The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-12-14
RELIGIOUS NOTES.

1t is rather curious reflect. says the Chris
tan Advocate that 1t does not seem so long
ago since the Christian people looked upon the
novel with suspicion. Our Methodist fore
fathers put 1t under the ban Of their reproba-
ton. and they certainly were excusable for
their position when smollett and Fielding and
Richardson set the standards of taste, and be-
fore Scott or Thackeray Dickens or Eliot or
Hawthorne Stevenson had appeared. The
change of opinion is all the more marked when
a religious and denominational paper-the Con-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. fiction number"
with this Introductory note: In the opinion
of most students Of literature fiction is the
characteristic and crowning form of contem-
porary art in letters. the art. that is. which at
once expresses and interprets the spirit OF the
age"
The Boston Advertiser is authority for the
following enumeration of prominent Methodists
in high places: From statistics carefully
compiled by local Methodists it appear that
more members of the Methodist Church
have been elected Governors during the
past five years than of any other denomi-
nation in the history Of the country. At
the present time there less than eight
States whose chief executives Methodists.
The list as unoffically compiled: Massachusetts.
Governor Bates: Illinois. Governor Yates:
Texas, Governor Sayers; Indiana, Governor Dur
bin: Nebraska, Governor Mickey; Missouri. Gov.
Dockery; Michigan, Governor Bliss: Minnesota,
Governor Van SAINT All but two Of the Meth
odist Governors are Republicans. the exceptions
being in Texas and Missouri The denomination
which ranks next to the Methodsts in guberna-
torial laymen Is the Presbyterian Church. with
SEVEN and the Baptists. with six Governors
The Christian World and Evangelist asserts
that Bible studying is not declining. AS we
write, says, there is before a copy the
Y NJ c. A. News Service. According to this
little monthly Bible is popular than
ever. Last year over 1900 men of the city
railroad and student associations were enrolled
in Bible classes-a very large gain over previous
years College men alone will buy fully 1000
copies of Bible-study books this year Strange
as it may seem, some OF the best and most
enthusiastic Bible students are men employed
Pin the operating department of the railroads.
In the city OF Cleveland nearly 1000 men meet
each week in the different shops to listen to
talks this most precious OF books At a
good many large industrial plants Bible classes
are held midnight for the benefit of the night
workers.
A new memorial temple is soon to be erected
in Ocean Grove. N. J.. to replace the old and
J inadequate Young Peoples Temple. The pre-
liminary plans call for a magnificent $50 O0C
structure on the colonial style. There will be
about eighty memorial windows, and each OF
| the porch columns will be memorial.
The Pope is the head of over $50. OOo. 900 human
| beings or nearly one-seventh OF the population
| of the globe.
The Christian Advocate says There Is moth
| ing much more incongruous and really ridiculous
| than the spectacle of a minister facing a slim
| audience. a stormy day. and scoding away
| vociferously because there are not more attend
| ants there All of us who have been pastors
have fallen into this Iaughable and indefensibls
| error of castigatng the people who did come
| for the faults neglects of the people who
didn't come. 1t would seem II the former
| ought to be rewarded for their faithfuness with
| something better than having to listen to such
| pious but fruitless fulminations. And IL would
appear to be the part of sanity, as well as Of
| reason and common sense, for the pastor tt
| keep sweet and look pleasant. and. IL any
| we're persistently negligent of the church serv
| ices to go to them and try to induce them pri
| yately to reform their ways"