New-York tribune., 1875-11-13
fair number Of statesmen in the Assembly
will be enough to keep any family above
THE EPISCOP1L CHURCH CONGRESS.

four days session dt fhllahcipiia' ""'''" "
character from all ordinary religious assemblies,
and precisely because Of that difference II at
tracted more notice and interest from the
outside public. 1t embraced members from
all grades and divisions OF p0wefiui
religious body, but these members repre-
sented no constituencies. They did not
come as high church dignitanes and lay
men. but simply as workingmen III the same
organization, not empowered to give Chen
consultations the permanent form OF resoiu-
tions or to issue any authoritative edlcts, but
for plain, straightforward talk and cOmparl-
son of their different opinions as to the
most feasible and purest methods OF accom-
nlisbing their common work, the preaching
of Christ to the world. Nothing could DC
more sensible and practical than such move
ment on the part of the members OF any de-
nomination. The opponents OF thus church are
ant to hint that its ancient lineage anu
form. and regard for precedent, hamper
and weaken it, but the unpreJudiced
secular observer sees that no o'her
gives more latitude within its bounds to indl-
yidual opinion on minor points, or struggles
more faithfully to meet the exigencleS and
social evils of the time with eifectual renle-
dies. Secular lOOkcrs-On, with neither prelu-
dces nor attachments to perplex their Judg
ment. are apt to judge of the vitality ana
force of religious denomination by It's
attitude toward these everyday immediate
difficulties. What creed it may hold as to the
modes of baptism practiced by the apostles, or
predcstinatiOn, appears to them OF lluch ics'
importance than what it does to-day Tor the
prisoners in the town Jail or the ragged boys
in the back alleys. The attitude OF the EplS-
copal Church toward social difficulties, and the
work IT has done and means to do, may be
very fairly guessed from the tenor OF tile DIS
cussions during the congress.
The problem of Ultramontanism and CIVIL
authority, with its immediate bearings on
American life, was first taken up. Then
the members grappled with the mutual
relations of Christian theology and natural
science. They have conferred on the best
method of preparing candidates for the
ministry, on church music, parochnl systems,
etc.-the machinery by which their moral
force is to be brought to bear on the world
MANY of their difficulties would be overcome
could all the members of this end other
churches bear in mind that these are only
machinery: the lever, not the weight to be
rased and that the machinery must be
altered without scruple when it ceases to ac-
complish the work. In the discussion upon
the ministrations of the Church TO the work
ing classes, the value of much of this
church machinery was called in question.
DR.. Lewis of Washington, in his address,
recognized the fact which so many clergymen
ignore-that there is a large class IN every
city which the Church has as yet not succeeded
in reaching These are not cOnylcts or the
Dangerous cassesn of any kind, nor yet
the very Door, to whom Biblereaders, mis-
sionaries, or street-preachers have access, but
q large number of mechanics, clerks, pro-
fessional men, who yield nominal allegiance
to Christianity, send their wives ana
children to church, sometimes go themselves,
but are as utterly indifferent to the living
Christ and His kingdom as to the affairs OF
the Shah of Persia. What is the reason OF
thisl What is to be done to help 1t There
is no natural prejudice against hearing divine
truths in the minds of these classes. The
Scotch peasant cons his Bible, and reaIs bis
children after the straitest sect OF his rell-
gion; the Catholic, be he poor or rich, goes TO
mass from his christening until lie dies.
We do not mean to say that these people ac-
cept the Christian faith because they go to
church or chapel, but they certainly do put
themselves i'm the way of hearing it. How
many business men of this or any other
city do the same habitually? How many
mechanics laborers, stevedOreS, tramps, can
be counted in church next Sunday! Why are
they not therei Simply because they are not
hAua hon
The Scotchman reishes the logical discowso
the Southern European the gorgeous Catholic
ceremonial But the thoughts and language OF
our sermons are technical, belong to world
of which these people know nothing and which
does not appear half so real OF stirring or
alive as their own, whether that be the club,
or Wall-st, or the pawn-shOp.
Here then is hint where religious machin-
cry is defective. Our Episcopal friends are
ready enough TO acknowledge the defect III
their church and 20 propose remedies. Their
usual service, they admit, is long and tedious to
the stranger the magnilicence OF the
churches and high pew-rcnts bar their doors
against both the poor man and the
large number of men who might be willing
to give of their means to carry the gospel or
feed the poor but who do not lntehd 10 invest
if IN stained glass and garg0yleS. The imme-
diatc practical methods of reaching these out
side classes by means of free churches, working
mems clubs reading-rooms, etc., received
full consideration from the congress, and will
yield. we hope. practical results. Many OF
these plain, busncss-like modes originated in
this church. and in her practice of reaching q
mans spiritual desires by first Helping his tenn
poral needs. 1t is this practice which has
made her so exceptionally successful in deal
ing with the Indian problem. The denomlna-
tinn nnnv hn congratulated nnnn the lnhnrs of