Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1899-12-30
THE STRUGGLE OF CHURCHES,

Modern churches are looking in every
direction for something whereby TO
secure their existence. They are sore
ly threatened and tried Indifference
Is filling the ship, that is tossed about
among the breakers Of infidelity and
higher criticism" the compass Of reve-
lation gone. and the helm In the feeble
hands of hirelings. Many experiments
are tried for the purpose Of perpetual
Ing an institution in which popular In
terest is waning.
To make the church a concert hall
and lecture room has been tried, but
net with entire satisfaction. The drum
and tambourine do not reach all classes.
The bazaar and social gathering have
no permanent charms. Churches are
being deserted. They are unable to
compete with the popular farce, or the
circus.
Among the new ideas put forth Is
this. that the 'one-man-m ministry" must
be abandoned. Churches having places
Of worship in close proximity to one an
other, must join in partnership about
the preaching and the finances. Says a
Presbyterian paper:
I'm place OF the system prevailing
among US today, We would suggest a
grouping Of churches and a partner
ship o. their ministers. In a town
where there are four or five Presbyte.
rlan churches, or in section of large
city like New York, where there are
the same number. these churches might
enter into a definite union OF ministry,
OF finance, Of everything, Thus, in that
town, or in that section OF the city.
there would be simply one Presbyterian
church with various buildings In which
to carry on its operations. The results
Of such a change could not but be
highly beneficial TO the cause OF relig.
ION"
In other words, the churches are be-
coming tired OF their pastors" They
want a change, and they promise them
selves great results from such change
Did not Paul speak about
time, when professed Christ
ians would clamor for teachers
willing TO feed them according to their
own prescription? II is variety" that
is needed, they think. And so the
church services should be arranged on
the pattern Of vaudeville performance.
The ministers In a district might form
stock company and jointly Ill the
pulpits in the district. The programs
might consist Of solos, recitatlons,
duets, exhortations, anthems. read
ing, etc, according to taste, with such
other variations as might be
suggested from time 10 time.
Many modern churches would
be less open to the charge Of slmula-
ton. were they managed more in &C.
cordance with the variety show
The deplorable condition which the
churches fail TO grapple with 10 we'll
known, and sometimes pointed out.
Thus at the Methodist congress at 81.
Louis last month, Rev. W. w. King did
not hesitate TO say that he doubted
whether some American cities would
compare fayorably 10 ancient Sodom. He
pointed out that the church can never
fulfll It's mission as long as II permits
social system that literally compels
sales-.irls and clerks in stores TO live
lives Of imDurity. He further showed
that the churches were 10 blame for
the condition that makes 1t almost
impossible to get decent man elected
TO any Office" or TO get any legislation
without a liberal use Of money"
In view OF such an arraignment OF
modern churches, what Is the object TO
be gained by introducing greater variety
in the pulpits? What Is needed Is a
thorough awakening-a shaking up as
by an earthquake. The religious world
needs 10 be made TO realize that nov
also the ak is laid unto the root Of the
trees; therefore every tree which bring
eth not forth good fruit Is hewn down.
and cast into the fire." Not I'll the
churches and their leaders realize that