The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-01-22
The Indianapolis Gas Go.
oLD-TIME CHURCH-GOING
Did Not Necessarily Mean More Piety
than Now.
Waterbury American.

OF late years much has been said IN pulpit and
among the Protestant bodies. and various reasons
hava been advanced to account for IL. Pictures
OF the oId-time SUNDAY. when everybody who
was not too sick or infirn VAS in cburcb rseu.
larry, have been drawn. with pen and pencil as
well as with spoken words. ana longings have
been expressed for reform OF those good old
days by many Christians, both among the clergy
But were those old-time church goers so much
more pious, as a body. than the people OF to-
Gay! DID they have in their hearts much
more OF the spirit OF true religion than their de-
scendants possess? A glance at the conditions or
that day and age may give al least partial
swer 10 these queries. 1t must be remembered
that life then was not the complex AFFAIR in is
to-day, either in city or country. People were
week. during hard, mOnotonous work with every
nerve strained TO accomplish the amount required
OF them in order to their days wages
There was plenty OF hard work. it is true but il
was In the helds' about the house. or at some
trade that could be carried on more leisurelv and
SUNDAY. and exercising the mental instead on on
physical powers was restful change for those
dealt ont 70 tbern from fb i6 i ne OF doctrine
and assmlate 1t TO form the sturdy virtues that
characterized many Of the older inhabitants of
the country.
Another very powerful incentive TO church.
going was that the church services with the
opportunity OF meeting the neighbors. exchang-
away from home environments and duties, took
the place OF the lecture. the concert the club
many OF the other diversions which are to be had
IN some form ana degree everywhere to-day
u
retired early in those days. Many were too far
from neighbOrs for frequent visiting. so that
Sunday was the one social Opportunity OF the
week. The church reigned supreme and there
they must go II they went anywhere. Then the
person who did not attend church was looked
upon a social pariah. 1t was not s'resnect-
able TO stay at home.
All these incentives to church-goinR were
legitimate and beneficial Like children who i'm
submitting 10 the rule OF Their elders eat whole
some food, take proper exercise, keen regular
hours. and attend school whether they like to or
not, thereby laying the foundations for physical
and mental health in manhood and wouanhooI
these forefathers and fOremOthers OF ours prof
TIED BY being kept up 10 the mark in spiritual
matters. The character OF the New England man
or woman Cfor II in this section. perhaps
that the rules In the matter of church going ere
strictesD grew and developed along strong and
healthy lines in consequence OF receiving proper
spiritual food and training. Harsh and stern as
the earlier creeds We're. they had their place in
the worlds development But with the time and
the opportunity OF to-day for mental recrea tom
and social intercourse outside church services
with personal church going a matter OF indif-
ference 10 others, and with a like longing for
fresh air. sunshine and exercise out OF doors
or quiet rest at home. IL is probable that the
church attendance OF the fathers would have
beeh no more general than IL is to-day