THE SIN OF SCHISM 79 



such strong church could easily be built up 

 by combination of effort, and where, being 

 erected, it would have ten times the saving 

 power which all the weaklings at present 

 exert. 



In almost any of the rising towns of the 

 West you may see a sight winch Christen- 

 dom entire ought not to show, — from half 

 a dozen to a dozen struggling churches, 

 with under-fed ministers, inadequate ac- 

 commodations, and a discouraging outlook 

 every way, much of such meagre support 

 as they do receive coming from the East, 

 not one among them powerful or promis- 

 ing enough to entice the lukewarm or to 

 make evil-doers reflect. Christians moving 

 to the place, seeing the financial burden it 

 must entail to join any of the churches, re- 

 main churchless ; while the unbeliever, who 

 would under other circumstances at least 

 send his children to Sunday School and 

 occasionally go to church himself, lapses 

 into heathenism with all his house. 



Many, if not most, of our poorer rural 

 and frontier communities are threatened 

 with desperate apathy touching religion ; a 

 practical infidelity, carrying with it the 

 grossest immoralities. In many parts these 



