Why Working People Do Not Attend Church
A LEADING London clergyman recently asked the question, "Why do the working-people not attend church?" and, according to the Christian World, received, among others, the following replies:— "You ministers despise the workingman, and side with the robber landlords and capitalists." "The workingman is quite willing to go to places of worship, and to take his wife and family, if the minister will go to him. The workingman don't want controversy. Let the churches be open every night, the same as the public-houses, for singing, lectures, and similar meetings." "The workingman sees that his interests are neglected in the churches, and he therefore goes to halls, clubs, societies, the open arch, the park—the workman's chapel. The school-master is abroad—but not in broadcloth. We have learned that we must go to men of our own class if we want to better ourselves." "We workers are beginning to understand some of the past history of the country, and we find that the representatives of the churches and chapels have always been against the workmen." "We work such long hours that we don't care to go to church on Sundays. We go into the country."