modern church The present
system made religion too cheap for the
rich and too costly for The poor. The rea-
son why church attendance was not larg-
er was because the kind Of religion which
appealed 20 men OF culture was far too
extensive under present conditions.
"A man OF this kind" DR.. Geer con-
timed sends his wife and children 20
the nearest free chapel and gets his own
religion from the Sunday newspapers and
a walk in the park
we insult the poor by calling them the
masses We calf their homes The slums.
though 70 my certain knowledge these
slurns are the home ~ many ~ Gods
elect The key 70 the religious problem
L. in the hands of the rich. Crooked think
ing on social and religious topics is not
going TO heip Us. The rich must be con-
verteI. rot - dainty. lily-fngered Chris
tianitv. hut 20 the religion Of Christ"
These were not the days. Or. Geer CON
finued when The church could ne rich 20
the rich and roor 70 the poor. The church
wanted large capital. II wanted the IN
,er9s- on funded millions.
Religion must be made expensive Tor
che rich tn order tina: the beauty Of hoii
ness might be made cheap for ne poor.
Dr. Geer wanted 20 sec the lame. the halt
and the blind In the best churches