The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-03-12
CHARACTERIZATION.

PROGRESS OF THE MOVEMENT FOR THE LAST
YEAR UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE CITY
MISSION AND TRACT SOCIETY.
There were special services yesterday afternoon, at
four O'clock at the Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church,
corner o: Filty.hlth street, In commemoration OF
the completion of the ieth year OF the existence of
the City Mission Tract Society, and In the interest
of tho city evang elizaton movement now In active
progress in Water street ana other purlieus
THE WORK OUR CITY MISSIONARIES.
From tho report OF tho society, distributed to the
vast congregation that packed the body and galleries
of tho church. It appears that the organization
ploys thirty missionaries, has i've mission stations,
holds ono hundred meetings weekly IN destitute
quarters OF tho city. and assists IN scs
tanning u large number Of Sabbath schools
ana reading rooms. II has during the last
year erected a new mission station at No.
60 Second street, at cost OF 10000,
ana effected the permanent organization OF two odg-
ing houses and reading rooms one at tho Five Points
and the other In Water street, at both OF which meals
are furnished the unfortunate and deserving. The
foundation OF q Helping Hand Association OIL the east
side similar that the west side; OF temperance
societies in connection with the several mission sta
t,ons with a membership OF 5000; Of large mission
station, coffee roon lodging house and reading room
combined, in the Bowery near Grand street, and OF
monthly union prayer meetings al the CITY Mission
Rooms, must be mentioned as the more important
nave als" gathered in $50 children, while 8, 2l4
prayer meetings, with an aggregate attendance o
iOS PERSONS have been held; 100, 600 tracts have
been distributed; 500 families aided by the disribu
ton nj money, clothing, food, iuel medicines, &C.,
aud 9sl persons induced TO take temperance pledges
OUR OBLIGATIONS TO THE POOR.
Tho services yesterday were conducted by the Rev.
DR. John Hall pastor, assisted by the Rev. Dr. WILL
lam oMs"" "%v sn' who I"vsrcd an eooaens
sermon from the text, 'Unto tho poor the gospel IS
preached" In the initial part OF his plea Tor the lib
crul support OF city missions Dr. OrmistOn re-
cited work of tho association during the last year,
and called attention 10 the practical recognition vi Tue
brotherhood Of man, that gave motive 10 the human
ASPECT OF the Saviours work III this world His dis
cipes wero recruited IRON the ranks OF the poor of
the IowIy and downtrodden classes OF Judea. he
great work OF neratng the III commenced with
the lower strata Of society, ana Of humble fishermen
and others equally humble, not from the ranks Of
the ruling classes the first organization ior the propa-
CATION oil tho Gospel was composed. lie dld not
suppose that there was any material difference be-
tween the inhabitants OF the cities Of Syria ut that day
and at TINS That quarter Of the world had substan-
TALLY remained socially tho same That II was IN those
DAYS He did not suppose either that tho populations
of dssoIuc Corinth, elegant and lettcrcd Athens
corrupt aud tyrannica Rome we're materially diIereht
from The populations of modern cities II was cliimed
by some Ihut tho world had made some progress In
social elevation II 50, 1t was ali the better Tor bis
argument IN favor OF vigorously prosecuting tho
nuscent evangclizug movement that had been set on
foot in this city promising an cxtraordi-
nary success For himself, he delighted To assist tho
cty :u,ssionar .es III their work, thoroughly con-
tag,ous ami sympathetic the spirit IN wnicn they
con nded against and suffering. He believed,
without entering INTO any dognatic discussion oi the
nature Elm that the Tall oil man essentially consisted
IN the withdrawal Of the communion with Cod, that
| followed the hrst disOt edcncc IL was an awful
thing 10 live without God IN the world as bightinS
as II was for plant exist without sunshine. There
could be splt tual growth no real moral prog
rcss without the vltazing and humanzing influence
OF religion. The conception OF human brotherhood
was prc.enincntv OF the leading principles OF our
Savour's influence upon society, and by II the world
had moulded to true views oil social lie and OF
| the relations oi men TO cacn other "All are the
children of one Fathcr,' cried the preacher II was
| the perception OF this truth that dccncd the poor
and owy, the sorrow,ng and downtrcdden from utter
degradation and serfdom this that enancipalcd their
spirits IRON grOvclIing and anxious SURROUNDINGS, ana
maze them Tree men, with consccnces that could 20
outraged The preacher proceeded to dwell eIo.
| qucny upon the duty OF tho wealthy and
tho powerful to ASSIST the work OF cvungchz
ing the poor, the erring and the criminal with
| God there was neither bond nor irao; all wore
the offspring OF one Father; not in The theoretical
which that doctrine was taught ny the pagan
Philosophers but In real, living aud vital acccp'a
| ton OF iathcrkood They who knew what u was u
have home had thereby an obligation TO Iuih 10 th'
| homeless; they who knew the comforts Of hre IL
the crate OF winters night thereby contractcu al
obligation 10 put Goals upon the crate OIL u sunernl
neighbor. But above ALL and beyond all ms pr"ctica
| bcHcvoencc, was the duty Of carrying the Dessc'
comfort and the cOnsoling and Illuminating power U
the Gospel TO the poor anu needy
The New YORK City Mission AID Tract Society ~, !
should be added, the oldest uEsectarian e7angehzih
association In the city, us mission churches having
total enrolled membership oil nearly l5OO.