The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-13
NEW ENGLAND
 DEGENERATION
MARKED EVIDENCES OF DECAY
 IN RURAL SECTIONS.
Yankee Stock Losing Ground-Rein- vigoration Due to New Foreign Element-That is Honest
 Industrious and Moral.

Boston, Mass, special correspondence of
 The New York Evening Post,
 One of the most competent observers of the religious, moral and industrial condi- tion of the people of New England is the Rev. Dr. George H. Gutterson, the agent for the six Eastern States of the Ameri- can Missionary Association. His story is so striking that he has consented to the publication of the following upon his au- thority:
 Moral conditions in the rural districts of New England are far from encourag- ing In some places they are unspeaka- ble. The old New England stock in certain localities has degenerated in re- ligion and morals, and to some extent in intellect and physique" He spoke at length of different aspects of the degen- eration, the decline in religious interest. the changed industrial conditions, and the different estimate regarding the relative value of good morals and of profits in business. "All of the New England States" he said ''have within their bor- ders scattered families and groups sadly in need of an intellectual and moral re- vival In some places in New Hamp- shire 1t is believed by good observers that three-quarters of the people are never inside a church. The representa- tive of a Vermont agency says that social conditions in rural districts in that State are such as to accession great solicitude. Districts in Massachusetts are named where the moral state Is very low. Con- necticut hill towns are of a similar nature, and the recent disclosures about them are said to be warranted by the facts. It is a very disgracemul condition all around, for the towns away from the centres.
 The Low Level of Morality.
 nf quoted as saying that below a certain noint the State cannot afford to let the level of morality and education fall, no matter how great may be the expense Of Keeping it up. Tn many parts of New England the question is pertinent whether it is not time for the States to interfere, whatever the theories of local self-gov~ ernment. in order to prevent the people from becoming actual heathen. Really man yof them are very near the level of heathenism already. The best of the stock has been drained off to the cities and to the West No hope exists that elevation can be accomplished solely from the inside. With a population less able fin intellect, degraded in morals, out of touch with the world, and debased by their own vices. the prospect is not hope ful that reforms will originate at home. What will the States do about 1t? That is the practical question.
 ''Religiously, the decline extends into the larger places, as well as to the small towns though it must also be said that there are, even now, earnest, intelligent and godly people in the hill towns and remote hamlets. They are to be found fin the churches and outside of them as well. But changing social conditions have brought new problems, and there Is need of 4 misiosn to rural New England. It is not alone the churches which are distant which the people do not attend. for many of those who live near churches never attend them. The doctrine of future punishment has lost it's hold. A few adhere to the old doctrine, but they do not influence the attitude of the large majority. The force of the doctrine as d motive for mission has declined. It