. Home Missionary, The (April 1905-March 1906) . certain condi-tions that obtain here, and have atendency to test a mans personalreligion rather severely, (i) The want of a religious nucleus, strongenough to create a religious atmos-phere, without which a man feels adangerous freedom in his moral con-duct and to which he falls an easyvictim; (2) the very narrow sociallife of tlie people, dancing and cardplaying being the only resources forsocial amusements with which to fillthe many leisure hours. It seems tobe a natural law that where theseare indulged in excessively religionnaturally dies. T
. Home Missionary, The (April 1905-March 1906) . certain condi-tions that obtain here, and have atendency to test a mans personalreligion rather severely, (i) The want of a religious nucleus, strongenough to create a religious atmos-phere, without which a man feels adangerous freedom in his moral con-duct and to which he falls an easyvictim; (2) the very narrow sociallife of tlie people, dancing and cardplaying being the only resources forsocial amusements with which to fillthe many leisure hours. It seems tobe a natural law that where theseare indulged in excessively religionnaturally dies. These two things are perhaps theworst things we have to contendwith, for no half dozen people canmeet and enjoy themselves for anhour without one or the other, andour neighbors carry them both intothe church sociables and into thehouse of God. I have often tried tostart a literary club during the win-ter months where we could combinemental culture with social pleasure,but there seems to be an intellectualas well as spiritual lethargy in the at-. CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, VALDEZ, ALASKA THINGS AS THEY ARE IX ALASKA 267 mosphere, and about as hard toovercome. But the chief hindrance, I think,is the great fascination and profita-bleness of all kinds of gambling towhich, strange to say, the womenare as easy a prey as the men. Addto these the difficulty of keeping upinteresting meetings in the church,either social or religious for the wantof good music. Sometimes we havea good choir, and then the church isfull every Sunday evening. Butjnst as we think we are accomplish-ing something, our singers move onand leave us sometimes without or-gan or choir. We have our regularmeeting Sabbath morning at elevenoclock, always poorly attended, asno one thinks of getting up beforenoon. This habit hurts theSunday school, which meets atquarter past twelve. Yet, we al-ways have our faithful few at bothservices, whom neither cold nor heatwill keep away. These few alonewould almost be a justification for
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