The Yale expositor., 1899-05-05
is THE CHRISTIAN
RELIGION DECLINING?

1
| Huron delivered an address which in
part maintained that the average citi-
zen had lost interest in the Christian
religion, and among other things charg-
ed the newspapers with filling the
public mind with secular matters to
the exclusion of religious sentiment
| and teaching "MaX" who edits "Be-
tween You and Me" in the Sunday
Herald, and who, by the way, is the
ablest critic of men and things in this
part of the State, swings back at him
with the proposition that if the average
citizen has lost interest in the Christian
religion the trouble lays with the cloth
and not the newspaper. "MaX" seems
to insist that considerable number
of the reverend gentlemen are getting
away from first principles; that when
| gray-headed men were boys the effort
from the pulpit was confined to giving
men and women religious instruction,
pure and simple and that from Holy
Scripture alone, while today they are
| trying to cover a multitude of other
| topics which are more ably handled i'm
the press. 1t is a somewhat remarkable
coincidence that this matter is attract
ing attention along these same lines in
several parts of the Union. But a
short time ago Governor Rollins, of
1 New Hampshire, incorporated in a pro
| clamation a statement relative to the
decline of the Christian religion, par
ticularly in our rural communities"
Many newspapers have editorials on
the subject and while they almost in
variably agree with Governor Rollins.
they widely differ as to the underlying
cause.
The New York Sun asserts that the
old-time methodist camp meeting
which awakened fervOr and religious
excitement and interest and brought
thousands of new converts into the
Church, have either been wholly dis
carded or where held have become
mere pleasure resorts; that the bright
est members of theological seminaries
are more interested i'll the errors of the
Bible than in teaching its truths, etc.
The Telegram lays the entire trouble
TO the alleged fact that every hamlet
is so crowded with Churches that the
congregations become impoverished,
every body connected with them dis
heartened, and that able men cannot
afford TO devote their time to the work
for the pay offered.
ALL WRONG.
If we grant that every condition
mentioned in these discussions is
true, it does not prove that the Christ
ian religion has declined or is declining.
The great work of Christianity has
beento raise the standard of humanity,
TO make it purer, nobler, better. Christ
ianity found the inhabitants of earth
almost universally barbarous and has
driven barbarism to the darkest cor
nerS where the missionary is still
pioneer. Christianity found nine tenths
of the inhabitants of the earth abject
slaves to the one-tenth, and it has been
the principles of Christianity alone
that have looSened the shackles from
millions in human bondage and made
them free men. The leaders in these
great movements were invariably lead
ers of Christianity.
Christianity found vast majority of
the people of earth in dense ignorance,
but the early preacher was the first
teacher to enlighten men, to SOW seeds
of knowledge, and these, in turn, were
} cultivated and carried into greater eff
feet by the teacher of the public schools
Now to contend that Christianity
is declining is TO contend that mankind
is deteriorating; that we are becoming
less liberal towards our fellows; that
we are becoming less sympathetic:
. that civilization is becoming base and
degraded. These things are not true.
There was never period in the worlds
history when humanity occupied
higher plane than today, either from a
mental or moral and christian stand
point; and all of these go hand in hand
the decline or progress of the one is
also that of the others.
1t is undoubtedly true that as human
intelligence increases, the emotional
or UiSible evidences of religion decrease.
But it is also true that as human intel
lligence broadens so as to bring the crea-
ted world within its grasp in proportion
broadens the conception and convic-
ton that the myriad of beautiful Great
ed things of earth owe their existence
to First Cause, to a Creator-God.
1t is also true that with this great
underlying conception that must ulti-
mately come to every thinking man,
also must come that other conception
and conviction than the great plan of
nature contemplates more than the
brief passage of human existence; that
it encompasses future in which the
good, pure and noble elements of hui
manity shall continue, progress and
expand.
We may add that all of this has
nOUHlnR whatever 10 40 WIFI particular
creeds or the man-made framework
that has been built up around Christ
ianity. Christianity itself is far more
important matter than the machinery
which men have devised to carry it in
to effect. 1t may also be truthfully
said that it is of little moment whether
these grand conceptions of creation
and eternity that have come to the in
telligent portion of our race, shall be
conveyed through the agency of press,
magazine, lecture or pulpit. The broad
ening of intelligence increases the GER
tainty Of conviction. There can be no
well founded criticism for those di-
vines and educators who shall enrich
biblical teaching and discussion by the
ripe fruit of scientific research, whether
this be derived from newspaper. maya
zine or from the masterful investiga-
tions of a Darwin. Wallace, Professor
Drummond, or the use of the history
of Primitive man by Ridpath and other
masters.
/, There is little danger of conflict be-
4 4 n. 4.