Daily Kennebec journal., 1910-03-15

because Oh OulTdSeu 1--we, Vi itS
moral enormity, but because only by
pure descent could the family religious
life be perpetuated. Indeed religion
thoroughly interpenetrated all life with
its scanctitv That is as it should he.
TO that idea we must return in prac-
tice. Not to the form but to the spirit.
Religion must cover the whole life or
it will be found to cover none of it.
The idea of the Ancient City as a re-
ligiouS corporation was sound to the
core The concept was true The con-
tent of the concept needed to be IL
lumined with the light that shone
thro' Jesus Christ. But the an
cients would hardly call US religious
at ALL They would scarcely know how
to interprete a religion that has 50
little formal connection with every
day life as ours. And here indeed is
one of the strangest paradOxes of the
age in which we live.
We are growing less religious and
more religious at the same time and
less Christian and more Christian. Ev-
erywhere the ethical principles of
Christianity are finding wider practi-
cal acceptance and expression in life,
these ideals. the institutional frame
work of Christianity is everywhere on
the defensive.
The Macedonian cry rings thro' our
contemporary religious literature the
knell of "a departing glory. AT the same
time social settlements flourish. great
philantropies multiply. Multi-million-
aires prepare to make restitution to
the people OF the wealth which they
have questionably accumulated. Great
ethico social ideals of cooperation and
brotherhood are cracking the shell of
indiyidualism, too small for the eX-
panding fraternal ferment of the fu-
ture world. Yet in the midst of all this
veasty ethical revival we are told that
the churches, the Protestant churches
in particular, are facing a crisis.
Some of our best known leaders tell
us that interest in the church as an
institution is declining. We hear con-
stant complaints that the attendance.
especially the attendance of men at
public worship is in general steadily
falling o:f-that benevolences are main
tained with difficulty. That prayer
meetings have become old fashioned.
SO far my prayer meeting in Bruins
wick averages about four or five men
in attendance.
Now whatever may be the facts as to
church membership over the broad
land we are witnessing the apparent
decay of the New England country
church. Many of our country churches
are permanently closed-more ought to
be in some places Many are kept alive
only by liberal grants from the Home
Missionary societies. Many more that
are self supporting face stationary
or declining membership and are fin
anced with increasing difficulty. The
cause of this local condition
is complex rather than simple.
Yet one fact stands out clearly, and that
is the Indifference of people, both good
and bad. toward the church and institu
tional religion.
Not only has a great influx of foreign
blood radically changed the character of
our population, but the native stock has
largely forsaken the church. 1t is said
that the average man in the community
does not regularly attend church. In
many places such seems to be the fact.
1t is symptomatic of the widely prevalent
loss of the sense of need of the church
If men felt the need of the church we
should not have to urge them to support
it. 1t may be that the changes in theol-
ogy have weakened the church: that the
disappearance of the fear of hell has
loosened the bonds which bound men to
the institution which held the keys OF
heaven. But / think better of mankind.
Indeed, again the pardox confronts me
we are growing more religious and less
religious at the same time. The ethical
ideals of the race are being preserved
even outside the church. They are find
ing expression through other agencies
and institutions or as in many cases. IN
the great unorganiZed spiritual aspira-
tions of mankind. Education, philanthro-
py. social betterments are no longer
identified with institutional christianity
The inspiration may come from Chrlst
and the church but it expresses Hseii
through other channels of service. one
social function after another has silently
severed itself from the church, narrow
ing and Swallowing the influence of the
church in the everyday life OF the world.
And all the time the Christian denom-
nations present the sorry spectacle OIL
irving to build themselves up at one an
others expense.
The other day in Brunswick a broad
church Episcopal rector from the west
said to me: I've got to get back home
as soon as / can or the Methodists and
Baptists and Congregationalists will have
all nv people I'm not afraid of the
devil getting them, but I've got to look
out for the other churches" 1t was one
of the keenest satires l have heard in
some time.
Indeed, what is more ptiful and shame
full than the petty jealousies and rival
ries between the Christian churches.
Sectarianism is dying hard. But it is
dying.
The atmosphere is charged with a new
impulse of Christian fraternity. Great
changes are working in practical religion.
The economic pressure is killing off some
churches. The spiritual pressure of CO.
operation will soon force into union those
that are left. The things which once
seemed impossible barriers are slowly
dissolving Even Dr. Newman Smythe
may be left. and we are nearer than we
think tO the new cathOliciSn, wherein the