Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-10-29

means of intelligent and elevatine
recreation are comparatively rare. Ii
is true there are many public libraries
and reading-rooms in parts, and the
usefulness of these can scarcely be
realized, but after all, young people dc
not always want to read or to sit in q
room where they must be still as mice
They like to gather together where
they can see and commune with each
other. And we ask, what places would
be more fitting for this than oul
chapels and churches?
There was time when the church
was the sole, or almost the sole, edu.
Gator of the people, and when her edi.
fees were always open to all comers
I These buildings were not then regard
ed as the privileged property of Il few,
but as the heritage of all. Nor were
they invested with any extravagant
notions of sancity. Public meetings
were held in them, the vestries sat
there, schools were taught there, and
on rainy and cold days, the children
played at marbles in their aisles and
on their smooth fag-stones. In the
dawn of the drama, it was almost con-
fined to these consecrated buildings.
Passion-plays held the people in awe
and taught them scriptural incidents.
AS these degenerated in character,
they were succeeded by moralities"
or moral plays in which the passions
of mankind, good and evil, were per-
sonitied, and played their parts upon
the church stage. All these taught
the people to reason for themselves,
and prepared the way for the reforma-
ton, civil freedom and liberty of
thought. For the writer's of these
dramas were frequently men of great
intellectual power and, as such, were
enemies of superstition, and employed
all the art they dared to enlighten the
people.
1t was not long ago that it was the
custom for the congregation to give
audible expression of their approval or
disapproval of the preachers senti-
ments. This, however, has been sup
pressed by act of Parliament. A false
notion of sanctity has minimised the
usefulness of these buildings, and the
efforts of the clergy. The only resem-
blance to the past is in the matter of
Sunday schools, and even these are
being confined to secular places when
possible. In the meantime, the
churches are either gradually becom-
ing defunct, or are reverting to Cathol-
icism.
Why then should we not initiate
the practical wisdom of our forefath-
ers, and throw them open freely and
gratuitously to the wants of the peo-
pie? What more suitable places
could be selected for lectures and con-
certs of sacred music and Christian
gatherings and every sort of innocent
recreation, than those houses which
have been consecrated to the service of
God? The early Christians feasted
and had their free-and-easies" in
their meeting-houses; why should we
be more squeamish than they? Do we
serve our Maker better by giving Him
lip-service and chanting meaningless
hymns, or by purifying our minds Of
ignorance and expanding our souls by
a better knowledge of His works? Let
those who are in authority be wise in
time and arouse themselves to under
stand wherein their true strength lies.
Let them realize the dangers that be-
set our youth and their need of rescue
from the numerous forces of evil. In
every district will be found educated
and intelligent laymen whose talents
lie buried, but who will gladly cooper
ate in any possible manner with the
clergy in promoting the education and
moral improvement of those around
them. And in what a number Of
ways might this be done if they would
only divest their minds of false senti-
ment and resolutely organize all the
forces of Good to overcome the Evil!