p. 166 | A FASHIONABLE CHURCH by H. C. Crumb

Publishing Committee · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 13, 1859

A FASHIONABLE CHURCH.

By H. C. Crumb

One hundred dollars a Sunday, says the New York Observer, is about the expense of a fashionable church in Boston, as we learn from a recent paragraph in the Boston Transcript. In New York the expense is not far from five times that sum. We will figure up the expenditures of one church in this city, the affairs of which we happen to be somewhat acquainted with.

The church, parsonage, library, &c., cost in round numbers, $200,000; the annual interest of which sum, at 7 per cent, is $14,000.

The pastor's salary is $4,000; that of his assistant is $500.

The presents annually given to the pastor, we believe, do not average less than 500; presents to his assistant, say, $5.

The singing, with the salary of the organist, repairs of the organ, and wages of the blower, costs very nearly 1,000.

The cost of cleaning, including the salary of the sexton, will average about $100 a year.

The annual depreciation in value of building and its contents, by use and time, may be computed at $1,000.

The cost therefore for maintaining the church for one year, is $22,505, which is equal to $432,76 per Sunday.

Forty smart mechanics, working steadily all the year, earn about as much as it costs to support this church.

For $22,505 a year, two thousand children could be kept under instruction in good schools. It would maintain a college of five hundred students in the highest efficiency.

It would support twenty-two country churches, or eight city churches, in a liberal manner.

However, we must add, that there are not more than ten churches in the city conducted upon anything like the scale of the one to which we refer, though there are three which probably exceed it.

Bro. Smith: I send you the above account of "a fashionable church." I recollect once hearing a merchant of a little village in Central New York say that on one occasion when he was in New York after goods, he put up with a friend over Sunday. As they were going to meeting, says his friend to the merchant, Are you going to wear that over-coat that you have on? If you do you will get no seat; no attention will be paid to you. This same merchant was of the opinion that if Christ were to come now the churches would reject him just as the Jews did at his first advent. We can all form an opinion for ourselves. We have a rule by which we may know them. Says Christ, Ye shall know them by their fruits. Matt. vii, 16. Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Matt. xii, 34.

Said a Methodist class-leader, not long since, "This Advent preaching is worse than Roman Catholic preaching." Says another, "We cannot know the time, for as a snare shall it come on all the world. And Paul says that it will come as 'a thief in the night.'" Yes, and he also says, "And they shall not escape." But Paul says also to his brethren, "But ye, brethren, are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light." I desire to be one of Paul's true brethren.

But I would say one word about such fashionable churches. When we take into the account the confusion in these fashionable churches, can we not conclude that they are branches of Babylon? And will not her pride one day be humbled, when God will bring down her high looks? For God knoweth the proud afar off. Do such assemblies as these humble themselves as little children, that they may be greatest in the kingdom of heaven? Do they not exalt themselves? and will they not be abased? "for whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased." Luke xiv, 11. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of man shall be bowed down. For the day of the Lord of hosts shall be upon every one that is proud and lofty, and upon every one that is lifted up, and he shall be brought low. Isa. ii, 11, 12. The mighty man as well as the mean man shall be brought low, or humbled. Isa. v, 15.

For behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble; and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them, neither root nor branch." Mal. iv, 1.

From Paul's second epistle to Timothy [chap. iii, 1-5], we might conclude that the churches would become corrupt; for Paul is describing a class that profess to be Christians. They have the form of godliness, but they are fallen; for while they have the form of godliness, they deny the power thereof. They have become proud, high-minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. This, Paul said, would be in the last days.

Said a Methodist minister to me once, "We are living in just such times now." Then I said to him, You have one sign that we are living in the last days. And does not Paul in this instance describe the state of many professors of religion? Are not many of the religionists of this day proud, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasure (the fashions and amusements of the world) more than the lovers of God; having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof? How little faith in many professors of religion! Some disbelieve in miracles, even those performed by Christ. How is Babylon fallen? Paul speaks of them to Timothy as ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth. Paul says, From such turn away. Obey Paul and live. Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues. Obey and live. Disobey and die. This has been the language of God in all ages of the world; and it is his language to-day. Says Jesus, "If thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments." For blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.