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ART. XVII.

Attractions of the Pulpit.

THE attractions of the pulpit of the present day, if c sidered in themselves alone, are, doubtless, far superio what they were anciently. The ministry has grown w the growth of other things; and if not fully up to spirit of the age, has at least advanced nearly in ratic the progress of the race.

Of course, I do not refer to the ministry of any parti lar sect, in this remark, but speak of the pulpit general And I do not overlook or deny the fact, that there ha been individual cases of ministerial popularity in form times, which towered above the mass of their age in similar manner to what some do now. I only claim th for learning, talents, eloquence, and all which goes make up what may be denominated the attractions of t pulpit, the present age may be regarded as probably sup rior, on the whole, to that of any former one. Fenelo and Hall, and South, and Wesley, and Whitfield, a Murray, and other divines of similar celebrity, who ha done their work on earth and passed to their rest, wou doubtless be regarded as great and good men were the living now; but I think that they would not be received a remarkably popular preachers by our present congrega tions. They were so in their own times, partly becaus they had fewer rivals than the popular preacher has now and partly because the great body of the people were fa less cultivated then than they are in our own age. W can find their equals now in almost all our cities and larg towns, and a much better and more general system public education has raised the mass of the people to higher culture than the body of those enjoyed to whom they preached; so that he who is now seen over the head of the multitude must be a much taller man than thos eminent servants of Christ to whom I have alluded.

Regarded simply in themselves, then, as I have sug gested, the attractions of the pulpit are much superio now to what they were in previous ages. Comparatively

however, it may be very different. Certainly the pulpit has not that deep root in the hearts and affections of the people generally which it had in earlier times. It has been, for many years, gradually losing its hold upon the public mind. In this country a marked change is visible in this respect. The church, instead of being a desirable place of resort, as it has been regarded,—a place where everybody goes on Sunday, who can go,-appears to be declining into a condition of pauperism; and its public services, if we except those of some which are considered as exceeding fashionable, or which have remarkably popular preachers, are attended only by comparatively a few. At least, such is the case to a far greater extent than it used to be. Even within my own recollection, the change in this respect has been striking and mournful. I can well remember when, in most towns with which I had any acquaintance, every person except the very aged and infirm, the sick, and those who were necessarily their attendants, even to the very small children, just as fully expected to be present at public worship on the Sabbath, as they did to have their daily food at the usual hours, or practise any other thing which was regarded as a necessary part of life. There was not only a more profound respect for religion and its ordinances, but a deeper personal interest in meetings for divine worship. Most persons appeared to regard it as a source of personal gratification to join in the exercises of such an occasion. They found it exceedingly pleasant to do so, and it was no slight cause which could keep them away.

But it is not so now, as a general thing. There may be certain towns and places where the change in this respect has not been as great as it has in others. Some scattered communities, especially in the agricultural districts of the interior, modify their habits of this kind more slowly. But still the change is felt, more or less, throughout them all. I discover it wherever I go. In all our larger towns and cities especially, with the exceptions already mentioned, of a few cases in which churches are regarded as quite fashionable, or have very popular preachers, houses of worship are rather thinly attended, and the congregations of Protestant sects do not keep pace, in their increase, with the increase of the population,

So far as my experience and observation go, strictly and mournfully true.

To verify this fact, I will take the city of Ne as an example. A somewhat careful estimate partly from my own observation, and partly fr statements of reliable persons, satisfies me tha about one-fifth, certainly not more than one-fourth entire population can be found within the walls churches on any Sunday in the whole year. Of those who are absent at one time, may, some of th least, be present at other times, and those who are on one Sabbath, may not all of them be present at times; but I have stated the extreme number of a ants at the most favorable time, and something li number of non-attendants at all times

In all probability, not attempting great exactness, are more than two hundred and fifty thousand perso that city, every Sunday, who do not see the inside o place of religious worship.

In Connecticut, generally, there is a greater numb church-goers, in proportion to the whole population Hartford, and the larger towns of my acquaintance average number of attendants, in fair weather, will proach nearly to one third of the community.

Maine, New Hampshire, and Vermont, would prob exhibit a somewhat fairer statement. Massachu might average nearly as many as Connecticut, whil we pass off West and South, the number of those attend public worship will be found comparatively diminish with great rapidity.

But whether these few statistics are wholly reliabl otherwise, I am sure that no one who has given the ject much attention, or who cares for the interests Christianity, if he considers the facts even in their form, will fail to acknowledge that there is cause in th for the most bitter regrets, if not alarming fears. Regard in their most favorable light, they are sufficiently mou ful to arrest attention, and to throw a shadow across hearts of those who are toiling for the spiritual intere and salvation of humanity.

It may not be unprofitable to consider some of the m prominent causes of this state of things.

In looking for the principal agencies which are concerned in its production, I have no doubt that some of them may be traced back to the pulpit itself. Its deteriorated condition is owing partly to its own "defects. I believe that it has had, and possesses even now, notwithstanding all its progress, many imperfections and faults which have gone far to aid in alienating the affections of the public. In too many cases it has been distinguished for its rigid and blind conservatism, when it ought to have been the pioneer in every true reform. It has too often been narrow and intolerant, and uncharitable. In many cases it has been more ready to scent out heresy, than to rebuke vice, or do battle with wrong; more ready to insist on a speculative dogma, than on a plain principle of practical right. Its spirit has not been sufficiently mild and kind to harmonize with that of Jesus, nor have its teachings generally been directed, as they should be, to the common wants and affairs of every day life. These suggestions will find their most forcible application to what is arrogantly termed the Evangelical pulpit. The more truly liberal churches have been far less offensive in these respects. But of whatever faults a severe scrutiny might convict the pulpit generally, the indifference of the public mind to its interests cannot be traced to causes of this kind alone. For these causes have been quite as great at any previous time as they are now. They were even greater a quarter of a century ago, when instead of the present church attendance, of from one-third to one-fifth of the population, the ratio would be nearly three-fourths of the whole. So that the greater part of the change, at least, must be owing to other influences than the defects of the pulpit itself. What are they?

Let it be considered that one great object of the Protestant pulpit, and one from which no small part of its attractions spring, is the giving of religious instruction. Also, that as a community becomes truly enlightened in religious as well as other kinds of knowledge, the necessity for pulpit instruction diminishes, in the same propor.

tion.

This would seem too evident to require much elucidation. Where there is but little light, general information,

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or active intelligence among the people, the p although of a lower grade, becomes a highly attra as well as efficient means of imparting knowledge. instruct the mass of men is one object of its institu To teach the great truths of Christ's religion, to exp its doctrines and enforce its duties, to throw light all our spiritual interests, hopes, and assurances, f a great purpose of its very being. And as society comes gradually better instructed in regard to all t matters, as it rises to higher and higher attainments members will come gradually to look upon the ch very much as the adult looks upon the old school-roo his childhood. It is the place where he was assisted acquiring his education. But he begins to feel now he knows about all that is taught there, quite as wel his teacher does, and so, as a matter of course, his sonal interest in it dies away. He thinks that he has grown it, and to some little extent at least he is, in sense, probably correct.

Regarded therefore in this aspect alone, as a means religious instruction, I admit that the pulpit must expected to decay in its attractions about in proportion the improvement of society in regard to popular religi information. Still Still I am unwilling to allow that it really nothing to do in this respect even for the best c tivated mind in any community. The presence of su in our churches may render higher pulpit attainments a qualifications necessary than are commonly found in ministry; and, after all, I cannot but think that if the individuals felt right about the matter, if they were rea as devout in spirit, or as religiously inclined as they oug to be, in their disposition and affections, they would fi that, with all its imperfections, the pulpit would ha some attraction for them still.

I know that clergymen generally like to hear preachi even if it is not of the highest order. Although th give most of their time and thoughts to studies of religious character, and are probably better informed, all subjects treated by the pulpit, than other persons, y I think that they will bear me witness that, as a gener thing, they not only find a pleasure in listening to th preached word, but learn something also from even a po

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