Why People in America Don’t Go to Church.

South Canterbury Times, Issue 5028, 8 June 1889, Page 3

Why People in America Don’t Go to Church.

During the recent ministers’ conference in Kew York , World reporter interviewed a large number of people on the reasons why they did not go to church. A newsdealer said: “ How do you expect a man to go to church who starts working at foiir o’clock every morning of his life, and sells Sunday papers besides ?” “ I can’t go into the high-toned churches,” said a mechanic. “I am not dressed well enough; and the mission church the rich 1 men provide for us is too much like receiv-l ing crumbs from the table of the rich man.” “ How can I go to clinch ?” said a bar tender in an uptown saloon. “ I am hero until all hours on Saturday night, and on Sunday I am busy watching the side door to see that no copper comes, and handing the stuff over the bar. No, young fellow, I haven't got the lime.” A hotel employee said : “ I work at night and am too tired to think about going to church.” gj" I go to church poorly dressed as I am,” said a girl in the Tenth Avenue factory, “ to have the usher stare at me and tell me I shall find a seat in the gallery, and then, when I go to a pew up there, to have the people draw away from me because my clothes are not so nice as theirs! 80, indeed, I would rather stay at homo.” A sales girl in a big up town store said : “I don’t go to church because my employer does, and is one of the bright and ehining lights of what now passes for religion; If a man who treats his employes as Mr does eae bo honored by the church, I will honor myself by staying away. He pays starvation ■wages to the women who make your garments and expects his clerks to keep respectable in oppeararfoe at least —on salaries barely sufficient to keep body and souj together. He geVor gave a half-holiday until showed into

'it, and he has no regard for the health or 1 comfort of the people who serve him. If such men can find comfort for their conscience I in religion, I want none of it.” A French shoeblack said : “ When I went to the church I was asked for ton cents at tho door. I bad none, and got no seat. I have never gono since.” Said another : "I am asked for ten cents a head. There are four of us, and Ido not always have the money." A young lawyer : “ What first got mo out of it was the enormously high prices of pews in churches where there is good preaching.” A druggist: “ Drug stores must be open on Sundays. That is a settled fact.” A street car conductor had his wife and five children to provide for, and all ho could earn by working seven days was 15dol 75c a week. He couldn’t afford to take a day off, even to attend church, though he would like to do so. “ Their necessities,” he said, “ keep thousands of men in this city eway from Church every Sunday. The low rate of wages prevailing compels working people to labor seven days in tho week, if they are lucky enough to find employment.” A truckman, idling on liia truck, said the churches were not for suoh as him. Ho had no fine clothes to dress in, nor had his wife, and neither would go where they could not appear as well as other people.