New Britain herald., 1928-12-31
Why MEN REMAIN
AWAY FROM CHURCH
G. A. Cushman Explains Com,
petition to Bible Class

| petition to Bible Glass
Motion pictures, automobiles.
radios. Sunday newspapers and
other wicked" things were listed
among the reasons why men do not
go to church. in an address on thi.
subject by Charles A. Cushman. .
Hartford insurance man. to Every
mans Bible class yesterday.
Mr.. Cushman's address was based
on the assumption that all men
should 60 to- church. and that those
who stay home Immediately fail in
some important duty.
Part of his talk was az follows:
why do not men 20 to church
Many men do 90, but the number
who absent themselves II sufficient
ly large to cause concern in many
flock. This anxiety was expressed
by one pastor in an advertisement
which was quoted In 4 newspaper
only few months ago. under the
! heading:
Lost, strayed or stolen-a large
flock of Methodist sheep
"And this is not confined to q
single denomination. A photograph
of 4 church bulletin board shows
the following inscription:
/ "A hearse is 4 poor vehicle IN
which to come to church. Why
! waltz
THE question Of why men do not
go to church Is closely allied with
the great problem Of Sabbath OBJ
servance, which seems to be per.
picking the present generation (or
should. If 1t doesn't). We are told:
Remember the Sabbath day to keen
it holy: in 1t thou shalt not do any
work. but the conception OF what
the word holy means seems to be
radically changed from q generation
ago. Today we are apt to emphasize
more the statement that it IL law.
full to do we'll on the Sabbath day
1T seems that the so-called
'gentler' sex has q streak of some
quality that holds them to church
going in spite Of many discourage.
ments. Even though compelled by
sickness or family cares to be alb
sent for a time, when the oppor.
tunity again presents itself they re-
sumo the practice OF church. going
Perhaps this is the same quality Of
persistency that is reputed to give
the members Of the fair sex the
last word. In any event it has been
recognized by the poet in the lines
In the worlds broad field of bat
tie.
In the bivouac of life,
When it comes to a mans re
ligion,
He's represented by his wife.
Indeed We have been told that
some men keep both their religion
and their real estate in their wives
names. though perhaps for differ
ent reasons.
And the reason for the prepon-
derance Of women at the average
church service Is not because there
are more women than men in our
population. According to authorities
there are now 100000 more men
than women in the United States
and 10000 more in the state o!
Connecticut alone, 30 that alibi IL
Of no avail.
"A very real reason for men
staying away from church Is the
tension and strain Of present-day
life, which in many cases takes toll
Of the strength and energy and
leaves men disinclined toward any
thing except rest and relaxation.
again we must recall that the
church was once the principal. and
sometimes the only social center
Around 1t rcvolved all the religious
and social life of the community
Today there are many opportunities
for culture and social pleasures
The minister was once one OF the
few men OF education In the aver
age community. Today opportuni-
ties for education are open to al,
and the preacher who Is to be 4
leader in the thought Of the town
or nation must be a student OF
many subjects.
las an illustration Of the change
in the relation Of the church to the
community. we recall that here IN
Connecticut the church was once
supported by taxation and in al
least one instance a man who did
not pay his taxes for that purpose
was thrown into jail.
During the period named, de-
nominational lines were somewhat
more strict than they are today
New sects were not greeted with
favor and had a difficult time be.
fore they became established
Church members attached more I'm
portance to the particular road by
which they hoped to arrive at the
celestial city.
Some men do not 90 to church
because they want to work around
their homes. Others do not 10 to
church because they desire to avoid
exertion. even to the extent Of re-
moving the weekend growth from
the chin. And then sometimes the
EzsllllI -