The Pioche record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1908-1925, 1920-03-19
To the Editor Of the Record:

To the Editor OF the Record:
What q small percentage of people /
In most towns and villages of the des-
ert 60 TO church on Sunday. II
you were to know the actual popula-
ton Of every village and town In these |
mining regions and you were to visit |
any of its churches on Sunday you |
would have reason to say. We'll. the |
people Of the west have surely de-
serted God"
Once people have taken the down.
ward road toward neglecting their |
life Of the hereafter nothing less than
miracles will make them wake up to-
ward the idea of moral justice and the
future life.
An evil and adultersss generation"
said Christ. demands q sign" (mean-
ing miracles). So ! say that nothing
less than miracles will wake up some
people In regard to their moral duties
and the hereafter.
II were to say there are 10000. 900
of people In the United States who do
not know what the inside OF q church
looks like. which IL an actual fact
from investigation. some good mean
ing people would appear Mortified. And
yet the proportion of people in the
who do not go to church when they
have an opportunity to do SO Is not
only 60 per cent. but even 80 per cent
Of the population. In the mining and
railroad towns OF Nevada less than 10
per cent go to churth on Sunday.
Neither priest nor minister Is going
to meet you On the street. take you by
the collar and bring you to church. 1t
In 10 20 m
ceive moral encouragement which we
all need. II you know some people
who do wrong and who 60 to church
on Sunday they would do double
wrong by staying away. We are COM
manded not only to be decent and re-
spectacle. but we are also commanded
to worship God. and we surely do not
worship God by staying In bed on q
Sunday morning or going to the NOV
ing picture shows on q Sunday night.
or by staying at home. when there Is
. priest or minister of1ciating in the
church.
II you were to know the self -sacri-
fces that both priest and minister are
making to serve these out-of-the-way
places on Sunday perhaps more people
would respond to the services.
The writer has lived in districts
where farmers thought nothing of
travelling twenty-five miles in q big
wagon on . Saturday afternoon and
camp out In the village with babies
and children on . Saturday night In
order to be in time for church on Sun
day morning. These are the people
who have a contented mind and q
clear conscience. who keep away from
divorce and have respect for law and
order. You do not hear Of such people
taking the law in their own hands
such as we hear OF in these parts o.
Nevada, when the adulterer Is given M
time to prepare for eternity but Is sho
In cold blood. and the murderer goe'
free on the strength Of natural Law
of protecting his family. when the mo
tive of the crime Is matter of re
venge.
Who will deny. then. that the preach
ing Of the word Of God Ia not Of prim
Importance to every man and womal
in these scattered villages of the des
srt7 -
The fact must not be forgotten tina
the love of the almighty dollar. o
call It materialism II you wish. an
that ever-present condition of min
known as indifferentism In the west /
regard to the fate of ones soul. ar
both responsible for the cold attitud
that most people have in the west 70
church attendance on Sunday. w
succeed In nothing and we gain moth
ing without making some seif-sacr
nee Of time and labor in our bushes
life. Neither can we succeed In gair
Ing our eternal goal and future de,
tiny II we make no self-sacriice.
If everybody would follow the e,
ample OF those who never go to churC
on Sunday there would be no such
thing a. Christianity on earth. Ar
the result would be no laws and orde
for the foundation Of law and order
Christianity. It Is our duty. therefor
and very sacred duty It Is, indeed.
help support the church.
There II nothing more edifying tbs
to see the mothers bringing their chi
dren and babies to church on Sunda
II the babies cry during the service
will be all the better music. II Tho
who have kept away from hearing &
word Of God for years had only cor
msnced to go to divine worship VIII
they were babies they would have q
Quired . habit that would need
coaxing In regard to our duties iowa
the future life. Horses and cattle
not 60 to divine services. Let US thll
that we are human beings, and that :
are commanded to worship God.
The writer il well aware that the
are many good. honorable and uprig
citizens in these desert villages q
mining towns who never 60 to chur'
but the fact must not be forgotten al
that they would be q thousand tin
moro honorable II they would ate
Sunday service. Since we have ma
proofs that the church IL q divine
stitution for the salvation Of sou
does 1t not look million times bet
that we show we had some Christi
training at one time or another by q
presence in church for just one he
when there Is an opportunity to do
on Sunday. and hear the living word
God?
Let Il not be said Of us that we
more pagan by our absence from
vine worship than those who me-
heard Of Christianity. This letter
know Is out of the ordinary, but b.
my appeal for a better church attel
ance on Sunday will give offense to