Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-09-24
WORLD CHURCHES INDICTED.

The question why the modern church.
es Of the world are not vital, moral
force In society win not down. Those
optimistIcally inclined endeayor to ex.
plain away some OF the most trouble
some facts, bur without a great deal OF
success.
The Unlversallst Leader has recently
revived Interest IN the subject Acoora-
ing to that journal. the cause is to he
found In the fact that the church has
ceased to be a church where the people
may come for worship and receive the
divine influence into their souls, The
church, we are told, has become social
center, lectureshlp, a school, a college,
literary society place OF amuse-
ment, a bazaar a library, an institution
Of philanthropy, a nursery, kinder
garten, soup kitchen, an employment
bureau, or a political caucus, II has
abandoned lts own peculiar field and
entered other 1eds for which II is
wholly unified,
The result II most deplorable. Ac-
cording TO the journal quoted,
I'VE witness today the abandonment
OF one after another Of the ciylc virtues
until our municipalities are the re-
proach OF the world; our legislatures,
state and national. corrupt almost be-
yond belief. In fact. We are eye-wit-
nesses Of public degeneracy which
should appall u.s.
From this dark picture Of public
morals the writer turns to the social
aspect OF society His verdict IS;
oThe world has gone pleasure-mad;
the object OF all work Is to get money
for physical qualification; the cars and
steamboats, are iammed with crowds
seeking artificial excitement. and IN
| the summer the churches are closed,
once FOR weeks, now for months; once
10 give the minister a rest, now to give
the people an opportunity for cheEp
| pleasure, Thought Is given alone TO
| physical qualification until all moral
| sense Is paralyzed and the one desire
| Ia 10 keen UP with the procession OF
| jewellers headed by the Newport group.
| where we have the exhibition OF the
best educated, the most highly cultured.
the hest led and best dressed ana
wealtbicst fruit OF our national life,
and are forced 10 say OF II that with al
| these envied advantages not In me
worst slums OF n great city nor YET m
Inc deepest wllds OF savage Africa, Is
| there 10 be found greater deoasemen'
| of homan lie or more unparalleled de'
| bauehery Of morals.
This Is n terrible verdict But we arr
oIso told Of the cause OF this condition
on this point the writer says
"And YOU ministers are responsible
for This absence OF soul life. You haY'
sold your divine brthriEht FOR mes
~ nottage. You have no
stpok 10 your calling, you run ate
| every scheme OF saving the world b.
nat or bv vote, or by purchase, or b,
organization, or by institution, wheI
there Is no other name under HEAVIER
nv which the world can be saved eN
cent Christ Jesus, aud N you do no
believe that. what are you doing IN tn
Christian ministry You know lei
times as much about The Bible as IN
Fathers did, but you do not know a
much Bible, you know all the Theories
OF prayer, but you do not pray. io'
are the victims Of every fad; YOU ha'
rather quote Browning than Jesu
Christ; you had rather lecture on tn
North Pole than 10 preach the gospel
YOU had rather write popular move
than 10 write sermon, you ride you
| hobbies. you get up excursions, you CIV
entertainments, you take UP an agenc!