The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1912-12-31
PREACHERS AND EMPTY PEWs,

PKEhOf1EhO HNO GHf y
Oklahoma City has many fine
churches. and the churches are well
attended. But in some parts of the
country, empty pews confront some OF
the pulpit orators, and many of them
are puzzled to know the reason.
In a recent editorial, the Atlanta
J Constitution notes that the increasing
J failure of men to attend church is af-
fected as a melancholy fact by many
preachers who grope blindly for the
reason.
The Constitution says that Bishop
James H. Mccoy, in his recent ad-
dress to the North Georgia Methodist
conference struck the cause at its core
when. according to press dispatches,
he "censured the modern tendency to
J deal with secular and trivial matters
} in the pulpit to the exclusion of the
great issue of salvation" The bishop
is right and if the churches wish to
J exercise their old-time influence in this
} wonderful and expanding age in which
} we live, they must take cognizance Of
his criticism.
Viewing pulpit practice here and
there. one is almost tempted to say
} that many ministers, forgetting their
divine mission, usurp the functions of
yellow journalism" We are guilty
} of no irreyerence to true religion when
we say that it is a common custom
for preachers to keep out pair OF
metaphorical lield-glasses for the lat
est fad or uostrum in politics or so
: called "ethical uplilt, all Of which sub
iects fall in the secular and not the
: religious field The moment dis
: coyery' made, the views of the
preacher on that particular topic are
lharangued from the pulpit Sunday
| after Sunday to restles and resent
t full congregation There is hardly a
I whisper of the creed of the meek and
/ lowly Nazarene But there are plenty
of half-baked or pre-digested opinions
on alleged tissues of the hour with
5 the result that men who come tc
$ church looking for spiritual bread &c
! Iaway with an intellectual stone.
r Not one man out of one hundred at
tends service to be given first easy
lessons as to how he should vote OF
5 to be, in kindergarten fashion, taught
!, his duty toward various matters o.
r public policy. If he deserves a vote
!. at all. he reserves that function tc
e himself He protests, inwardly when
( opinions that may be diametrtcally op
2. posed to his own are shouted at hin
/. from the pulpit. Having no recourse
n in reioindar, he does the next bes
/. ,thng--he stays away The speciality
@ Itho sacred mission, Of the preacher is
D. to quicken the individual conscience
}. by the application OF gospel truths
4 land the eXpoundirg of Biblical princi
r. oles. II the minister succeeds il
S Imoid ng q mans conscience it is
; pretty safe assumption that that par
e ticulaf man is going to vote right OF
t any issue invoking his own or the com
If muulty'es welfare But if time tha
t. should be devoted to nstilling loyalt,
i. 20 righteousness is squandered wit
d personal Trades upon extraneous pc
1t lltical and secular subjects-th
NJ preachers have only themselves t
n. blame for empty pews.
M And this is the final test: The de
nominations that avoid this policy, an
concern themselves with spiritual ma
d. ters only, are not faced with the prol
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