The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-25

tees popularized by Sunday schools which
nave acquired big regulations for the
grandeur of their public affairs, have a
strong tendency to lead the young astray
on this point. The average child gets but
a meagre idea of the real sacredness and
legitimate use of the sanctuary If his inn
pressions are formed by what he some
times sees going on within its sacred pre-
cincts.
ITO make my meaning plain and en-
phatic, let me direct the attention OF the
reader to some of the public shows and
similar occurrences held time and again
In some of the leading churches. 1t may
be said. truthfuiiy, that they are held
in the right spirit, and with o conscien-
tious regard for the welfare of the par
ish. The projectors and abettors mean
we'll. They are Jealous to help along the
good cause. So the motive is all right.
But then they are not careful and eau
tious enough to avoid the evil inf1u-
ences. The youth of the parish are often
solicited to take part in these affairs,
and this makes bad impressions. The
reader knowns as we'll as I do what is
the character of these affairs, so | need
not p~articularize. The very fact that
they are worldly and are held in a church
/ is what / have in mind. What child is
there whose ideas would not be badly
twisted by this impious distortion! h
child of ordinary discernment-the aver
age child of today is remarkably bright
and observing-could be reasonably ex-
pected to form right ideas of the purpose
of the sanctuary when he sees anything
turned topsy-turvy in the very place he
has been accustomed to bow in devoat
worship beside his parents, and to wit
ness the periodical observance OF the or
| finances of the churchi What idea can
he nave of the holy use of the church
when he sees it transformed and used
for negro burlesque, gambling devices,
| spectacular shows and similar ventures
for raising funds and amusing the pub
lici have witnessed many of these en-
| t~ertainments, know of the p~araphernalla
and the character of the performances,
| and therefore / know whereof l speak.
They are not al adapted or appropriate
to be carried on within the walls blessed
| by solemn rites and supposed to environ
| the solemn presence of the Most High.
.Can it be that a child hardly out of the
upper forms at school,, who has been con-
| trained by his Sunday school teacher to
help turn the sanctuary into a mart or
a play house. will have any higher ideas
of its sacredness. No, indeed. No doubt
a child thinks it is much fun, and if his
| fond mamma is an active church worker,
she will consider it to be immense that
he is asked TO peddle a grab bag or be-
| come a precocious barker" to draw up
| chances in a rattle on some insignificant
sew-gaw made to realize a generous prof
it. That is all right if carried on any
| whore but in the church. But If it is
| done in the church what about the early
impressions. When that child goes to
| sunday school the following Sunday he
may be impressed with the belief that
something is wrong. Things are so dit
ferent. Note it. There is an impressive
atmosphere of sanctity pervading the en-
tire place. The fervent prayer, the ear
nest exhertations, the spiritual applica-
ton on the lesson, the sacred songs, the
terse and suggestive Scriptural verities on
| the wall. the pastors sanctity, the Super
! jatendent's pieus demeanor and his ur-
| gent admonition to the scholars that they
must behave themselves while in the
House of God; in fact. everything points
in the one direction, and yet it is the
same place where rue ldSt "a
was held. Well, now. tell me do
you think the wide-awake and observing
| child thinks of all this.
again, perhaps, the same child may
attend special revival services held in the
same place during the week. A few even
ings later he is taken to see the sights at
a festal entertainment held there. what
| a contrast. There is not a suggestion Oh
| a church. Not a vestige of religious
| exercises. Now he can cut up and DO as
ne pleases. Merriment and license takes
| the place. of reverence and propriety. IN
| stead of reverence there is a strange
| mimicry. There is a festal atmosphere
| that nspires mirth and merriment. "A
| business-like dash is noticeable every
where. The patrons promenade, hobnob,
crack Jokes, jostle, eat angel cake and
ice cream, and indulge in a general
jamboree. The entire surroundings re-
semble a lively festivity in a public hall.
..Let me illustrate this thought. There
is a place used for public worship and
Sunday school purposes. The sacred desk
has disappeared to make room for the
| capacious, rotund, secondhand, decorated
cask filled with Lemonade. or course,
true to custom, that inevitable function
| ary known as "Rebecca" presides over
1t. Now Miss Rebecea is usually selected
| from the favorite daisies of the parish
| field. Traditional usages decree that she
| shall appear in shimmering tinsel, xo-
| luminous gauze and a negligent couture.
| Then the church organ is trundled to
| some out of the way corner to make room
| for the delusive and eatchpenny wheel of
| fortune and the lucrative fish pond. The
| altar rail has to be festooned with haunt-
| ing colors to fence in the space reserved
| for the manipulation of the apparatus
| for CARRYING on the voting contest for the
prettiest belle. Everything that has the
| least resemblance to a church or a holy
occasion has to be temporarily removed
or concealed. The ruthless hand of
decorator reaches out so far as to cover
| the Scripture notices on the wall, the
generous folds of drapery and grotesque
| designs. In the place of the accustomed
! solemnity of church worship there is the
hum of business and the racket of per-
sistent chance solicitors and busy buck
sters trying to force business and gather
in the shekels.
Now this is no exaggeration. 1t is a
true representation of the situation in
many instances. / insist that the moral
influence of this thing has much to do