Non-Churchgoing in Scotland.

Auckland Star, Volume XIX, Issue 142, 16 June 1888, Page 3 (Supplement)

Non-Churchgoing in Scotland.

Sijutltaxeously two Presbyteries -of the Church of Scotland, so far apart as Glasgow and Aberdeen, have been engaged in discussing the extent and the causes of nonchurchgoing within their several bounds. In Glasgow 120,000 of the population have no church connection whatever.

Mr Donald MacLeod remarked that he felt ashamed that during the nineteen years he had been a member of the Presbytery, ■that was the first occasion on which its attention had been directed to the question of the housing of the poor, the report having stated that about 25 per cent, of the people in Glasgow live in one-roomed houses. Among people who were shut up in singleroom houses how could they expect civilisation, not to speak of Chris1 ianity, to flourish? Not only was many a family living in the one-room houses, but there were families of grown-up sons and daughters there, and even families who took in lodgers. With families like these, with worn-out bodies, they would find that the publichouse was just as much the consequence as the cause. They might talk about Sunday trading, and when they saw some small shops open, selling soda-water, or something«f the sort, shut it up, and drive the people back inbo their dens again. But was that touching the real cause ? Although he was not in favdiif of opening musMms or picture galleries on Sundays, yet, if he thought that by keeping such places open

on Sundays these poor people would come to breathe a better atmosphere and get some little good, he would be»in favour of opening every one of them. It was resolved to hold a special meeting for a fuller discussion of the matter.

In Aberdeen Presbytery it transpired that the percentage of non-churchgoers was only 6'l. One report attributed alienation from church to 'over-pressure of preaching,' while another said the cause was to be found in the position oE the parish church, which was so hidden from view that many parishioners were not aware of its existence, and others were so near it that they said they could hear the service by simply opening their windows. Among the many suggestions made for bringing back the wandering membei'S of the kirk were suitable and attractive services for the poor, and the abolition ef seat-rents.