Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-16
ABANDONING THE CHURCHES.


A New York exchange makes a note
of the fact that according 10 expert
calculation. out OF Brooklyn's entire
population of l.l97.1OO souls, 62S,7S7 are
entirely outside OF church influence
This is considerably over one half.
This raises the question whether the
churches have ceased to represent to
mankind something vital, something
which they can believe, something that
they can worship and something
worthy of their manhood and woman
hood?"
The paper quoted finds consolation in
the thought that Brooklyn, notwith-
standing its large percentage Of popu-
lation outside church influence, is a
highly moral borough, This goes to
show, It is assumed, that the people
are possessed Of Inmate righteous
ness" and that the ministers have no
just ground for complaint.
The evident drift OF this reasoning Is
that the churches are rather superilu-
GUS institutions, since morality can be.
and is, maintained without them. This
impression is quite widespread. Only
the other day a paper in this city.
which poses as the friend par excel
lence of sectarian churches, had this
harangue. which might have been
penned by an infidel:
did bishop Leonard ever know q
chronic liar 10 be broken OF his habit
by conversion? Did he ever know
vicious woman, who loved TO Islander
her sister women and make rows in
the neighborhoOd, that was cured OF
that by conversion? Does conversion
make man more fair in his judgment
OF his fellowmen? Is he not Just as
likely. after conversion. II he runs
against three or four dishonest men, 20
conclude that the whole community Is
rotten as he was before? Commercial
honor Is not established by the
churches. That Is purely worldly
adjustment, as the Bishop will see II
he mingles much with them, There are
plenty Of men who are scrupulously
particular to meet all their obligations,
who would be dangerous men for
Bishop Leonard 10 trade with. And
there are a good many men we believe
that belong TO Bishop Leonard's
church, who fulfill all their obligations
to the church, that Bishop Leonard
would not like TO make administrators
Of his estate"
II this is the reputation the churches
have established among their intimate
friends, Il is no wonder that a popula-
ton with the Inmate righteousness" Of
Brooklyn should desert the places OF
worship where Commercial honor is
not established"
Morality, Of course, exists outside re-
liglous associations. II existed In pa
gan Rome; and 1t exists in the heather
world today. But II the testimony OF
history be taken for IT, the kind OF
morality that cements together indi-
viduals into families, families into
communities and communities into
States. and holds them firmly estab-
lshed against the raging and ravaging
storms OF time, Is found nowhere out
side the influence Of true Christianity.
Pagan empires have risen, fourlshed for
a time, and then crumbled into ruins,
or entered into stage Of stagnation;
not for lack OF genius, or enterprise. or
power, but on account Of the absence
Of the highest moral qualifications.
Christianity supplied this want. When
the Gospel came TO the Greclan GEN.
tiers OF civilization. Corinth for Instance.
IL found that great many pillars Of
society" were forncators, idolators,
thieves, coyetous, drunkards, and ex-
tortioners, but 1t changed all that.
Such" says the Apostle in his letter
60 the Corinthians, were some Of you,
but ye are washed. but ye are sanctl-
fed, but ye are justified In the name Of
the Lord"
1t Is perfectly clear therefore, that
the charge that Conversion" In our
times does not even break a liar Of his
evil habit, is an Indictment against
modern churches, II true, It places
them on the level Of paganlsm with its
Innate righteousness. 1t brings
small comfort 10 nation dominated
by them. II is equivalent TO a warning.
Assyrla. Babylonla, Persia. Egypt,
Greece and Rome have fallen no,with-
standing the Innate righteousness" Of
their people. To the Christian world,
the expiring century may well repeat
the Masters words Except ye repent,
ye shall all likewise PERISH