Weekly Trinity journal., 1870-05-14
Our San Francisco Letter.
SAN Francisco, May 5th

kindly endure the dangers and fatgues of long
Journey in Pullman palace in order to en-
tighten our darkness, express sympathy for the
Fiji islanders, Malabar negroes and Asatic
coolies and stir us up to fresh efforts for their |
conversion then, if business will permit, our
clerical friends may be induced to take little |
holiday and have a look at the natural wonders
of the State. 1t is safe to say that the work will
be speedily disposed of and the remaining three
weeks devoted to a restoration of exhausted en-
ergies The first meeting of this Episcopal con-
vention was held Sunday aud commenced
with the presentation of annual reports. Cali
fornia it appears, absorbs the whole time OF
three ffteen-hundred dollar missionaries, and is
still in such desperate condition of depravity
as to require at least two more. Nevada got
along very well with one at a thousand dollars
until this State poured in flood Of wickedness
to the White Pine country, and then the solitary
worker found it necessary to procure an assis-
tant and whose labor has resulted in great good.
On Monday we were told not to find fault with
the small practical result hitherto achieved but
continue to provide the monetary motive
power and thus add to general happiness.
On Tuesday the same tune was played on an
other string. ave ought" said the Rev. !.
Diving "to feel real love for the Cinnamon
and consider it privilege to have been with us.
During the last sixteen years the society had ex-
pended over sec, 600 on California alone, and he
hoped we would return the Iiberality by making
it present of some of the gold and silver bricks
he had heard so much of. What he and his as
iatpc had HOnn n
dred fold and the sooner we commenced squar-
ing accounts the better it would be for our bod
les in this world and souls in the next. This
nonsense, interspersed with anecdotes of pous
babies who sold their candy to contribute TO
Chinese missions, has been going on all the week
and is not yet over. Two blocks from where
these gentlemen meet is somewhat notorious
locality, known now all over the United States
as the " Barbary court" Within its precints
may be found men and women of our own ma
tionality, language and kindred-poor creatures
stepped in misfortune misery and vice-our
brothers and our sisters, who withstood not the
temptation but entered into evil. These rever-
end gentlemen have no word of encouragement
no sentence of sympathy, no dollar of practical
assistance to offer them. Vice present is hid
eous, vice afar off and clothed in IA colored skin,
| to be wept over and deplored. 1t would taint
the clerical garb to enter the purleus of Pacific
street, it would sully carefully guarded re-
spectibility to talk comfortable cheering words to
open sinner.
In distant connection with this subject, it may
be mentioned that the lowest sum for which a
working man can obtain a seat in st. Johns
church, on Post street. is five hundred dollars
That is the price fixed by the new paster, Dr.
Scott, and if the searcher after spiritual knowl-
edge desires a front pew, it will cost him from
three to twelve hundred dollars more. This is
the gentleman whose pety led him to pray for
the Presidents (puraD of the United States, and
it was generally understood that his supplica-
tions for the one at Richmond were much more
fervent than for Lincoln. AT any rate, he be-
came so unpopular that it necessary to be
called to another field of labor, and San Fran
cisco him no more for years. vacancy at
length occurring in the pastorate of his OLD con-
gregaton many of the members wished to rein
state their former shepherd, bit formidable ri
val appeared in the person of one Hemphill.
This candidate was young, good-looking and ell
oqaent. The ladies had vote in the matter,
aud need it be said that handsome whskers and
a nice smooth voice prevailed over the Doctors
qualifications of Democracy and unciatioE.
large minority dissatisfied with the
selection that they exercised their party preroga-
tive of seeding, took unto themselves II meeting
house of their own and invited Scott to preside
over it. Said he in his reply: g If you can
guarantee salary of five thousand dollars per
annum, and pay for the transportation of my
family and library to San Francisco | shall be-
]
money raised, shining clerical light
stored to California and last Sunday witnessed
the installation ceremonies. 1t is not necessary
to describe how a dozen parsons took part in the
proceedings, while huge crowd looked in
mild wonder, how the newly enrolled captain of
the cross preached from the appropriate text
" Aaron set up a golden calf and informed his
hearers that few of those five hundred
dollar seats could be had on application, all this
and much more has been duly chroniced by the
daily papers and shall not be repeated.
The religious world is not the only one that
has been ndugng in excitement. The political
cadron has also boiled somewhat furiously,
moved thereto by sundry embers insiduously
kindled by willy demagogues. Soon after the
color demonstration of last month a society was
formed by working men for the purpose of pro-
tecting their own interests against the encroach-
ments of Chinese ana capitalists for both are
considered equally obnoxious and equally to be
feared. In view of the approaching vote on the
purchase of Southern Pacific railroad bonds, it
was deemed advisable to ask the company their
intentions respecting the employment of Chinese.
The result was to have been reported at a meet
| ing at Irish American hall on Wednesday night,
but conflict of opinion ensued, which led TO a
disgraceful riot. 1t was said that the vice pres
| ident OF the association had been bought by the
railroad company and the other officers adver-
tsed that they repudiated their colleagues
transaction. At seven o'clock both parties had
mustered several hundred supporters and fierce
fight took place for the possession of the plat
form. AS all the persons engaged were elmer
alders' and considerable whisky had oeen i'm
bived, the result can be better imagined than
described. Revolters, brickbats, shillaaghs,
knives and rocks, were used with admirable eff
feet. The presidents friends, who had the
stage, repulsed two desperate Gettysburg
charges, eyes gouged, teeth knocked out,
revovers drawn and posse of police had to be
hastily summoned to prevent Erincide An
election for national President could not give
rise to more bitter feeling than this simple ques-
ton of a railroad subsidy has done. The small
politicians scent dollars on the breeze and are
working Z" pro" and icon" with great assiduity,
/ L..