The Irish standard., 1913-11-08

nap and loads his family into a
motor for flight eountryward
- Smith 10 the best Of fel.
lows, an average twentieth century
American, dilisent in business, a
kind husband and father, and in
politics anxious to vote for what
he thinks to be the best interests
Of the country In the
community where we were reared
It was not respectable not to 90
to church. remember distinctly
that in my boyhood people who
were not affiliated with some
church were looked upon as par
iahs and outcasts Vet in
the same community no repreaeh
attaches today to the on.ohuroh-
going citizen. A majority Of the
people know best, in cities large
and email, do not 90 to church.
Most Of them are in no wise antas-
onistio to religion; they are merely
Indifferent. 81
We all know Smith; we know too
many that are hke him: the number
OF those like him Il yearly on the in
crease among our netghbqrss and ac-
auatntances. The new Yurx Evening
Post, commenting on the article in the
Atlantic Non<t,1p sa,,u. ~
There are literally mustitudss Of
! persons who can remember whole
communities whore Il was not re-
spsotable to miss divine service.
The changes in this regard, If quist,
have been tremendous.
Smith, of the Atlantic Monthly, is
well represented in cities Of America.
In rural communities, where, on first
thought, we should look for other con-
ditions, the story is the same. Men Go
not go to church; attendance at church
is alarmingly on the decline.
A booklet entitled "a Rural Survey
in Maryland" tells that in one county,
taken as q fair sample Of others, out
Of a total white population Of 10000.
nomdnally Protestant Christians.
hardly IS per cent are in the church,
es," that ''the mortality rate among
humans is hardly as great as that
among country churches" And only
a few days ago, in KANSAS, a confer
ence of pastors and teachers directed
attention to the thousand abandoned
churches in the state. one Of the rea-
sons believed to account for the la
mentable fact being the passion for
motoring on Sundays.
Today to stay away from church is
rather the fashion, the up-to-date
style. We need not travel far to meet
men who would blush before their
comrades If reminded that they had
been in church, there, on bended knee.
with downcast head, adoring the eter-
nal and Almighty God. So far, women
and children are more guiltless than
men. But, in the course Of time, the
example set by men will prevail; grad
ually. in silent tribute to what Is be-
lieved to be their superior thought,
women and children conform to the
mental and social practices Of men.
Where today it is said men do not go
to church, tomorrow it will be said
few there are Of men, or Of women and
children who still go to church. The
question is surely the issue Of the day
Whittier the drift Of men and women,
whittier the drift Of society and Of
country?
I take the evil as 1t is. The evil ia
not that God Is denied; He II forgot
ten, left aside. exiled from the world
Of human thought and action.
Cold. repulsive atheism IL not the
prevalent error Of the people Of Am
erica Too intelligent they are, too
rational to be az the fool quoted in
scripture who said in his heart, There
is no God" That God lives and reigna
10 truth too SELF evident to be ever
contradicted by the many when once
thrown back into calm self question
ing.