WHY PEOPLE IN AMERICA DON'T GO TO CHURCH.

Timaru Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4561, 10 June 1889, Page 4

WHY PEOPLE IN AMERICA DON'T GO TO CHURCH.

Diirina tho recent ministers' conference m New York, the World reporter interviewed a lurge number of people on tho reasons why thoy did not go to church. A newsdealer said : " How do you expect a man to go to church who starts working at four 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 woll enough ; and the mission church the rich men provide for us is too much like receiving crumbs from the table of the rich mau." " Flow can I go to church?" said a bar tender man uptown saloon. "1 am here until all hours on Saturday night, and on Sunday I am busy watching tho sido door to see that no copper couiee, and handing the stuff over the bar. No, young fellow, I haven't g^t the time." A hotel employee said : " I work at night and am too tired to think about going to church." " 1 go to church poorly dressed as I am," said a girl m tho Tenth Avenue factory, " to hiivo tho usher stare at me and tell me I shall iiud ii seat iv tho gallery, and then, when I •■•j to ;i pow up them, to have the people driw iiwuv from me because my clothes are not so nice'ns theirs ! No, indeed, I would rather stay ;it home." A s:\les girl m a big up town storo saiil : "1 ilun't no to church because my employer does, iir.il is ono of tho bright and shining lights of what iiow passes for religion. if a miiu who tr.'iite his employes as Mr— dues cau ba honored by the church, I will honor myself by stayint; away. He pays starvation wages to the women who make your garments and expects his clerks to keep respectable — m n[);ear.ince at least — on salaries barely sumViunt to keep body and soul together. fJe never gave a half-holiday until shamed into it, and he has no regard for tho health or umifort uf the pejplo who serve him. If such men can tind comfort for their conscience m religion, I want none of it." A French shoeblack snid : " When I wcDt to t!<o church I was asked for ten cents at the door. [ had none, and got no sent. I luvo never gone 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 iv diuretics where there is good preaching." A druggist : " Drug .tores must bo open on Sundays. That is a settled fact." A street car .conductor had Ills wifeund lire children to provide for, and all ho could earn by working seven days was lodol 75c a week. He couldn't afford to take a day off, even to attend church, though ho wu'uld like to do so. " Their necessities," he said, "keep thousands of men m thi3 city ewaj from Church every Sunday, ihe low nte of wuges prevailing compels working ]>•■!•. ?p to labor seven days m the week, if they ure lucky riiuugh to find employment.' 1 A truckman, idling on his truck, said the churches were not for such as him. He had no fine clothes to dress m, nor hud his wife, and neither would go where they could not appear as well ti< other people.