Rensselaer Union, Volume 9, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 March 1877 — Expensive Churches. [ARTICLE]

Expensive Churches.

The Bible rule for building a house is as applicable to chucches as to individuals. First sit down and count the cost. The non-observance of this rule has led many churches in all denominations into the state where all who behold them bpgin to mock. It is a good deal like those towns, and counties, and cities, which, in the enthusiasm of the occasion, vote to tax themselves to subsidize railroads or other publie enterprises. All goes “merry as a marriage bell ” anti! the time for the payment of the interest or principal comes round, when hitherto honest citizens suddenly become in favor of repudiation. So with churches. The architect’s plans look alluring and attractive, and all are inspired with an ambition to have the “ best meeting-house in town;” one that will attract the people, with the hope of bringing then! within the reach of the means of conversion, doubtless. The building of the splendid edifice is authorised; but is no sooner begun! than “ extras ” and unexpected expenditures begin to pile up, and finally the congregation finds itself swamped with a debt which it is unable to handle* This next becomes the Bource of innumerable difficulties, eating out the spiritual life of thechurch. And this thing is repeated over and over again—the warnings of experience seem to be utterly poweness to cause the abandonment of a policy which involves so much of unwisdom. , ... This subject has been invested with a new interest. by a recent, occurrence in Brooklyn. A —Congregational Church built a magnificent house, coatingorer $150,000, according to ‘he statement Jlpon this there was an indebtedness of ,$80,000; ‘ 1 t

- - y i n »il After struggling along several Jean, the church was obliged to succumb, aad yield up its property to its creditors ft! so much less than cost that it still lclt them - in debt. A council of delegates from, other Congregational Churches was held and the advice given that tne body disband and then reorganize under another nam&ftiith a view of avoiding a compliance with their obligations to the!# creditors, a/species of sharp practice of doubtfulTT-no, it is not doubtful—morality. And to such extremities, and to other acts of a rc/psfchensible, if . not dishonorable, nature does extravagance in church building lead a Christian organization. The evils of such a course are many and do jnr.cli to tying churches generally under reproach, ev*en in a business point of view. But there are higher considerations which should induce the leaders of churches to 'sit down and count the cost before they be. gin to build.— Standard (Chicago).