THE DECAY OF CHURCH-GOING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13872, 5 October 1908, Page 8

THE DECAY OF CHURCH-GOING.

Sir,—Your correspondent, "Civis," has .drawn attention to the sail < slate of spiritual apathy which characterises the present ago. If ho. will open hi* Bible and turn to I. Timothy iv. 1-3, It, Timothy iii. 1.5, 13, and 11. Timothy iv. 3.4, he will find the present deplorable state of things clearly foretold, and accurately described. In many other places in Scripture wo are taught the soma sad truth, that mankind will, as the end of the present age- draws near, show very marked signs of spiritual deterioration, and that no improvement, but the reverse, can bo expected until the promised advent of tho Lord, who " coinoth." " to judge the earth," who "shall judge the world with righteousness and the people with his truth." "Civis" asks: "What has- brought about this significant' and deplorable change?" I bolieyo that one of the chief causes has boon tho partial or complete rejection of tho Bible, as tho very, true, and infallible Word of God. The work of socalled "higher" critics, together with tho unauthorised and absurd methods of interpretation adopted by tho majority of our ministers, is mainly responsible for this despising of tho Sacred Book. : For no man can honestly bolicvo tho plain teaching of tho Biblo, and at, tho sumo tinio boliovo what is taught, as scriptural truth from our present-day pulpits. It is doubtful whether one in ton of our clergy accept tho Scriptures in their entirety as tho genuine Word of God. No wonder, thou, that tho multitude, who, • but for tho pernicious example of their spiritual leaders, might still *liayo loved and rowed the sacred Volume, now treat it. with contempt. Why should they wnsto time in studying a book that they fl.ro taught is full of flaws? Is it surprising that churches are empty, when, instead of bread, stones are served out to the spiritually hungry? The Biblo is the work of tho'Holy Spirit; those who attack the Bible a Hack lliin. Men are everywhere slighting and despising tho Divine Message, hence our empty churches and tho universal decay of spiritual life. • Bible Student.

. Sir,—You will greatly oblige the writer by permission to criticise "Civis" in the Herald of. September 23. This gentleman says: "Wo havo dropped out, of the habit of going to church." This statement is hardly open to question, b-y several dogmatic assertions are made that I believe many among the more thoughtful of. your readers will not endorse. Instance " the religious spirit, which more than her navies and commerce made England great," etc. I contend, sir, this opinion may bo challenged, and is easily assailable. "Religious spirit" is an expression that may indeed stand for much, yet our history belies the supposition that, truth, justice, morality, and righteousness have always been synonomous with ecclesiasticism. Does the history of the nation teach us that church "ceremonial and observance is of nioro consequence than racial virility or the dogged determination of character which keeps a nation in the front? Another opinion of "Civis" is that "our moral'fibre has been weakened by our love of pleasure." Who. I ask, is to be the judge of our moral fibre? I have been in New Zealand 49 years, and am convinced my countrymen are no worse to-day than they were when I first lauded in Auckland. "Civis" also says tho few who go to church are only such as retain some vestige of conviction, or early "conventionalism." Pleas© note tho last word in sentence! Conventionalism is surely a plea that, can carry little weight at any time. We arc* told that the time is ripe for consideration of the question of the utility of church-going. Ono would like to hear some good reason given for the "habit" abovementioned. "Sunday," that writer says, "has become a day of recreation." "A people who will grow careless of religion will grow careless of anything— their political rights, national greatness," etc. Now, ran all this bo truthfully applied to New Zealanders? Is there any nation on the earth caring more for political rights, or better appreciating our national greatness? Passing from these questions, this writer would ask. Whywas tho Sabbath first of all instituted in tho desert? It was, I hold, originally intended as a. day of rest, chiefly for slaves and others who were compelled to toil long hours on the other six cloys; and although nothing is said about it. they no doubt benefited by the " recreation," which seems so repugnant to " Civis," who perhaps may be able to enjoy himself any other day of the week. At a later date, in the days of Jesus Christ and His disciples, we see that little regard was paid to church ceremonial ; indeed, the gentle Galilean laughed to scorn tho Pharisees, who reproved them for enjoying themselves in meadows and cornfields. Many so-called pagans among ourselves consider this same manner of spending our Sunday "quite as holy and sacra.montal as any convent of ecclesiasticism. The last, paragraph of " Civis' "letter I commend to your, judgment, sir. In other words, ho asks what is the cause of this condition of things, and why New Zealanders object to spend their only day of rest and recreation in churches. Tlx> present writer can honestly echo this sentiment, and will bo just as anxious to got a candid and truthful explanation from an unbiased writer in the Herald. Riciid.Ma.RSH. Pine Island. ' " -\';.' :,;/\ ■■