| Show ISMS THAT hayfi FAILED r abe failure of S la Is the atle Ug leot of a little book recently lenued issued by I 1 H p protestant minister io in new york air fj thomas dixon jr in which he be pouts points out with keen logic that modern churches utterly fall in the present age tocarra to carry out their mission il viewing lewing the field bel d in new york he be aerts that abat protestantism in that city 2 instead of growing stronger every year Is gradually losing ground the ebu churches robes are ato declining in vitality while godliness to Is growing gro wlm until now new york city be says has become one of the most godless cities in america in proof of this ate assertion artion he quotes that the statistics statistical icil of the bap bitof lor for iest instance anoe snow show a not net increase iB orease of members curing seven years from a total mem of in 1885 to in 1892 the abe normal birth rate during pose years should have given an in ailease crease of alt 4 least the death rate I 1 0 g more than balanced by acoba accas 26 D g frona from other so the abe baptists manakkil manageri mana manag Keil eti to hold their own to io the ite extell of 0 one fourth or of the children born in their own homes the methodists during the same i period arlod increased 1652 1552 or from to they held about half the number of their children the presby increased or from to the normal birth rate should have given them an increase of and they therefore managed to hold bold about two thirds of their own ob children ildreD the lutherans Luth erans snow show an actual decrease of during the seven years or from to so ao they have not dot only failed ailed to hold the children but lost hundreds of their older member mem be re but these figures the author con finues tell only part ol of the story it is a tact fact he be says that many churches now keep the ibe dead members on their rolls in order to have a large showing aoe of these records was seen one day to contain names dames while not members could be found the tact fact is in that there are actually today a smaller number both of baptists baptist and methodists than chete were twenty years ago discussing catholicism the author finds that it is unfolding an activity in behalf of the foreign immigrants alto gether unknown to protestants he beai this town could not be held from the devil for twenty four hours if it were not for the power of the catholic priesthood you would have to turn your guns into these streets and sweep them with grape i and canister without them what have hav e we done to reach these people nothing what are we going to do nothing who are doing that work the jewish rabble rabbis and the catholic priests if they do not do li it it is not done it you vou take those thoe tho e forces away you yon have left the people absolutely in darkness if that is a lac jac we must recognize it and that these forces are being utilized for good yet lie he noda lands that ies IB not bold the key bey to the I 1 luxure situation inasmuch Inaam ucb ae a its failure Is even more derius aeri us than that of protestantism counting the children born bora of catholic tage the ine catholics have lost at least the past two gen ereatious erat erst ious iolue Statistic it of course may be BUS bug licious as a basis of argument but it to la question that modern lorm form of christianity show the decrepitude of old age in a marked degree wrapped in dogmas rendered vener able by nothing but high antiquity anxious lest leet they bey should be exposed to the winds of mora thought they will not or cannot take an all active i part in the social struggle in which the nations now are concerned the power that characterized the she apostolic church is ie gone anu ana is no longer sought bought tor for Elc eloquence quence to in the pulpit to la buta but a poor substitute for divine inspiration n dissertations on semi and social topics cannot satisfy the longings longing of a tool oal hungering and thirsting lor for revealed truth a pantomime worship is unreal without regenerating effect christianity of today with its 18 multitudinous creeds and schisms and dogma ip resembles some of these cul factions of ancient arms armi and weapons seen in museums mua euma they may be of value for historical research and interesting to the student of mana history and they are therefore properly taken care 01 0 well in glass slid and kept br gbraud but the iray ot ea 88 fot for active service eel vice is basig however formidable they bibee ma have been in the hands of their original owners the world moves and now new conditions require const constant lant considerations in all other affairs of life this fact la is recognized but the standard bearers ot of modern christian Christli kik ity seem to be content with the leather cannon and crude spears of the middle ages agea for their battles this la Is the real cause or of the failure the remedy la Is new revelation suitable to every new and changed condition this thia truth has bag been proclaimed in this age and although the world is slow alow to recognize its importance there are many indications that it will be understood at last the religion of the future will be that based on the teachings of the inspired servants of the lord it will be the restoration of each individual in relation to his maker of a condition of a child to his bis father and in relation to his fellow men to a state of true brotherhood the religion of the he future will be that thai of the lord jesus christ in deed dead as well as io in name |
