Arizona republican., 1904-05-22
Spiritual Coldness.

None or us nave hNeu NSlS AOAS 4A' this world but the oldest of us can re- member when we heard the general tendency toward irreligion and irrev- erence for religious things Gecried against: old men said that things were not as they had remembered them the generation before.
 The quadrennium of the Methodist church is now in progress in Los An Reles. The newspapers of that town and the Associated Press and other news sources have described the politi- cal n.achinations of the delegates. without precedent in the gatherings ot the church, the efforts of delegates 70 circumvent enc another, etc.
 Correspondents agree that the result will be hea,thful to the church but how to the great world outside?
 This indirectly leads us to the follow ing from the New York Sun:
 Several preachers puzzled them selves and their congregations last Sunday by trying to discover and ex- plain the reasons why men don't go to church. Now, there is no mystery whatever about that matter. The men don't go to church simply because they don't believe in the necessity for going.
 "Censuses of the church attendance in London and in New York and other American cities. taken last year, show ed that in both countries women and children make up the vast majority of the congregations at churches. Usu- ally 1t is the same in all the countries of Christendom, with Russia a nota- ble exception, and also some German states. This demonstration of the greater regard for religious observa- ances among women would be made to be enumerated the large part of men ohurchgoers who are in attendance simply out of courtesy to their wives or sweethearts, or because they have yielded good-naturedly to feminine per- suasions.
 "The preachers complain that at th,7 time the criticism of sermons has be- come so severe among men that only very rare abilities in the pulpit can hope to satisfy 1t. But there Is noth- ing in that suggestion which affords a reasonable explanat ton of the ten dency of men to stay away from church. Intellectually, sermons at this time are probably of a higher order than at earlier periods. Take the pc riod of the so-called Great Awaken ing" of 1857, when every Protestant church was crowded to the doors al every service and theaters had to be called into requisition to make room for the throngs eager to listen to re- ligious exhortation and anxious con- cerning the salvation of their souls Generally the preaching was Of a low order intellectually. If it was eloquent the eloquence was merely in it's earn est conviction. At time like this fl would be regarded as rhapsody, as a sentimental outburst which defeated itself by it's extravaganza of emotion
 We are approaching our quaGrennial canvass for the presidency. How will it be next autumn when the campaign gets hot? Every great hall in town will be crowded almost nightly with attentive and enthusiastic men. Lat terly women also have taken to attend ing such political meetings, but rela- lively they will be far fewer than are the men now in the churches. When men are really interested in the sub ject, the cause or the partisan purpose of public meeting, open to them free ly, there is no trouble in getting them to attend 1t.
 If. theL. men do not go to church the reason is that they have not g strong and vital interest in the relig- ion preached. They do not believe in it they are not devoted to it as they be- lieve in their political principles and are devoted to the political party tc which they belong. Usually their at tendance at church is perfunctory. Il they go at all. It is with them rather an irksome duty than a privilege glad ly welcomed. Theoretically, of course under the teaching of religion, 1t q their one paramount duty, beside which all other earthly occupations are ot utter insignificanee. If religion is true the only pursuit of man of any essen tial importance is the pursuit of saliva. tion; yet 1t Is among Mohammedanl rather than Christians that we see |, regard for religious worship which in dicates faith in its necessity.
 The reason why men do not go tC church Is obvious enough. It is as ap- parent as is the reason why play faili to draw a crowd Co theater. The! are not interested ia the church be cause they are not interested in relig ion. They have not the deep and vita religious faith ef which church wor