The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-07
cIItRcIniEN AND yoy-c,,,,,

II
me aso we called attention
nc iact mat Kansas City minis
~ wishing to find out why the ~.
tendance of men at chnrch &c ~,
iarScr, started out to ask tho 49,,
themselves for their, reasons. T,,,;n
" ely directory and picking out All
iah'iiom number Of names ar n,or
ne wrote them courteous letters ,.,,
zig VIII YOU kindly say whether Il,
Sou attend church regularly.
9ti'ihs your reasons either wav?"
MahS replies came in. some Of yybicb
nave been made public the names ~
me writer's being omitted ono or tho
hph-attcndants wrote, ''On account i,
me music; the choir sings Holy boI,.
holy, over and over, and prefer ra,
'iine' SO 80 to the theatre" .,uo,bor
rePlicds The church does not nav
enough attention to the present and
100 much TO the future; TOO mucb
SKINNED milk here for the crco,,,
hereafter" Another said. in si,,i,,,
VEIN TOO much talk OF white rohas
hereafter and too little of clean sbirts
now
Men who are regular church H.
'ei'"''h'S gave these reasons "rhe
main reason why 1 come is because
my wife makes me-" II attend ,huroh
because ] want TO be successful ana
want my children to go to sunday
Sehool. This is n Christian co,ntry
ana 1t is patriotic duty for cverv
man to attend church.'< II attend
| church because the church helns -
make the world better; / have gone
20 church for scventy-iive years" II
go because l like TO-"
commenting on this unusual can
Nass' the savannah Morning News saws
| some very iruc things:
~ would not be a bad idea for
every man TO ask himself why he does
or does not attend church and for
preachers TO lid out from as many
i!'fii as thcy can the actual reasons
lor attendance on mona attendance. The
average man is doing moro indepcnd-
en- thinking now than ever before in.
the history Of the world. The modern
| man IS not actually more sllcpticaI
| thhh WINS his grandfather, but he re-
! cures TO be approached dit1ercntly
| iic wants to be Told why There are
'atTrS---cNcollcnt men and true.
! VINO iall TO GRASP the full meaning OF
| INC changed conditions. Education
| ciNihIation. mankind. are progressive
| ana progressing The teachers OF the
| ch'irch must keep step They must
| chich and hold confidence by prepare
ton and force of character \ lay
| man OF strong mentality is not going
10 place his hope Of eternal life upon
the teachings Of a man he knows TO
| be lis intellectual inferior; lie prefers
70 think for himself In that instance.
| because there is so much at risk"
| The case is thus truly put Whether
or not it is 10 be lamcntcd or COM
! monded the average man is thinking
a great deal more than he used TO.
/ aud is thinking more Independently
| lie wants 10 hear arguments that do
| not "hcG the question; he prefers. 10
| &c convinced by cold reason and on
Logical Tines, rather thar TO rely on
what seems TO hin, assumption ana
improved statement Then, TOO, there
arc thousands Of men Of good deeds
ana clean lives who go about doing
| good wlo 10 not go TO church, either
because they soc no necessity for it
or because they DO not rccI tho need
/, Of any fprthcf argument or preach
'ncnt about right living and right
/. ihinkins
There arc thousands OF men, too, who
regard preachers as special picadcrs--