[Boston—Sunday, 22 April 1866]
Sunday. Little reunion here in the evening—Sterry Hunt spoke. Heard Mr Bartol preach about the necessity of the church. I was sorry because my sympathies did not run along with him. If the church as an organisation is a necessity to society and a purifier it will exist without preaching, but I do not see it to be a sign of deterioration that many persons do not go to church. The strictly low and wicked never did go and if idlers stay away their conscience will bid them supply the peace that church-going once held in their minds by something more real, I believe. Beside my church is full. For my own part I consider church going a pleasure and a luxury—not a duty and I go accordingly—but when I go I do not enjoy such a sermon as this morning’s. I wish to rise to higher levels if may be—still I may be wrong this is only my own feeling—perhaps it did good somewhere but where I could not see.
