Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1896-05-09
IsMs 1nAr NAVE fAILEp.

The failure Of Professionalism" IL the
title Of little book recently Issued by
Protestant minister In New Hotk,
MIR. Thomas Dixon, Jr., In which lac
points out with keen logic that modern
churches utterly fail In the present age
TO carry out their mission.
Viewing the field In New York, he
alsorls that PfolesIantism In that city,
Instead Of glowing sttonger every yeas
IL gradually losing ground. The
churches are declining In Vitality
while godllaets Ia growing, until New
YtIk city, he sRyp, has become one Ct
the most goddess cities 10 America.
In proof Of this assertion hc quotes
that the statistics Of the Bap'
fists, Tor Instance, show a
net Increase Of 075 members
during teven years, from total mem.
ber'hip Of 1900 In 1855 to li,lii IN
1899. The normal birth rate during
these years should have given an In.
crease Of at least 3 800. the death rate
being more than balanced by aces.
slons from other churches; 60 tho
Bapilsts mAnaged to hold their own to
the extent OF one fourth Of the chill
dfen born In their own homes.
The Melhodists during tho same
period increased ,b52, or from l2,bss
tol4,l4O. They held about half tho
number OF their children. The Presby-
terians increased 4, i29, or from 2O,SOs
to 24,7S7. The normal birth rate should
have given them hn increase Of
1854, and they, therefore, managed
to hold about two.thirds Of their own
children. Tue Luiherhns show an
actual decrease Of O25 during the sevon
Year,, or from $4,000 to 1895, 90 they
have not only failed TO mold tho chill.
dren but lost hundreds Of their older
members.
But these figures, the author con.
iinues, tell only part Of the story. IL
lisa fact, he says, that many churches
now keep the dead members on their
rolls In order 10 have u large showing.
one OF these records was seen one day
to contain 1900 names while no, 200
members couli be found. The fact Ii
that there are actually today smaller
number both Of Baplisls and Method
ists than there were twenty years ago.
Discussing Catholicism tho author
finds that It IL unfolding an activity in
behalf Of the foreign immigrants alto
gether unknown to Pfoteslants. He
sbyE
This town could not DO hold from tho
devil for twcnty-four hours " itw0r0 not
for the power NJ tho Catholic priesthood,
You would hayo TO turn your guns into
these streets and sweep them with grape
and canister without them. What have
we done TO reach these peoplc9 Nothing
What are we gong TO doy Nothing
Who are doing that work. The jewish
rabbits and the Catholic priests, 10 thoy
do not do it, Il IN not done. II you
take those force away, you have left tho
people absolutely in darkness. II that
IN a tact, We must recognize 10, and thai
these iorcos are being utilized Tor good.
Yet no Hnds that ltomaulsm toei
not hold the key TO the future situation,
inAsmuch a. lite failure 10 oven nor,
serious than that Of PTotostantism
Counting the children born Of Catholic
pateptagc, the Catholics have lost nj
least 5000. 600 within the past two gen,
erAtlons.
Statistics, OF course, may be- sus
piciOus M = basis Of argument, but It !,
beyond question Gat modern forms
OF Christianity show the deurepI
tude OF old age In marked degree
Wrapped In dogmAs rendered veneer
able by nothing but high antiquity
anxious lest they should be ex
posed to the winds Of modern thought
they will not, OK cannot, take 40 active
part IN the social struggle in which
ths nations now are concerned. The
power that characterized the Apostolic
Church is gone anu ia no longer sought
for ElCquenceiu the pulpitis but a pool
substitute for divine inspiration; die
seItRti0ns on Remi.political ana socla
topics cannot satisfy tue longings Of .
toul hungerlng anu thirstiug Tor 70
vealel truth; pantomime wOuhil
is unreal, without regenerhuug effect
Christianity OF today, with ne mul
tituiinoul creeds anu Hohigms anu
dogmas, resembles some Of these col
lectious Of ancient arms and woap0nl
seen in museums. They may bp otvalu'
ior historical research ami interesting
h tho student Of man'a history, ant
they are therefore properly taken car,
Of, well enoAsed In glass and KEEP
bright and shining. But their day 0
usefulness for active service is past
however formidable they once ma
have been in the handa OF thei
~''Sinsl owners. The worih move