The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-22
THE STATE OF RELIGION.
Bitter and Despondenf Views Of the Pres
cut Religious Condition OF America.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN-Sir: At pres
emf and for considerable time past. many OF
tho Protestant denominat iona are trying to
find out why their churches are empty. Empty
churches and an inquiry as to the cause are
not confined to this country alone, but have
extended to England also II would seem to
an observaDt outsider that little has been left
undone by a great number OF ministers who
occupy pupits in the United States to I'LL
their churches. but all TO no purpose. Empty
churches are still the order Of the day and
this stubborn fact Is all the more nexpicable
when we consider that the American people
are 80 intelligent This IL an effect; let Us
look for the cause-there must be cause
We know that In this. as In everything else
In this world Of ours cause precedes effect
Roughly speaking, there are seventy-five
millions OF people in these United States. OF
these seventy-Hve millions. about twenty
Ave millions 20 to churches OF various Chris
tian denomipat ions The remaining nifty
millions do not or the twenty-five millions
who attend church. about twelve millions. or
nearly one-half. are Roman Catholics. The
Others thirteen millions. are made up of the
various Protestant denominations The
Catholics don't complain OF empty churches.
They have no need TO complain in that regard:
all or nearly all their folio wcrs go to church
regularly The Pedestrians do all the COM
planning, on the ground TINT the ATTY mil
lions who stay away. or nearly all OF them.
should go to Protestant churches but they
do not. and will not and what are the minis
ters going TO do about Il?
These ministers have tried various ways
and means. They have Ane. handsome and
very comfortable church ediAoes They
have placed outsi ie signs, with the invitation,
All are welcome; seats free" Many of them
are men OF learning and ability They preach
every conceivable form Of belief and doctrine
They notice every sensation Of the day. They
denounce In unmeasured terms some OF the
political parties and creeds. They are sure
to srize upon reports Of man fights. and bull
fights. and dog fights They never omit an
appalling or terrible disaster such as a great
fire. shipwrcck or an earthquake. Well.
there Is no harm in speaking OF these things
in a social way, but the fifty millions who
don't 90 to church and read in the news
papers that such and such we're tho subjects
that the Rev DR. n. OF p OF somebody else
with the prefix Rev. DR. placed before his
day. What can q DO they say' They naturally
EetSr .sH, H. nSa on" on
Son into this world to teachs" No, no: thou.
sand times no. Ths fifty millions OF the
out With trSSipSt Tongue. No. noi This s' I
hut some b 0 10 may say, we'll. il You don't
Thee fiity millions Of opf people who are
not afYliatsd with any church have their
rsys 70 say ~ Ss; sss faS's
virtues and their virtues are their own WI i've
many Of their faults may BE- traced TO the
10 Which they
almost to 4 fault. They are cha rita BILE, homer
able, Intelligent. fair-m lnded. They desrise
hypocrisy, und II a denomination does no,
como up to what 1t breaches they have no
use for II. They have no use for a sect that
las been prea ching esrtein doct' ines from y.
nut that they Ia We been all hose years preach
ing and tea ching error, and are now Prepared
TO write damhation on the toinbst ones OF thei r
True. Trey send their children TO Sunday
school. They do not wish them 10 grow up
inhdels. No parent, and least OF all a mot her
ever taught inndelity to- her child, But that
being done, and the CT lldren grown up to
II q man had two souls 10 might expo rims nt
and run the risk OF losing one in following
some one az the difcrent charging and chang
able doctrines I've sees around him; tue oldest
OF which is aftecn hundred years TOO late
But. taving only one SOIL. he does rot Il ink IL
prudent TO take any risks, for he knows ard
believes that II lost Il IA lost forever The
salvation or saving Of ones soul is not TO be
trifed with man cannot change IL as he
else in this. world. He cannot enter into II as
he might into busip.ss and say within tim-
else. He cannot act thus'with lis immort al
soul, hence this vast multitude OF fifty mil
liors. not knowing where to 20 or what 10
believe; remain Outside ,,,,.iS TIE CHURCHES;
dinSl Newman. Lead. Kindly Iistt.s ink INK
God: " F.th;T md Ruler q ali. eirSstf Is
that. there may be bu, one fold and one sep.
herd. AN OBSERVER