The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-04-13
NECESSITY FOR A RELIGIOUS RE-
TINAL

\ notable movement is taking place in
New Hampshire today that will not be
without its influence in other parts of the
country In obedience to proclamation
OF the Governor of that state the pecpie
VIII observe the day as fast-day, and
will meet in places Of worship and offer
prayers for a revival of religion through
out the state particularly the rural COM
munities. In his proclamation the Gov
ernor says the decline of the Christian
religion, particularly IN the rural comnu-
mites. IL marked feature of our times
and steps should be taken to remedy it"
He also says that no matter what oar be-
lief may be in religious matters, every
good citizen knows that when the restrain-
ing Influences of religion are withdrawn
from a community its decay moral, mem
tai and financial, is swift and sure" His
comment on the foregoing is as follows:
TO me this is one of the strongest evil
dences Of the fundamental truth of Chris
tianity."
It appears from what the Governor says
that there are towns in New Hampshire
where no church bells send forth their
call, villages where children grow to man.
hood unchristened, and communities where
the dead are laid away without the beni-
zon of the name Of the Christ and where
marriages are sOlemnized only by justices
of the peace. In view of these facts IL is
not to be wondered at that he has called
upon the people to fast and pray for a
other communities I'm the country where
there Is as much need of prayers for a re-
vival of religion as there is in communi-
ties in New Hampshire. IL is undoubted-
ly true that as religion declines in COM
munity the evidences of moral, mental and
financial decay appear. Where there is
a strong religious sentiment there are to
be found earnest virtuous, industrious and
thrifty people, and they are dominant in
everything
1t is evident that there Is plenty of room
for home missionary work. It is a ques-
ton whether 1t would not be advisable for
the good people of the country to give
more attention to home missions and less
to foreign missions If Christian nations
should give more attention to spreading
the truth of the Christian religion among
their own peoples there would be- in all
probability, less reason for such addresses
as that delivered by the Chinese minister
before the American Academy In Phil
adelphia last Saturday night, a full synop-
sis of which was published in our dis
patches on last Sunday morning. In that
address he called attention to the unscru-
puiOus aggression which the Christian
nations are making on the Chinese en-
pire-an empire which has a civilization
twice as old the Christian civilization,
and which has survived, he said, because
of the superior virtues of it's civilization
while Christian nations have gone to de-
cay.
1t is to be regretted that the necessity
exists for such proclamations as that of
the Governor of New Hampshire, but as
it does exist steps should be taken
elsewhere. as they are being taken
In that state, not only to check
the decline of the Christian reli-
gion. but 10 promote and spread it until
all the people of Christian lands are
brought under its influence.