The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1902-02-20
PREACHING AND OHUROH ATTEND
ANOE

The subject of church attend
ance is one that has received much
attention of late. It's quite COM
mon now to hear people say that
there is no use in going to church,
as the sermon will not be worth
listening to. They lose sight of
the fact that the object Of church
attendance is not for the purpose of
being entertained or amused.
A letter published in Tie Church.
man Of February 18th, written by
Rev F. S. Harraden Of Hanover,
Mass. deals with this matter very
clearly. and is worthy of careful
persual, especially by men. The
writer says:
Much has been said and written
of late as to the preaching Of to-day.
The sermon has been pronounced
nterior, and the preaching "ineffec-
tive" This has been very general
ly given as a reason or an excuse
for the too prevailing and growing
failure to attend church. The
clergy are severely criticised by the
laity, and in this sweeping asser-
ton blame for this failure is laid
upon them. BY implication, their
sincerity and honesty would seem
to be questioned. Is it not time for
the clergy to speak in their own
defence? We of the clergy know
full. well that our sermons are often
not fully up to the standard of what
they ought to be, and that our
preaching at times is not as effective
as we would have it; yet, may we
not justly claim that, as whole,
the average sermon is the result oil
careful thought, and its delivery
compares favorably with that OF
men at the bar or on the platform?
To an observing mind this must
be evident.
Are there not other more potent
causes for non-attendance at church,
painfully evident to the clergy, if
not to the laity? A prevailing cause
is the present spirit of worldliness
that is so sapping the vitality of
personal religion. This is so evil
dent, that few words are needed to
prove it. A result of this is state
of indifference to the claims of per-
sonal religion, and readiness to
compromise with the world. The
standard of the Christian life is
thought too high, and men lower
the standard that its attainments
may be in the line of least resist
ance, rather than lift the life up to
the exalted level of the highest
ideal. The worth of an ideal is in
its height. The world is just when
it points to the inconsistency of
practice with profession, on the
part of so many Christians.
Again. there is loss of the true
idea of worship, and consequently
of the main purpose in attending
church. 1t would seem as if, to
many, the main purpose is to listen
to the sermon. The sermon is by
no means to be deprecated, but the
worship of God is more important,
and the sermon but incidental to
the main purpose. To offer unto
God adoring praise, to give thanks
tor the many blessings received at
His hands, to enter into spiritual
union with God the Father through
Christ, should be the purpose OF
seeking the church on the Lords
Day.
L.et us come before His Pres
ence with thanksgiving: and show
ourselves glad in Him with psalms.
20 come, let us worship and fall
down and kneel before the Lord
our Maker.
30 worship the Lord in the
beauty of holiness"
Is not the failure evident9
Sermons may be sometimes POOR,
and preaching ineffective, yet to
ascribe non-attendance at clurch
primarily to this, is not reasonable
or just. Let us get at the root of
the matter. What is needed among
Christians is more vital piety.
When there is less of the spirit of
worldliness, and more spirituality
in the hearts of men; when the too
prevailing spirit of compromise with
the world, whereby so many sink
into state of easy, self-conlented