The sun., 1897-11-25
RELIGION ANDTHEP PEOPLE.
ANSWERS TO SIX QUESTIONS PRO-
PODNDED BE 4 MINISTER.

Relations OF tho Churches 60 These Outside %
Thsu Considered bS LsSmsn-" Cas- hran
ne = Considerations Christian aud at the
snme Time ne Sucrcssfai In Businessrs
Two weeks ago tho Rev. Robert II. Wick. the
pastor Of the Wayne Street Reformed Church In
Jersey City, sent circular letter TO 200 repre-
sentative citizens asking them to answer ak
questions which he incloscd. and stating that
he proposed TO use tho answers as texts for q
series OF six sermons The questions were:
I. why do so many men of good moral and busi.
ness standing maintsA an attitude of Indifference
toward the church,
Q. What Influence in our community has the most
debilitatins effect morally upon our young mcn2
g. What do you regard as the creates, enemy of our
home life?
4 Do you think, in view of our present methods Of
business that man can be a conscientious Christian
and at the same time be successful in husinessp
o. What can the churches do TO lessen the amount
OF vice and crime2
O. What can tho churches do TO more effcctually
hold and help the young men between ls and 20
years OF agep-
Mr.. Wick has received a large number Of
answers many OF which were from persons who
had read the questions in tho newspapers, and
he Is now digestinR them for his sermons, the
FIRST Of which will be preached ncxt Sunday
evening. One man. evidently scoffer at relig.
ion, sent these answers postal card
1. Because they know the Church is humbug
e. Religion.
8. Religion.
I Certainly not. The bigger the Christian the 6ig-
ger the humbug.
8. Preach less religion g. nonscnse) and introduce
brains into tho Church.
o. Nothing. The Church Is becoming q dead letter.
It is dying like the belief in witchcraft To-day
the strength of the Church is the sentiment Of
and the ignorance OF children, which practically
Synonymous.
These answers are from q ministers:
l. Because those OF the standing who are In the
Church. many OF them, make the impression OF in.
difference by their lives so that outsider cannot
be expected to be much moved with anxiety aspi.
ration.
g. Tho absence of any serious regard for the Church
shown by their elders.
g. hardy know It depends so much on the partio-
uar community or class concerning which the ques-
| tion is asked. In my neghborhood and among my
people should say the chief enemy Is pure worldli-
and selfish love Of pleasure.
4. Some OF my members say yes fIaEes courage
and strong faith in God but they have trusted and
not been confounded.
8. Work for the salvation OF individual souls and
vigorous and clear testimony. line upon line against
sin.
o. Give them work to do for Christ, work which
| they recognize useful aud worth doing.
A member of the Y. NJ. G. A. lays tho blame
for The indifference of business mon on skepti-
| cism and unbollef, Christian Science. and The
osophy. Ills answer to question Is; The
| school OF vice, to wit, low moral condition of
diligence Of passion consequent upon the rotten
condition Of so-called society resultant from
| above"
| A Publisher" replies to question thus:
THE belief that 4 man only gets there, the
means he has used and the path he has t,d trodden
| Otherwise stated, II is the notion prevalent in
ali circles that i better to triumph basely than
| to fail righteously."
The same man In answer to question says:
1T is hard to say; The attempt to turn
for social enjoy will necessarily fail. People
whose aim is amusement will go where they can
necessarily imposes. Yet there is n large class
Of the populsti@onh 10 It. the poor, whose great want is
One writer attributes the Indifference to tn :
Sunday newspaper and the Sunday bicycle run.
An Educators" answers are:
l. 1t cannot serve two masters
g. The lack Of unity.
0. To furnish places where they may be relsiousiI
amused.
s sy: as hS
unity. II; failure the part of parents. 0; self
2; bicycle. 2; Sunday newspspsrs, 2: politics
| gossip. Ignorance, religious indifference. bad
temper and dyspepsia, l each.
| A lawyers answer to question l: Preach
| ers do not interest the people. They lay asid,
the Gospel for subjects which are more apt tt
please. The people grow tired of politics sever
days In the week"
4 man whose business is not stated answers
| question Q thus: "The sensational newsps
per and the lack Of proper homo influence du
| to the cosmopolitan method OF living which IL
found in our largo Cities" One answer t.
question 10: TOO many social function
| Parents never at home. Children neglected an,
left to nurses. Disregard OF marital VOWS
Children in streets at night" In answer to ques
/ ton laXG Fff n hi ms n
New York who is frank with you will tell 20,
that the prevailing motto is that every man
| out for tho stuff"