The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-17
CHRISTIANITY IS

support of every kind, financial in- cluded. was heard by John D. Rocke- Teller !. Mrs. Rockefeller and John D. Rockefeller. jr.
 pr. A<ed's subject was "The Alleged Decay of Christianity in New York City" He took for his text, Matthew xvi, 8. Can ye not discern the signs of the times?" Tn part he said:
 When first came to this great city of New York the centre of empire It's broad avenues thronged with eager strenuous crowds. pulsating with energy and hope. saw the buoyancy of the American people. I learned their character of hope and endeavor. and electric activity. Now, I want to learn the signs of the times. If you will show them to me shall know them. It Is for me to observe as it Is for you to indicate.
 What is the condition of Christi ianity in New York7 When I inter view my parishoners. and they are among the most representative in tn find the spirit of religious depression. very unlike the spirit of abounding enterprise in business in manufaetur- ing, fin engineering and construction. All Churches Losing.
 We have heard of the great advance made by the Roman Church in Amer ica. stand on the broadest grounds of toleratibn but should not be con- tent If we had lost ground to the Roman Church--but have we? Give the Roman Catholics in America all they claim-twelSe millions. We still find that there have immigrated into America no less than IS 900 900 Roman Cath olics. So that the Roman Church has lost instead of gaining from us.
 Take our own denominations: the increase in the Baptists of America h AWaNN kl uaNA the birth rate among us proving that three out of four of our young people fell away from us.
 Let us look at this great city of New York Fifty years ago there were over 400 churches. Now there are 1,20o. But the population has increased much faster. If the churches had increased in proportion; we should now have 2.o0e instead of si.2o0. Fifty years ago for there was one church in New York for each 3,20o. Now there is but one church for 3,i00.
 "The decline in Christianity is uni versal. Tn England, in France in Spain, in Italy and Germany we hear the same cry.
 What a great field is here in Fifth avenue for us. in the centre of empire!
 One Million Unchurched.
 Yet there are one million in this city who are not Jews nor Roman Catholics, nor Mohammedans, and who must be Protestants. But this million is entirely unchurched. It is not chased in any of those Protestant de- nominations to which 1t should belong What use is a church without . con- gregation7
 "Thet spirit of the age has gone ahead, but we have made no progress in the formulas, the old theology. the old sanction. We are afraid to .R A speak with bated breath. apologeti- cally.
 This is an age of great schemes of great ambition. But what have we to do for Christi What have we done?
 We are content to go on the same 1 old way. unsuited to the times. We | want. to appeal to the young men We want to appeal to higher class, | and In 6 higher way. We want | preachers of the highest type--spirit. | ual and prophetic. Spiritually you can | rise no higher than the level of the pulpit.
 we want more teachers more | schools. more churches and large ones to hold the forty thousand Baptists of this city. We require a larger building here for our eongregationi there is not elbow room for all who corne here! B '.Esat when we make Aan appeal we l are met by 8 spirit of commercialism | of money making. We have not yet | learned to adapt the Christian idea to | our own time.
 Christianity played out7" asked | the minister, quoting a recent article | in a magazine. What are the causes7
 First would say that the pulpit is out of touch with the times. Every thing has progressed except Chris tianity. Many thinking and progres- sive young men and woman have been driven from the Church by the stuidity | of the preachers. The pulpit is out of | touch with the times. Compelled to a life of. grinding poverty treading al- ways the same old paths of a thousand | years. hide bound and Restricted in our actions we have become the laughing | stock, parrots of dead Church cries. in- | stead of preachers of the living Christ
 Give us a chance. Give us oppor- tunities like other men-like men in | business or in railroads. or in engineer ing. or in science or in journalism. We have ambitions we have hopes. and we | are condemned to poverty. Give us a | chance for our energies. a chance to do something for Christ-give us money"
 After the service John D. Rockefeller was greeted by his friends.