New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-05-16
MEN And THE CHURCH.
Sermons on Why SO Many Are Ab-
sent on Sundays.
DIR. SAVAGE FLAYs BIBLE LEAGUE

In cNN Avn Ia - DlDlsE IEANTl r..
Recent discussion Of the question. why do not
more men gc 10 church," 70 have aroused
interest in the churches for from at least three pull
pits yesterday sermons were preached that topic
Dr- Minot j. Savage, ia his sermon at the Church
OF the Messiah. Thirty and Park-ave at
tackled tho American Bible League saying II was
only making matters worse. lie said in part:
Dwight l. Moody once said that not more than
Imriy million people In the United States ever
OF churches ia this city that / have seen stare
That Of the eighty million people the United
some way with some church. but this does not
regular in their attendance az church '' ~ a
4, There are probably some people in the world who
there are more persons IN whom there i developed
T rce sement nothing 10 which religous
niue artistic or musical appreciation.
which quotes prominent lawyer as saying that II
oonsrSei ions pe'ed hst as interesiinEly 20 their
audlehee, m" churches would not hold half the
speech dun as the average doetrihai sr n'
"4 q5, defeat any political candidate.
ponueal csmraiFns men are wrought ny over the
md halls large enough 70 accommodaSe t So S r.
adnlcu,,Jy N thar direction now and yet BE- IS the
gB t oi higher quality than ever before and no
s,,..- ~ 81 me- On no face % The earth who
NTH the preachers o. Tie world for earning luI,
And say 70 YOU thst the men making IA ,,.
American Bible League are only making mttrar.
Ste dspelinE. because they ara Insisting tLat -
a ,. theo7sicsl ideas pass away' reiision
Anpther reason is ,hat the preachers have belief.
have come tnw that Re s &C., ne people
4 numb ~ ',L nom hishop Brooks once said ~
q, on know that YOU an have beliefs e6r-erri-'-
Another ersyman ,6d mo- s s ss.sn '2 y ,9 rop
,borsHt N, rs STUDY was one thing hut what fe
s sI@r, =, thgs cannot believe in wing fof ne
pr George Q. Lorime- m hts .ermo, q, o..
I" H''nHe hapiis' church. asserted that the
number ~ men attending church today vas r,o
portionately larger than N any other tim. g., a..
history 81 Christianity. Ho added.
after IS M, so "a fd7T q, argued nat are TOO tired
ms ',SSrvati9n proves that he very who maxi
duct business which n Is not convenient 1- - con
'f H.. 70 dtnrins the rush hours o. the week
Dhurch when she has wrought rnightilv IN Freif
the church taidity her dorinsnt i ~
Keen s on, as possible. md her 70
that attitude IS maintained the Church viii nsve-
h1 az "a, any y, force No reforms will be effected
saloon and every gambling house in the land coui
De Closed inStanter. She could prevent any war
More men than women heard the sermon ~ the
Rev J. Al Haldermnn. at the First Baptist Church
broadway and Seventy ninth-st. replying 10
chicago cergyman's sermon. some time ago IN
which he stated that more than men At
tended church. Mr. Halderman said in part:
era hs rising T5 sens a s not e9gTehEoRs
that this generation IL intellectual than ne
previous one, but intellectually Il not and ought
hot 10 De a nan against the Church Another rea-
son 20 account Tor this non-attendance OF men at
church on Sunday IL cheap literature.
Don't you think 81 is n great deal easier for
man 70 Toll back IN his easy chair on a SUNDAY
morning and hll his MIND with miscellaneous
thought than 20 sit in church listen 10 what
a clergyman has To tell him 81 subjects taken from
the Bible. which he does not believe In?
Men believe that Sunday rs the Lords dav
but mans day. and lets get-away-day'' They "a
% themselves. This Is day. and does not be
long 70 any one else but 10 man n seems like
an offence 20 talk 20 men 10 come 10 church Men
DO not believe IN the Bible. They say that the book
contains uncertainties. They want certainties.