BORED CONGREGATIONS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3118, 23 June 1917, Page 13

BORED CONGREGATIONS

"It may bo that Qfty years henco men w.ill womler how we endured the services M to-day, fis wo wonder how our fathers and grandfathers listened to hour-long sormous without protest, biit change in methods ca,n only bo effected gradually," said tho K-ov. John Patersbn, Jloderator ol' tho N.B.W. Presbyterian Assombly in « forceful address in Sydney recently. t "A congregation, which was 'bored, simply could not worship. How was congregational boredom to bo prevented? 'Wo heard much about brief, bright services, but too many bright services meant a harlequin in lho pulpit, and rag-tiuie from tho choir. By all means let the services lie as bright as it was possible for human beings to inako them, when confronted l>y 'the deep and solemising thought of. tho eutornal varieties, life,' death, sin, and sacrificed ■'But, in. entering the house of God, let all people put from them the thought that they were going to an entertainment. They must not expect the Church to compote with lho theatre. Tho minister who knew his work would not permit,one dull moment in. tho service, but his appeal would over bo to the deep emotions of tho hu-nan heart. Nor would tho service ho ono moment longer-than the acts that had to ,'bo got into it required. .It must contain acts of pravCr. And, in those acts, there must bo., the utmost possible variety. Adoralvou, confession, petition, intercession, thanksgiving-all must find a, place, and that all might find a place each must be very short. Ho that attempted to pray too long ceased to pray at all. There, 'must also be a sermon, for experioncq taught that wheu the sermon gavo pli*e to ritual, morality decayed. J. no Vjruion of tho mediocre preacher had 'been much derided of late. It was not therefore, surprising that-not a few Hao. <«e to tho conclusion.that it would have been bettor for them if they had chosen some other calling. Time also, should to found for silence, that 'tho worshippers mi-lit hear their own souls speak, and resent the desires of their Ws to God aided by the atmosphere of devotion in'which they found. themselves. ■ "It is commonly reported—and 1 partially believe it-that bribery, prevails in both our political-and municipal life, ho continued. "The troublo lies in the fact that a largo and apparenty overgrowing section of the community lookß upon these things as venial offences and dismisses them with a shrug of the shoulcrs or a smile. . . The victory at the 'nolis on the question of the earlier elosn.- o? the liquor bars is one in which wo" mav feel justifiable-pride. . .But wo avo oiilv -touched tho fringe of tho sub-iri-t Here far more requires to bo doiio before' wo are truly a temperate people. Thrro is «° measure of temperance- reform that has lho slightest chanco of «comi glaw in this State in the near future that wo as a Church cannot heartily KiipptfH."