The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-11-17
.ATHERTON
AT Y. N. c. A..
Why One Young Nan Attends
the Sunday Religious
Services.

why I Do Go to Church." was the
C. A meeting at which Frank C. Ath-
erton was the principal speaker. His
talk furnished an excellent contribution
to the series of letters published in the
Advertiser concerning church going.
Mr. Atherton in opening said that ey-
eryone had been interested in reading
the papers wherein were contained the
discussions of the subject why I Do
Not Attend Church II do not in
tend" said he, Ito give any reasons
why we should or should not attend
church, but simply state the reason why
I do attend church. 1t is because I be-
iieve in God and Jesus Christ, which
consider to be the foundation point of
attendance at church Mr.. Atherton
stated that at times he had had his
faith in God shaken and for a few
weeks did not attend church, but there
had always come the strong feeling that
there is a God. No one, he thought,
could see all the beautiful things of
earth and not believe in a Supreme
Being who had created them and guided
US all. If we did not SO believe then
there would be no difference between
man and animal. But TO look at man,
one cannot help but believe there must
be a God. With this belief in God
comes the desire for His worship. We
feel desire for greater things, we look
for ideals, something to follow and pat
tern after. Jesus Christ is this ideal
and we desire to worship God in His
house. The Bible tells. Sabbath wor-
ship in the synagogues and it seems
natural that we should follow Him in
that. In the church we find something
that appeals to us; we can learn OF
Christ and our ideals, how to make use
of cur opportunities and our talents.
Some people might say that we might
learn as much about God in our own
homes. but I do not believe so. 1t is
difficult to study hard alone and keep
at it continually, so in our Christian
education we need the church. 1t will
not do to trust to ourselves alone, for
in the church we can obtain help and
encouragement.
Mr.. Atherton referred also to the fact
that the pastor of church gave all of
his time to the study of the Bible, while
the every day man, absorbed in bust
ness cares, can at best give but a few
minutes of each day to religious study.
The minister on the other hand has de-
voted a lifetime to it and we should
be willing to profit by his work and
accept the thoughts he gives to US.
.'Is was brought up in a Christian
home,' said the speaker, land have
been in the habit of attending church,
and I do not feel right if 1 remain
away from service. Habit has consid
cradle to do with attendance, for chill
dren brought up that way generally
continue SO. / know if 1 remain away
for week or two, / always feel a
yearning to go back"
Mr.. Atherton said he did not intend to
go into the reasons for not attending
church, and admitted that the churches
were not perfect nor were the pastors,
but that the churches did help, and that
people depended more and more upon
each other. The church is truly a help,
for while we may receive bodily and
physical aid outside, yet it is only
through the church that the soul is
reached, and to the churches we must
look for spiritual uplifting.
Rev. E. S. Muckley spoke briefly on
the same subject in the general dis
cussion which followed. He said that
everyone thought they knew why the
preacher went to church but that few
attributed to his salary. II donate my
work on Sunday" said Mr.. Muckley.
II get paid for my labors six days of
the week, just like you do and on Sun
day / give my services gratis. / don't
suppose any of you took that view be-
fore" Mr.. Muckley spoke of ques-
ton asked him by a young lady as to
whether he really believed people got as
much enjoyment out of going to church
as to the theater. He suggested that
the persistent theater goer who went
to church probably did not go for pleas
ure. He did believe however that most
of the people who went to church did
so for the good they got out of it. If
this wasn't the case he thought he
should feel very much like leaving the
pulpit forever
A marine from the New York also
Joined in the discussion, saying he had
not been to church for six months, and
anyone who had had that experience he
believed would be glad to get to a
church again He also said, that the joy
of attending theater was but tenn
porary, while that of going to church
was lasting.