Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-04-12

fFor Sunday Reading. !
. All Sorts Of Opinions.
NJ ANGAsARIAN'S MESSAGE.

An Easter Message" was the title of
the prelude to the lecture of M. NJ
Mangasarian delivered at the Grand
opera house before the Independent Re-
ligious Society. Professor Magasarian
said:
THE outlook for the churches in
America is certainly not growing
brighter. The theological seminaries
are complaining of the steady decline in
the number of candidates for holy or
ders. Professor Haeckel says: The
thinkers refuse a hearing to the preach
ers' The preachers admit that there
are now fewer men in their congrega-
tions than ever before, and that 1t is
almost impossible nowadays to get up
an old-fashioned revival.
Having stated the problem, let us en-
deavor to solve 1t.
Plagiarism was once the religion OF
Greece and Rome. How did 1t come to
die? First the intellectual few lost
faith in it. Unable to- command any
longer the respect of the elite pagan
ism then fell to lower level-that of
the ignorant many, and there it died,
1 say it without prejudice that our
cient Romans, have lost the sympathy
of the intellectually competent.
Can the churches be saved? We can
only try, and along the following lines:
Let us abandon all little questions
such as Sabbath observance, creed re-
visions, heresy trials, orthodoxy, ETC.,
and bring all our energies to tell upon
great world problems-grappling at
close range with the conditions which
obstruct the emancipation and frater-
nization of humanity. Define religion
anew and let 1t be-man's best effort
to enlighten his mind and to ennoble
his character.
How shall we fill our empty church,
es? ! recommend modestly the follow
ing changes:
Il. We have been all along reading
only from one Bible in our churches;
let us have more Bibles. This will at
least introduce an element Of novelty
which can not but instruct as well as
interest our people. If the new Bibles
don't prove equally satisfactory they
will increase our appreciation of our
own.
20 Let us drop the congregational
singing in our churches. tt is difficult
for two or three hundred persons with
out many rehearsals to sing well to-
gether. Poor singing does not attract
persons to the churches. Let us instead
have the best music money can buy.
so. hesitate to make my third sug-
gestion, and yet I must. 1t is the Gus
tom in our churches to make three
prayers at each service. Replace this
feature by the reading or reciting In a
well-trained. sonorous voice selections
from the makers and molders Of mod
ern thought-Kant, Comte, Carlyle,
George Eliot, Tennyson, Emerson,
Goethe-and with our eyes open to
watch the result.
a. Discontinue the Sunday evening
service. This institution is dying of
itself slowly-hasten it's demise. One
good impression is all a preacher can
make in one day and all that an audi
ence can receive in one day.
IS. Dispense with all rites such as
infant or adult baptism by sprinkling
or immersion; the communion service
either with fermented or unfermented
wine. For the intellectual, If not for
the emotional, these ordinances have
lost their meaning. Where there fs no
kernel the she'll is not worth keeping.
8. My next suggestion will create
some surprise, but am In earnest. Dis
continue the Sunday school. This In
stitution is doing our churches moro
harm than we have any idea. 1t is
turning the young away from the
church. The Sunday school is at best
an improvisation with inexperienced
lads or lassies-mere amateurs for
teachers. If we have not the money to
secure paid and trained Sunday school
teachers let us close the institution.
I'm conclusion, let us have new
clergy and we will have new church
and a new people 4 like priest, like peo-
pie. I am tired of being a theological
mummy said Rev. Dr. Behrends of
Brooklyn. Take the dry rot out of your
dogmas,' said Rev. Haweis of London.
Preachers of America! what will we do
Shall we be a voice or an echo? Men
or mummfes?"