The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1906-11-12
REV. DR.. MELDEN
SCANS RESULTS
Of ELECTIONS

Rev. DR. c. NJ Melden preached at the
Mathewson Street church yesterday morn
ing on 'Why Men do Not Attend Church"
and during HIS sermon made direct refer
ence to the results Of last Tuesdays cleo
tions. lie spoke substantially as follows
I'm my judgment the estrangement OF
tho common people from the church Is
greatly exaggerated. The great body OF
churchgoers is composed OF the middle
class, prople who work hard for their liv-
ing and find In religion consolation and
courage for their various experiences Ia
life. / believe that tho number Of non
churchgoers relatively TO tho population
Is no greater now than II ever was.
Nevertheless 81 Is 100 Srue that large
numbers feel no interest In the church
and except for weddings and funerals
never enter the house OF God. TITS claim
ed that so many and so great are the de-
mands for money that poor man cannot
afford to attend church. The statement
of this objection ought TO be It's refuta-
tion.
Men sometimes justify their neglect OF
the church upon the grounds that there
are so many hypocrites among It's mem
bers OF all cant this is the worst. II
is generally true that the person who ut
ters this excuse for not attending church
will be at home among hypocrites rather
than elsewhere.
Some men do not realize the value Of
the church 10 the community and hence
do not feel any obligation TO support
il either by their personal attendance or
contribution. The church has a claim not
only upon every religious man but upon
every patriotic and public-sprted man,
for every person I'm the community, wheth-
er he acknowledges IL or not Is indebted
to the church.
"It is also alleged that the church is out
| OF sympathy with the masses. This would
be more logical and consistent II 1t were
said that the masses were out OF sym
| pathy with the church. No one can study
/ the present social conditions without be-
| coming aware OF a vast and seething dis
| content Society Is in a ferment.
Some idea OF its extent and power
may be had from review OF last
Tuesdays election.
1t is an occasion OF direful significance
when such a man as the defeated candi-
date for governor in New York can domi-
nate a great political party, rally 10 his
! banner hundreds OF thousands OF NAL
| contents and give such a hard run TO his
| opponent, man of unquestioned personal
honor and representative OF the solid and
conservative interests OF the state.
1T is also food for thought that here
| in New England the candidate for gov-
ernor in Massachusetts,, who represents
the element OF discomfort. should poll SO
large "A vote. and that III Rhode Island
our present governor shoyld 60 down to
defeat, as Is alleged. by the treachery OF
the man whose insolent and tyrannical
domina tion OF the legislature OF the state
he denounced.
This means that there Is a great and
widespread rebellion against present con-
ditions: and II Il not without justlfica-
! tion. The poor feel that the good things
of life are very unequally divided They
suffer for the necessities of life. while the
wealthy roll in luxury. They toll under
the severcst conditions while their en-
ployers spend in wanton extravaganza the
fruit of their labor
This envy. this hatred OF the wealthy
e. famed into an even hotter fame by the
careless foolish heartless ostentation of
some OF the idle rich. They Haunt their
extravagances in the eyes o. the poor.
Some OF their devices to stimulate
jaded appetite for novelty are or wonld
be silly IL Il were not sinful.
Much OF this hatred is directed toward
the church, which, II is claimed, exists
only as rich mans institution. i be-
lieve the charge to be largely groundless,
though the church may not, perhaps, be
as outspoken on some matters as II should
have been. On the other hand, no other
institution has done as much for the al
deviation of intolerable conditions as the
Christian church"