Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-07
TALKS on CHURCH ATTENDANCE.
Rev, Mr.. Mason breaches a ser"""
of Interest ON This Theme

| New. Mr.. Mason breaches n sermo"
of Iuterest on This Theme
| Rev. DR.. Landon r. Mason. pastor Oh
! Grace Episcopal church. preached sun
dav morning a sermon Of great force vi
the general theme OF church a'teIoa"ee'
and took his text from Hebrews xr I''
"Not forsaking the assembling OF our
| selves together, as the manner OF soe
| Is: but exhorting one another' anu
much the more as ye see the oay "'
preaching. -, ,roaf
In the outset Mr.. Mason said a grea'
MANY people had forgotten that, In oruer
:, get the inward and spiritual dement's
~ religion. the outward and visible iorh'S
must be attended to.
Continuing. he said; Special questions
are often asked concerning the attenu
ance at church of young men anu Wna'
alienates workingmen from the Sc,
IL has been well answered more t"ai'
once OF late that these questions are 50
special as to be misleading. Unless you
extend them considerably you are apt
10 give false reasons and TO propose ms
taken remedies We must ask. as wen.
wby many middle-aged and old men. anu
why women, young and old. do not so 10
church Not only should we ask why
the workingman does not at'ehu, ou'
why many men of leisure, men or cur
ture men of affairs, statesmen, ia"yeis'
scientists, doctors, are absent from pun
lie worship. II Is only when we pun 'he
question in this larger. but equally per,
tinent, form that we are likely 10 aVoiu
giving a uuack panacea for the disease.
we hear 1t said that In order to eaten
Young men sermons must be interesting
stimulating. and entertaining az street.
corner gossip, club-room loafing, or sun
day morning nap or newspaper 10 at
tract laboring men sermons, many
claim. must deal largely with the wick
edness of capital, propriety OF COM
munity OF goods, or the way working
men may be fed without work or become
capitalists themselves
For one ] can see no reason why
greed and se,fshness OF capital and cor
porations; the envy and malice, the law
nessness and violence. of many boycots
and strikes, should not justly be rebuked
from the pulpit, provided IL is fntelli-
gently done. Indeed, can hardly imagine
how the truths of practical re-
lielon can be taught unless 1t Is done
Still, / believe IL neither possible nor
desirable to get this class or that to come
TO church because there will be some
thing In the sermon specially stimulating
to them or gratifying to their pretudices
or tastes. II is not possible or desirable
to fill our churches by sensational efforts.
such as fiattering reports made OF SER
mons preached in the newspapers. nor
by sensational subjects published before
hand in the newspapers Nor is II de-
sirable to I'LL the churches by music
which vies with the best operas, by SEN
sations which compete with the club
room or saloon. comforts which excel the
park or the steamer.
IF were 10 answer In words why peo-
pie don't attend services, / should say
mostly because. as boys and girls. they
have not been taught that 1t was a
prime duty and precious privilege"
The preacher then spoke Of why peo-
pie ought to attend church. and closed
with some wise words on the value of
public worship in the world.