Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1903-07-10
Mr.. HARMAN'S CHURCH.

account OF ii, has furnished the people
OF the town with something to talk
about il not think about. There has
been good deal OF criticism, adverse
and other wise, of course, some ap-
proving, some condemning the course
of this voluntary attempt at reforma-
ton, or if you please, revolution.
When you come to think OF it, the
charges made by Mr.. Hartman are very
serious, and if true, show very de-
plorable state OF our social and religi-
GUS conditions. In one sentence. the
charge is, that people are measured in
this town, and their treatment in
church and society is regulated by, the
clothes they wear And this applies
alike TO all classes. We would not. for
any consideration, misrepresent or
misstate the proposition, but, after all,
it seems to us, that this is fair and
true statement OF the case. Certain. and
large classes OF our people are kept
away from church for the sole reason
that they are not able, owing TO flnan-
cial disability, to dress as fine as their
neighbors, and are, on this account, re-
garded in an inferior light and assign
ed low place in the estimation Of their
more fortunate neighbors, and because
of being so regarded, absent themselves
from church.
Now, this charge is n very serious
one. If true, it shows that our churches
and society in general, have false and
worse than heathenish standards. 1t
means that character, moral worth,
religious attainments are all ignored
and go for nothing when it comes 10
church worship.
The above statement of Mr. Har-
mans position was shown him before
this article was printed, and he said
that while it was strongly put that it
does not misrepresent him.
We cannot believe the charge is
true. There may be individual cases,
and doubtless there are, of people who
regard the outward adjoining Of the
body Of more Importance than the in
ward condition, but, that our churches
as such draw the line at dress is not
true. The dress brigade are to be
found in every town and church-peo-
pie who put on their finest clothes
when they 60 TO church and "look
down upon" these not so finely clad,
but they are in the minority. They
weigh light in the scale of moral and
religious character. 1t may be true
and no doubt is, that too much time
and money is wasted in dIess, and this
is true OF the poor as well as the rich.
The poor are, in reality, prouder of
dress than the rich, and in nothing is
this more clearly seen than in their re.
fusal to go to church unless they are
finely dressed.
The people of Tazewen are nice
dressers- few of them eXtravegant
perhaps, but we have yet TO know ol
hear of case in which any one wa.
ever snubbed or sighted on account ol
dress. The poorest and humblest vii
be welcOme-thrice welcome, in an,
church in this town next Sunda,
morning. Mr.. Hartman may do goo,
by his tabernacle movement. If 5,
every body will be glad. If he cal
reach the hundreds of the plain poo
in and around town who never darker
a church door, well and good. Blu
will not such movement tend to in
jure the other churches Of the town
Have we not too many churche
already Will not the drawing o
such line-the setting up of such
standard do harm ? Can Mr.. Harnal
keep "classes" out OF the tabernacle
1t is generally better to fight and re
form within your own party than 4
organize new one.