The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-11-27

| t1on, as to town centers, I answer that
so far as / know (and this last year
Travelled $1,000 miles In my work among
the weaker churches,) there are nc
town centers where there formerly
| We're regular church services but
where at present there are no church
services, and where irreligion has talk
en- possession.
| THE state has been somewhat mis-
represented by men unacquainted with
the facts. For instance the New Hamp-
| shire Register mentions certain vii
lagos or town centers as without a
church, and the conclusion is drawn
that they are in a condition of abso-
lutte neglect. The town of Drummer is
one such. There is however, little
church there, SO that for seventeen
years no Sunday has passed without a
| Christian service, and within two
years our missionary society has
searched out the work, and now gives
it support. Besides the Methodists
from Milan send their minister there
every Sunday afternoon. I do not know
of town center in the state where re-
liglous influences are entirely lacking.
ITO the second question, as to the in
terspaces between town and centers, I
may say that, wide as is my acquaint-
ance with the state, know of no in
terspaces in which are considerable
communities without religious institu
tons or religious influences and where
virtual heathenism has set In. I do
not of regions where the religious con-
ditions are somewhat discouraging,
but those regions have received, and
are receiving attention. Sometimes the
hindrance arises from the fact that
the churches in the vicinity; (and they
are still the source Of the best evan
gelistic efforts,) although not hostile to
each other, are of too many denomina-
tons for the ready securing Of effec-
tive cooperation. But the force of
even that hindrance Is lessenirg, rath-
er than increasing The Congregations
al Home Missionary society of New
Hampshire carries on it's helpful, Wig
orous work in over 100 distinct locali-
ties. do not anywhere find consd-
cradle lapses into moral degradation,
or practical barbarism, in New Hamp-
shire"
Concerning Vermont, the reply from
secretaries Is "There are no town CEN
tiers where there has been such lapse
as you outline, although there are
places where a newspaper correspond
emit or missionary in search Of story
to report might write up moving and
true tale of spiritual restitution. OF
late years we have been working in
such places; until at present l cannot
name single town center where there
are no regular religious services. with
a consequent lapse into practical
heathenism" He continues: GAS for
the cores between the parishes, there
is and always has BEEN more or less
of religious need But Of late aggres-
sive missionary work has been done
from adherent centers of influence,
t. e., from churches already establish
ed The plant is sufficient. 1t needs
to be used to better advantage
From Massachusetts the word of the
best informed man in the state is:
There Is no town center in Massachu-
sets in which there Is total absence
of regular religious services, but there |
are hamlets, crossroads where there Is
religious Indifference and spiritual
need AS to just how many cross
roads there are, cannot state. In late
years our churches have been looking
up such places, and providing Sunday
schools and schoolhouse meetings, and
this is being done more and more
The reliable testimony from Connec-
ticut is as follows: There are no