The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-04-21
RICH TURN TO AUTOS
CHICAGO PASTOR DIsGUsTED WITH
 WEALTHY.
Few Ever Occupy Pews-Rev. Thad- deus A. snively Scores Acts of ParlshiOners on Re-
 signing Place.
Chicago Record-Herald.

| DlsBuSted with society peoples 8 aDdn- donment of church going for the pleas ures of automobilng, golfing and other kinds of country outings on the Sab bath day, Rev. Thaddeus A. Snively has resigned the rectorship of St. Chrysos- | toEfs Episcopal Church, 544 Dearborn Avenue. His church Is one of the most fashionable in the city, but 1t has been only at rare intervals that his pews 1 have contained at any enc service more than few dozen representatives | Of the 300 wealthy persons on the com municant list of 375.
 These left the problem of filling the church to visitors and "foaters." while they hied away to spend the day in the country, either on automobile trips, playing golf or enjoying some of the sports and pastimes in which the house party sets are accustomed, &C., cording to Mir Snively, to drive dull care away on Sunday.
 Church is Half-Finished.
 Instead of donating to the building fund of the church the money required to complete the structure, they invested ! their superfuous cash in limousines, tonneaus and other magnificent crea- tions of the automobile e-maker's art. They left a half finished church on their pastors hands, and, after ten years of fruitless hoping and waiting, he got tired and quit.
 He is wondering now whether a younger man--he is 55-could have done, or will do, better. He denies that he has "Osler-ized" himself or that his congregation has 'Oslerized" him. Nothing on earth, he ayers, could | have successfully stemmed the Sabbath day tide of fashionable people from his parish into the country. At least that is the conclusion that experience has forced upon him, and he has volunta- Yf ct csA A. t4 t, Episcopal minister to be found who can divert the social current from the up- holstered automobile seats to the de- serted church pews.
 Lnbors Fifteen Years.
 For fifteen years MT. Snively has la- bored in St. Chrysostom's Parish. He found 1t an abandoned. mission in 1891 Within five years he had erected the present church building, which Is only portion-about one-half---of the structure that had been planned.
 His religious enthusiasm and the charm of his personality attracted to him a devoted band of church workers. with whose aid he accomplished mar vels. But at the attractions of resi- dence in Lake Forest, Highland Park. Winnetka, Glencoe, and the other beau. tiful suburbs of Chicago caused many members of his flock to move away.
 Several of these families still retain pews in the church. The pews are gen. erally we'll filled too, but by visitors and temporary attendants. It is only once in year, perhaps that the pew renters drive in from the country m their automobiles to attend the ser vices
 ITO minimize or conceal the facts would not be frank on my part, so I will say that the principal reason why l am leaving St. Chrysostom's Is be- cause of the appalling drain on the attendance caused by the social fads of the hour-automobiling, golfing and coutry outings generally" said Mir snively last night. Everybody knows there is a steady decline all along the social fabric in churchgo1ng and the enthusiasm for church work It seems that the whole world Is becoming pleas ure mad Where or when it will end nobody knows. "
 His Parish Hardest Hit.
 First 1t was G-- bicycle fad. then Sunday ball playing, then golf, and now 1t Is automobiling, plus golf and Sum day house parties. Whether my parish ha sbeen harder hit by these fads than other parishes or districts Is more than I can say with absolute certainty. but am strongly inclined to think so. How ever, fifteen years Is long time in one pastorate, and need a rest anyway.
 For the last ten years the church has made no appreciable advance. I did not consider that a satisfactory showing, and. though the wardens and vestrymen opposed my resignation, I decided to step aside and give a chance to some other minister to show whether he can induce the congregation to conn plete the church building and pay off the $5,000 dabet on the present struc- ture.
 Tt Is not true to say that I am Os- lerizing my self because l feel I am getting old. or that the church congre- gation is 'Oslerizing' me. It Is not question of my age. Even under the so-called Osler theory that 50 Is the limit of usefulness, I am not ripe for permanent retirement. as I am only 55 But 1 am free to admit that l have had enough of the extremely strenuous life that one cannot elude in Chicago.
 q was always a lover of the coun- try life, finding poetry in natures wilds and books in the babbling brooks Per haps the solitude of a great city's arti- ficiality has enhanced my longing for the quiet allurements of the streams and woods. At any rate. I am tired of life in a big city-tired of 1t all. It thrills upon first contact but becomes distressing and disheartening with the march of the years
 Will Rest For Year.
 That is why my plans for the future preclude the possibility of return to church in great city. I will rest for year, The summer I will spend in Europe. revisiting some once familiar scenes in switzerland. Italy and Eng land. and renewing old friendships. will return to this country in time to attend the meeting of the General Con- ference of the Episcopal Church to be held in October at Richmond. Va. Then l will go abroad for the winter.
 A year from next fall shall be back i In the United States expect then to become rector of a church in some quiet l little town near Chicago Or in the East, with congregation that will not be- come unduly absorbed in the pleasures of automobiling or golfing. to the det- riment of their duties to church and re- ligion."
 Before coming to Chicago. Mir Snive- ly had charge of St. James Church Florence. Italy; Holy Trinity Church, Paris; the Episcopal Church at Geneva. Switzerland; Christ Church, Quincy. Mass and the Episcopal Church at Troy. N Y. where he served eleven years.
 He was born near -Chambersburg. Pa. and graudated from Berkeley Divinity School. Middletown. Conn. He Is Chap lain of the Forty Club and an honorary member of the University Club and the Union Club. He is youthful, almost hoyish in appearance and anybody un. acquainted with his age would take him to be much younger than 55.
 Hear Senate Prayers