The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-03-28

Some months ago tne Melhouio'
border, of London, offered three prizes
10 boaa-tide workingmen who gave tue
best and fullest answers to the question:
|.Wby do not the working classes go 10
Lhurch?" More than hundred working
hen responded. The Recorder pubiShes
In full the three prize essays with Sc
lactions from the rest. The attitude or
| he workipcmcn toward the church Is
Inns ext.,a.epd IN the introduction to the
~ ,riya ESSAY: The workingmen are
ST ,itfyersti,5 opposed 10 Christianity;
.hnv ha,r no fault to find with Jesus
|'hrist sneithrr would they take UP any
irectly hostile attitude toward the CHRIS
an Chnrcn. They simply 20 their own
my j.iciira -, church as completely
thel2h she 5id nat exist at all We
i've IN condensed form the reasons Tor
his ms extracted by the Methodist Re-
order of Pittsburg from the letters Ill
S London contemporary:
I The caste system IN the churches,
which makes social and class distinc-
hons. .. The form of service-too much
machinery. lack of spontaneity and fas-
ination. 3. Pew-rents. 4. The cold
ess OF the churches. Instead of being
lll of zealous Christianity, hot with the
ospel. full of glad tidings, the churches
re cold. ). Changed style of preach
lg-sin toned down. &. Christian incon-
fstency {. Sheer spiritual Indifference.
The counter attractions OF places OF
Entertainment and pleasure. 8. The ne
.essity for rest. 10. Bad preaching. IL,
The eItertainment-proyid propensitieS
1 the church, iIiipressing the public mind
Nth a decreasing belief in the power Of,
he purely spiritual forces supposed to
'e resident in the church. i. Prejudice
nd the spirit of the age. Is. The lack
proper consideration Of workingmen
br church Offices IA. Lack of sympathy
18th the workingmen in their friendly
cieties or trade-unions. Is. The com
lrative indifference of the church to the
impoverished condition of the masses
at is, the neglect of the church to speak
It on the pressing social problems which
feet the working classes of to-day.
In an editorial commenting on the pub
shed essays, The Christian Common
ealth IIondon) says:
1T is a melancholy fact that only
very small proportion of worklngmen
e found on Sunday in place of
brship. Why is this? Chiefly be-
use of sheer Indifference. But indif-
renee is an effect rather than a cause,
id what we have to get at is the cause
indifference. The essayists assign
ANY reasons for the non-attendance
their fellows at church. They do
1t overlook the faults of workingmen,
1t, after indicating these, they are
city well agreed that the onus of IRE
possibility lies at the door Of the
nreh Their grievance may be sum-
Id up in one sentence; the church is
doing it's duty by them: is not dis
arging its mission; is not true TO its
aster Complaint is made Of the pew
BIT system and social caste (great promi-
nee is given to these; the inconsistent
IS of processing Christians, particular
employers of labor; the aloofness of
nisters; lack of yisitation;' unattractive
ryices; that the church interests itself
workingmen on only one day in the
eek, and concerns itself with only one
e of their nature, etc. If these letters
present the true state of matters in
elity is not so rampant among work
ymen IS generally supposed. Again
ID again the writers declare that work
emen are not hostile TO real Christiani-
still less to Jesus Christ-though it is
bbable some of them do not fully realize
hat submission to Him involves. We
We no hesitation in saying that il this
mpsoium makes nothing clearer than
Eother, it is that the closer ministers
id Christian workers follow the foot
- = rIxv
III they be brought into touch with the
prking classes, and all who are at pres
t outside of Christian influences
The same subject receives editorial
eatment in the columns of The Central
tristan Advocate Est. LOUISE The Ad-
cate quotes from the first prize essay,
itten by Mr.. William Hunter, a work
oman of Hull. According to Mr.. Hun
the church has taught to the working
In the doctrine of ''the divine Father
3D." which involved also a universal
Fotherhood For the signs of this
ptherhood they very naturally looked
TO the church. where they had been
lght to look up to God as their Father,
t they looked in vain; instead, they
ind that caste, social, or class distinc-
ms were just as marked in the church
in the world, that precisely the same
Ifs separated the classes one from an
her in church as out Of it, and from,
bit time the sympathy of the working
sses with the church began to wane.''
Moreover, when they began to crave
d struggle for higher and better condi
ms of life, the church, he says, ough:
have placed itself at the head Of the
ward movement, and adds that, il this
been done, "Many labor wars, with
ir attendant evils, might have been
erted." Among other reasons given
many of this class do not attend
rch is that the ministers, as a rule,
absolutely out Of touch with the
ger life Of the workers"
he insatiate greed for wealth on the
t Of some laymen of the church-a
ed which shows itself by resort to
ices to cut out the workman the
hnnical spirit Of certain employers and
emen who make profession Of chris
ity are shown to be responsible in
be measure for the Alienation Of the
BRING classes from the churches. while
system of pew-renting and individual