The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-06-06
Why the Churches Arc Neglected.

The Rev. DR.. HATHAWAY, representing the
sabbath Union" preached at the Fifth
Avenue Presbyterian Church last Sunday
on the decline in church attendance, and as
he had only about fifty listeners there was
before him ample justification for his lam
entation.
DR.. HATHAwAY's explanation OF the In
creasing disregard OF church services was
that Sunday excursion trains, bicycling
and the Sunday newspapers distract tho
people from the house of Con. In the
instance Of the Fifth Avenue Church, how
ever, another potent distraction at this
season Is the hot weather, which has
sent so many OF the parishioners to the
country, whore. II they are 80 disposed,
they can find Presbyterian worship to at
tend, though 1t is true that there also
wheeling and golfing continue to tempt
them to avoid it. But as these Sunday
amusements are commended and pursued.
even by Christian ministers themselves,
the Rev. DR.. RAINsFoRD, for instance, how
can laymen be expected to eschew them 2
Sunday. accordingly, has become the great
day OF the week for wheeling and for play
ing golf. and among those who engage most
ardently in the sports are very many peo-
pie, young and old, upon whom the churches
have been accustomed to depend for at
PENDANTS. The way to the desecration
OF the Sabbath" as DR.. HATHAWAY called
1t, having thus been opened, all forms OF
amusement not intrinsically vicio us begin
to be tolerated The cloth which formerly
covered the billiard table on Sunday is now
L.,
gay entertainments occur, and the day
once observed with 80 much religious
austerity Is now utilized chiefly for pleas
ure and recreation.
The American Sabbath" is passing away.
It's destruction, however, has not been due
to the Sunday newspaper. for the reading
OF that, when it Is worth reading at all,
constitutes one OF the more serious occupa-
tions OF a day which is now 80 largely
given up to sport and frlvolity. good
Sunday newspaper Is rather a conservative
than destructive force, and upon 1t more
than any other agency the churches will
have to rely II they shall ever be able to
kindle again the faith which alone will Ali
their pews.
The reason why church attendance Is de-
clining, unless among the Roman Catholics,
is not the competition OF the popular desire
for wheeling and for golf, nor the appetite
for reading, but the cooling OF the religious
faith Of tho people. in place OF an eager
craving for the teaching OF the Church there
has come in widespread religious indifrer-
ence. People who once accepted the Bible
without question are now asking them
selves why they should believe 1t and why
they should read it moro than any other
book, and the question has been put in their
minds even by the thcologians and Doctors
OF Divinity approved and honored by the
Church, who have relegated it to place
along with human literature generally.
That is the seat ofthe trouble. People are
indifferent about going to church because
they are taught even by the Church itself
that the supernatural foundation on which
alone it can rest Is imaginary only. What
other result could have been expected from
such teaching ? The Briggses. the MoGifferts