The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-01-20

Empty PeWs.
Why IS 90 that In all the cities the at
tendance al the churches is so smau2 II
IS not because the people 10 not believe
the Christian religion. Not one man or
woman in ten. in this OF any other city
Of this country. II asked. would deny that
he believed the teachings Of the Bible.
Why then is il that the churches are not
crowded. Is IL not because the services
are not sufficiently interesting 10 attract
theme
There are a few churches that are
always crowded. The ministers Of these
churches are not noted particularly for
their eloquence. They do not possess
greater ability. nor are they more sincere
and earnest than thousands Of other min
listers who. Sunday after Sunday. preach
20 almost empty pews. What is the secret
Of their success? Why is it that people
have to be. turned away from the doors
OF their churches? Is it not because they
study human nature. familiarize them
selves with the every day experiences Of
the people and thus prepare themselves
TO discuss matters I'm which the old ana
the young. the rich and the poor and both
men and women are profoundly inter
csted?
The great majority Of the people care
nothing for doctrines and creeds. They
are not very much concerned about what
people did two thousand years ago. and
lessons drawn from that time do not i'm
press them greatly. The events, the dis
,coverles. the developments, the struggles
and achievements Of the present appear to
them to be Of far more Importance
The average sermon. when it is more
than half an hour long, is thought to be
tresome, and why? Not because it has not
been carefully ana thoughtfuHy prepared
but because it is not filled with thoughts
and Illustrated with incidents that attract
and hold the attention.
Last Monday a lecture was delivered
under the auspices Of the Lyceum Of this
city. Its delivery occupied two hours. and
it was listened TO with absorbing interest.
and yet it was more Of a sermon than q
lecture
The editor Of a widely read Philadelphia
periodical in a recent article discussed the
question, "Why don't young men go TO
church," In the course of it he said that
out Of thirty sermons in that city to young
men fourteen had for text the story Of
the Prodigal Son. In commenting on this
fact he said:
Young men who go TO city churches
habitually are not of the stuff of which
this wicked scrpural prodigal was made.
What theS want of a minister is not doc
blrf 10
prepare for "a successful death. but inSp-
ration for a consistent life. Only a few
clergymen and women understand how
hard IL is for men to be good. These few.
however. of both classes, exercise great
and lasting influence No young man who
amounts to anything can escape pretty
comprehensive knowledge of the selfish
ness. greed. unscrupulousness. follies and
crimes in the world. He doesn't need to be
warned against them. What he wants to
know is how TO meet them and get around
them or climb over them without making
a failure of his career or paupers of his
family. The characters of the best sort
of men are the results of thousands of
compromises between what they know
they ought to do and what they feel they
must | leave drunkards and debauchees
out of this category, for usually they can't
be reformed ana aren't worth reforming,
anyhow. l am speaking of the ordinary.
temperate, Industrious. self-respecting
young man. who wants to lead a decent
life, make as much money as he can and
get all the fun out of both which the law
and his own conscience allow. That's
why such men as Robert Collyer, DR..
Parkhurst Lyman Abbott and Dr Rains
ford, who know these things, talk TO more
men every Sunday than their churches
can comfortably hold"
Young men and young women will go
to church with pleasure if they know they
will hear something that will interest
them and influence them strongly in the
direction which their better natures would
lead them and which their common sense
tells them they ought to go. but they will
not so to church to hear sermons in which
they do not become Interested and which
therefore do not influence them. Minis
tiers may say they preach the word of
God, and that it is the duty of the people
to so and hear it. But they don't go to
hear it as it is presented? Would it not
then be advisable to present it in a way
they would be lot only willing but glad to
hear it,