p. 714 | LOSING GROUND by Editor

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, Cal. · Nov 24, 1887

FromSigns of the Times, Vol. 13, No. 45.

LOSING GROUND.

By Editor

THE following was written by a Cleveland minister to one of the religious journals. Even allowing that he was considerably discouraged, the case is very bad, and with the facts to which he refers, which cannot be gainsaid, we do not see how he could keep from being discouraged. He says:—

"The rising generation has little faith in or love for the doctrines of any church. Forty years ago the Roman Catholics had only one small wooden church on the flats, in the poorest part of the city. To-day they have a cathedral, a bishop's palace, and many handsome churches, besides schools and charities innumerable. Bad as the condition is here, it is worse in the country. Many churches are shut up; all are more or less in debt and are trying to keep their heads above water. Five of the churches in this city recently united and brought the Rev. Dr. George F. Pentecost here, at a cost of $300 a week and expenses. After six weeks of earnest work on his part and united effort on the part of the people, he left us, and we find ourselves poorer in pocket, but with no new converts. These things show that change is needed. It may be that strong spiritual churches can be built in large cities like New York, whose influence will be felt all over the land, as was that of Rome in her better days. At all events, something must be done very soon to arrest the practical paganism that is so rapidly taking the place of the old Christian faith."

The most discouraging feature of the whole thing is the fact that so many ministers see the same thing, yet find no cause for discouragement, but think that the world, under the influence of the church, is moving right forward to the millennium. Would it not be well for some of them to try to find out which of the teachings of "the church" are responsible for the "practical paganism" that is becoming so prevalent?