The New York herald., 1875-12-20
CITY MISSIONS.

SERMON ON THE NEED OF EVANGELICAL WORK
IN LARGE CITIES DY REV. DIR. sToRRs.
The annual sermon on behalf of the New York City
Mission preached yesterday afternoon at the Rev.
Dr. John Halls church. corner Of Fifty fifth street and
Fifth avenue by Rev. Dr. Storrs of Brooklyn. The
text selected from the eighth chapter and eighth
verse of the Acts of the Apostes-'And there was
great JOY in that city,
This said the preacher was one Of the great ccs OF
samaria and 1t was significant fact that
II also the first city outside OF
Judea in which, after Pentecost, the Gospel
preached. 1t inhabited by mixed race,
totally antagonstic to the Jews and their civilization.
The Samarans would shelter escaped criminals from
jewish city and there was q similar hatred enduring
among the Jews for all that Samaritan. Yet there
Philip, who was not apostle but simply deacon,
preached the word Of salvation. He was man un.
doubedy OF broad faith and large sympathes, and told
out OF the uness OF his heart and with warm Christian
zeal the story OF Christ's suerings and passion He
listened to by the Samarans, or rather the citZons
of that city, with attention because, per-
haps, they likewise expected Messiah who should
bring them glory and greatness. Philip, however,
spoke tho words of salvation and delivered the message
OF glad tidngs and his miraculous works beside aided
him. The message and the miracles attested each
other This significant fact-the preaching Of the Cos
pei to a heterogeneous peope-suggested tho general
theme of the speakers DISCOURSE TO make the GOSPEL
heard and spread IL throughout the cities of Amer
ica. This duty, that devoved on the ministers and
members OF the Christian Church, majestic and
TO the interests Of the people 1t had two aspects
which, though widely distinct, not inharmonious
In our own city OF immense population, with its rapid
tendency toward increase,
THE TASK OF EvAvGELTzSG
tho masses was one of magnitude for several
Some of these DR.. Storrs characterized thus:-Vice
crime intellect weakness wealth, enterprise and pro-
gress tended toward cities which, therefore, exercise
influence the country and the world vital TO its well
fare. Taxing New York for an example, he observed
that like that city in Samara New York is inhabited
by vast mixed population OF different religions, ton
dencies, supersttons and habits. There no less
than forty different natlonaltics in New York. As
many languages spoken on the streets, and
so 600 people Of foreign birth dwell therein It's n1u
the world consequently great The letters that
leave its shores weekly reach every part of the world
and its piers, so 10 speak, overlooked the world. AS
proof of the great influence welded by this cty-over
this continent at eas-Dr. Storrs said that tho sound
Of the Doxology which was sung in Wall street after the
war was heard, reached across the Rocky Noun
tains. In view Of these facts he thought that the
subject OF
prvsv,v 'is sspecEsF-oSfrst sEsF-of Irs impor,..
second its difficulty The one had already been 49,
traed the other might thus be defined The dlcul-
ties attending the evangelization Of New York city
are found in the character Of the people.
to reach. No current OF influence could
be powerful enough to control more than one of the
many circles in this city. Vice is not only 1ourishing,
but trained and fostercd evils stimulate each other and
criminal intelligence expands After Celebrating by
apt and cogent illustrations this portion of his Sermon
Dr. Storrs referred to the lavish expenditure OF money
foreign MISSIONS and the really partial neglect of tho
home mission In forty years, he Observed not more
than SS46,o0O had been spent on the City
Mission, while over $7,oOo,0Oo had been con.
tributed last year by American Christians to-
ward the work of evangelization abroad He did not
wish 70 be understood as speaking augh against such
contributions. But he asked that attention be
given, practically, to the home mission. In conclu
sion Dr. sorrs remarked that the welfare Of the world
depends the moral life of the cities, and that moth
Ing viii bring about the evangeizaton OF country
50 quickly As tho diusing of the same throughout
great cities aud towns.