The evening times., 1899-04-08
PIETY IN RURAL DISTRICTS.
Statistics and Preachers Declare Re
IigiOm Is ElOurishinS.

| New York. April S.-Governor Rollins
Fast Day proclamation to the citizens of
New Hampshire. in which he said. The
decline of the Christian religion, particu-
! larly in our rural communities. is 4 mark
ed feature of the times. and steps should
be taken TO remedy it, has aroused wide
spread interest
| Dispatches received here from different
places seem to indicate that Governor Rol-
| lins is mistaken in his views about the
| decline of religious feryor.
The Right Rev. William Croswell Doane.
| Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Albany.
t had not read Governor Rollins proclama- =
| ton. pleading for Improvement in the re-
! ligious condition of rural communities,
when asked for his opinion on the subject.
| He had no hesitation about stating his
! views. however. wien told the nature of
the complaint which the New Hampshire
! executive makes, and said:
Il should seriously dispute any assertion
| that such a decline had taken place among
the rural communities in this State. at
least SO far as the denomination which /
represent is concerned. For upward Of
thirty years I have regularly received ami
studied the reports from the clergy in my
diocese and elsewhere throughout the
State. and they certainly have not shown
decline.
On the contrary they have regularly
shown a gratifying growtn. There are
more communicates and more missions
than ever before, and / hope and believe
the growth will be better from year to
year.
A dispatch from Boston says Governor
Rollins proclamation has excited much in
terest in Massachusetts. Edward A. Hor-
ton, President of the Unitarian Sunday
School Association. said:
1T is quite likely that Fast Day obsery-
ance has lost its influence in New Hamp-
shire. There is. these days. less regard for
the ecclesiastical forms of salvation. In
telligence and liberty of thought have COM
bned TO make individuals less dependent
on dogmatic methods of religion
Amos R. Wells. Managing Editor of the
Christian Endeavor World said: Il
think the governors proclamation draws
very large conclusions from small prem
ises. No student of the religious condition
Of the country in former times can COM
pare it with that of the present day with
out recognizing a most marked advance"
The Rev. DR.. F. T. Hazlewood, District
Secretary of the American Baptist Home
Mission Society, said: 80 far as the Fast
Day services are concerned think that the
best element among the ministry has long
since regarded them as a farce
Joshua Colt. Secretary of the Massachu-
setts Auxiliary to the Congregational Home
Missionary Society. said:
Il think that Governor Rollins idea is
not true so far as Massachusetts is con-
cerned. | do not think that religion is de-
clining | am sure that there are now more
members of our Church in proportion to
population than there were forty years
ago."
The Rev. George S. Bell, Pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church, in Annapolis,
Nd, says that on the Eastern Shore of
Maryland, in the rural districts, the
churches. far from losing influence, are
growing in power. In Virginia from OBJ
servation, the farmers are taking more in
terest in religious matters than ever In
Accomac and Northington counties, on the
eastern neck of Virginia. Mr.. Bell says.
there are now two churches where there
was one before the civil war
The Rev. DR.. Widerman, Pastor of the
First Methodist Episcopal Church in that
city, says that the reports of his confer
ence show that on the western shore of
Maryland increased interest is displayed
in religious matters.
Bishop Paret. of the Protestant Episcopal
Diocese, of Maryland, stated while in An
napolis day or two ago that, owing to
the work of the parish guilds, there was
not a vacant Episcopal parish in this State
dispatch from Indianapolis. Ind, based
upon the news of Governor Mount shows
thta religion Is not on the decline in the
country districts of that State, while dis
patches from Philadelphia show that with
the possible exception OF Methodism, all
are fiourishing in the Quak- |
er City.