CHURCH ATTENDANCE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11332, 9 March 1915, Page 3

CHURCH ATTENDANCE.

THE PEOPLE'S INDIFFERENCE. INTERVIEWS WITH AUCKLAND CLERGYMEN. A VARIETY OF SOLUTIONS. [From Onn Cohrksi-onoent.] AUCKLAND, March 8. The Methodist Conference -at Christchurch passed resolutions favoui ing vne starting of a "go to church movement. Why people do not go to chinch and how to get them to go is dealt with interestingly in the following nterviews■ The Rev Jasper Calder. of St Matthew's Anglican Church, said : "To get the people to tho ehurcn tho parson must know his llock and the flock the parson. This cannot be done till the clergy unbend -and learn more of human nature by going amongst the men. Tho tame curate is a nuisance to lumself and everybody else. The great blunder to the modern preacher is in fniling to strike the human man. Lt won't help a man to knock off drunkenness or keep .away from Grey Street by jamming the Athanasian Creed down his throat. Grapple with live problems and the people will come."

The Rev Howard Elliott, Baptist minister at Mount Eden, said: "The spirit, of evorv generation changes. Some ministers still rely on so-called spiritual methods, but in these strenuous tines let us press bv -all legitimate menus the claims and the need for religion. I thi-k the American method of using eleevrie signs and devices is a good one. Anything that commands the attention of men is a great advantage. One American church has -an illuminated sign of the Gross high on it-s tower, which can be seen all over tho city. It is called the ' C'hureh ot the Lighted Cross.' Others flash :i welcome or a text from their buildings. Something like that might- be done in Auckland- I have issued leaflets asking pertinent questions such .as ' Is there a. God?' and ' What is Christianity?' Another pamphlet is ' About; tour Children,' printed in big type, and we offer to fetch the children to Sunday school. A 'go to clrnreh ' movement wants special organisation.

The Rev Steolo Craik, of the Congregational Church, said: " There must bo enthusiasm. We must get bold of the young men. The Y.M.C.A. is the institution that can do this most effectively, hut despite the desire of the officials too much emphasis is being placed 011 th° purely recreative phase of the work instead of upon sound gripping problems. The Methodists are on the right line.s in issuing up-to-date pamphlets but there is a great deal in American advertising that would not do a variety show credit. A man could fill his church by wearing a red coat and striking headgear, but there is a boundary line which must be defined by temperament, and the church nr.k-t play the game in advertising." Mr Arthur Ro.-ser, a well--known Trade Union official, gave the opinion : "Why don't- the working men go Lo church? - '' The Church, has no message for them. The. Church is showing too respectable and its lending men as employers oi .la-bo ur have to prove i }jeir sincerity, (hurt:lies still have pew rents and the working man has got to go into the .strangers' pew or risk ejection or black looks. The sermons don't .suit the workers. They should deal with social problems and preach the dignity of labour and the right to decent ' working conditions. The first! preachers were fishermen who wont amongst the people. Then again the Church is not democratic. _ The churches are filled by women, in the main, who have no' sav in' the administration of the church work.'' A girl on the bench said: "No. I don't go to church. I know I ougnt I did when I went to school and I was always taught, to go. but now I work in a shop all the week,, and if I didn't get out to the beach on Sunday with the .sands and the eea- and the lovely sunshine and fresh air. I think I should go real crazy or set ' crook.' If I went to church and wanted. to be really good I should havo to give up my sun-bathing or else shock them all. Besides, proper Sunday clothes to go to church in cost such a lot in Auckland, don't they ?"

Staff-Captain Gray, of the Salvation Army, nincio tho following reply to the interviewer: •' General Bootli believed in filling his halls and then going to tlie publichouse £nr the men who had forgotten to conx 1 . There must be mor<* open-air .services in Auckland. We bavo been too fullhanderl to follow tho people to the btMicherf yet. but there is an open door for this work. although the people who have gono there to escape the church might ivsout it." Canon G. Maemurray, vicar of St Mary's, says: ''The facilities for Sunday pleasure are too many. and the average man prefers to go yachting, boating and pleasure-seeking. Do T believe in the more extensive advertising of religion? No, certainly not. What is needed is a little touch of adversity. Adversity is the best possible advertisement for God. In sorrow and trouble we naturally turn to God. The only thing that will bring people to their pen«ep, the reality of things, is trouble."

Tbn Rev I. Jolly (St Stephen's Pi-es-byterian Church) declared: "People have become too pleasure-loving, and high moral and religious ideals are not as common a.s they should be. Instead of blaming tho Church, T start by blaming the people. Still, it is the duty of those who represent the Church to make tbft religion attractive, but they must also appeal to the duty of tho people and to high ideals. Methods of advertising have their raJue. but we need a religious revival both in the Church and out of it."

Sister Esther said: ""We want personal work inside the Church. The majority of the working people feel that the Church is not interested in them. One very real reason why the working people do not go to church is that a great many of them feel that they aro not sufficiently well dressed. The social conditions amongst the poor have got to be combated, and to do this ttie Church has got to go out amongst the people." The Rev Jvo Bertram, president of the Ministers' Association, said: New methods of advertising may do good if wisely carried out. Open-air services have been too long neglected. What 5b most needed is a warm spirit of brotherly Christian concern among ohurchgoing folk. The Christian Church always prospered best when every member was fin evangelist. Religious life is eminently social."