The Portland daily press., 1901-01-21
ATTENDANCE AT CHURCH.
Its Effect Upon the HeSlth-Dr. Blan-
chard Replies to Critic.

In letter recently addressed to the
clergy of Maine a statement was made
that non-attendsnce at church produces
deterioration OF body, mind and sou1
For this declaration l am responsible.
A reader OF these words believes that they
are not true. My critic is held by Iae IN
high esteem. He does not go to church,
but he is q man Of great earnestness, cul-
ture ana absolute loyalty to high IDEAL
of life. In his criticism, he represents,
without doubt, mRuy other persons !
desire to reach these, and, therefore, write
an open letter for your papsr instead of
a priyats one to him.
i am very glad that dissent from my
declaration has been expressed. 1t has led
me 60 reconsider my words The result
is that l am more strongly convinced OF
their essential truth than was before /
wrote the letter to the clergy of Maine.
Let me, therefore, give my reasons.
did not say that all persons who do
not attend church are thereby made Ill.
My critic enjoys robust health. His alb
stentIon FROM religious services is wisely
use1. He knows how to lessen labor on
Sunday-how to make IL day OF rest
and thought kalph Waldo Emerson
often remained away from church. His
revery In the study or his walk in the
woods brought him near to God But be
was constant in his support of the churcn
by money and by his eulogium on the
prioelegs value of Sunday Many parsons
today wisely uss Sunday outside OF
churches. My own thought Is. however,
that whoever thinks OF God and duty ana
death in any place, oan make that place,
room or road, woods or mountain, or ssa-
shore, sanctuary.
Nevertheless, there are many persons
who ara made Ill by non-attsndance at
church. Many business and professional
men injure their health by not making
Sunday a day for high thought. They
read and answer letters on that day; 9TH
ers pursue professional work. Ths re-
suit is a tendency to nervous troubles,
A bishop IN Chicago once startled his
hearers by saying: 81 sse men every
Sunday morning pass my house ON their
way to insane asylums. What do L
mean by these worGsy / mean that men
60 to the postoffice get their letters, re-
ply at their otfices-keep their minds in
tent on business affairs s3ven days in the
week. That ia ths reason why SO many
men break down prematurely."
Moreover, II is certain that many other
persons who uss Sunday for lounging at
home, reading newspapers, going on ex-
cuIsions, lower their vitality by living on
lower levels OF thought. They exist; they
do not live. 1t is noble thought which
iDvigorA:es the body. Bnt there ara null
were no God, no solemnity TO life, no
certainty of death, no accountability for
the use of powers and privileges, no life
beyond she prsssnt. Love OF eass or sen-
Eual delights, contentment with knowl-
edge OF trivial affairs, absence OF feeling
chat life is for service to others as we'll o.
for self, make tiabby minds, weak wills,
low tone OF vitality.
i can easily fortify my statements by
Illustrations from my experience as
minister In learning OF sickness and
death.
After attending funerals OF persons who
have had nothing to do with church, l
have asked the question, "Do you not
believe that attendance at church would
have helped the health OF your beloved9''
/ have received the reply many times
'Yes, believe 1t would" / am under
obligation to my friendly critic. i have
reviewed my facts. i have weighed my
deduction. L see how great Is the lower
ing OF thought ana feeling on the part
OF the great majority of those who do not
attend church. / cannot help seeing
that they live without high thought
without God in the world' can be said
of these rs it was said OF those OF old.
They do not care for nature or ART or