The Irish standard., 1907-11-30
PROTESTANT CHURCHES.

wv e0v %lN StOSnS'60s
The report of the welcome, or lack
OF welcome accorded Miss Smith,"
who was employed by the Ladies'
Home Journal : td visit Protestant
churches for the purpose of ascer,
tanning how she would be received has
led the Catholic Monitor to point ont
the fact that the modern Protestant
church is a club rather than church.
The very fact that the Protestan:
churches visited by the young woman
did not as a rule accord her the cor
dial welcome that her employers seen,-
ed to think she ought to have received,
shows that there exists at least in
some quarters, the conception that the
members of the Protestant church
should put themselves out to make
strangers at home. The writer in
the Monitor says:
The Catholic on going to church ex-
poets no human welcome. His well
come comes from the depths of the
tabernacle. He cares not whether his
fellow worshipers greet him or wheth-
er courtesies are extended to him. He
goes to the church because he has q
right and because it is his duty,
Bound together by common belief.
afire with the same love, urgent on the
same purpose, all worshipers are
brethren-brethren whether in the
iungles of Africa or in the stately ed
ifice in the crowded city. There are
no strangers. 1t must be evident by
this time to observant men that the
Protestant churches have degenerated
into mere social clubs. They have no
other binding tie and seemingly have
no other Interior end than the social
features. There is no longer required
any unity Of doctrine among the men,
bers of the Protestant church; in fact,
doctrine is rather considered the badge
of narrowness and illiberalism. Pulpit
and pew are without any positive doc
trine, or need Of it, Modern Protest
antism has lost all appreciation of doc
trine and the sweet tyranny of truth.
The Methodist minister exchanges MIL
pits with the Baptist. and he in turn
with the Presbyterian, with delightful
inconsistency. as though the doctrine
in their official standards of faith did
not differ an iota from one another
The teachings Of the ministers within
the same sect differ widely. Each has
his own doctrine plant, each breaches
his own opinions, ventilates his own
views. Sensatonalisnl, and not doc
trine, dominates the Protestant pull
pit The minister breaches what
pleases his people and fills the pews on
Sunday morning. He ignores any such
duty as measuring his utterances by
the standard of his church's confes-
sion Of faith.
THE confusion of the pulpit is re-
flected in the pews. Each member sets
up his own standard of belief. if he
does not ignore all positive doctrine.
He goes to the church service to be
entertained or amused. His mental
attitude is not that of a man OF faith,
seeking the doctrine of his church. He
compares the opinions of his minister
with his own opinions and is pleas
ed accordingly. To keep alive his in
terest. he, with his fellow members,
demand an able minister, an eloquent
minister sensational minister. They
pay their money to the club and they
desire in return an up-to-date service.
Outside of this they see no reason to
attend church. unless perhaps to satis-
fy an exacting wife and sooth her re-
ligious nerves Doctrine gone, preach
Ing satisfactory. the minister must de-
velope the social side of his make-up,
In this a rich wife is a useful acces-
sorry. For a short time an unmarried
minister is at an advantage in his
parish. till curiosity deepens and dark
ems into gossip. Constant intercourse
among the church members develop
frienship among them. Acquaintance
ripens into family ties. Sitting under
the same teacher similarity of views
Is likely to follow: similar opinions
may lead to similar interests. BY de-
grees a unity of fellowship has built up
a successful club. Divergent members
fall away or follow the path of least
resistance into more congenial atmos-
phere. And thus finally a compact So
cial organization is developed. a sia-
mese twin type. This is the modern
Protestant church of the United
States.
Therefore. the stranger who appears
Is taken in charge. the better dressed
she is. the more refined. the more well
come. The glad hand is extended to
her; polite ushers lead her to a promi-
nent pew: new hymn book is pro-