New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1877-11-30
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
STRANGERS IN GRACE CHURCH.
AN UNFORTUNATE EXPERIENCE on RECENT sun

To the Edttor Of The Tribune.


To the Edttor Of The Tribune.
SIR: Last Sunday, as was acomparatlve stran-
ger the city, anxious to near DR. Potter preach
went 10 Grace Church to attend the morning service
eutercdtho vestbue about quarter OF eleven Oh Tue
inner door, leading into the body Of the church. saw
notice to the effect that strangers wishing seats shouu
ask the sexton. There were several persons
standing about the vesbue at the time, but as none
OF them stepped forward gave any response TO my
general glance OF inquiry presumed the sexton must be
inside the church. and therefore opened the swinging
doors and entered the main aisle had been standing
there waiting scarcely couple OF seconds when man
came in whom I afterward discovered to be one
OF the sections, and told me in anything but
civil manner not TO stand there IN the aisle
10 90 ont again into the vesbule and wait" or course.
withdrew immediately in accordance with this peremp-
tory order and waited When first entered there were
few in the church. the congregation arrived IN
numbers and among them saw several ladies' ana gen.
tlemen with whom acquainted One or two greeted
me with pleasant n0ds OF recognition but none had the
courtesy TO ask me To their pews offer TO find me
seat though knowing, presume, that was stranger.
In the meantime many entered the vestlDue, VINO IKE
myself without sttngs in the church. had come there
DESTROYS Of attending divine worship tnlnk none o,
these were seated until some time after II ana
they appeared to be treated alike with IN
cyiHy saw two gentlemen VINO had oee en-
the door ana pushing open three or our inches, Loo
q seat near by The head sexton-a large nOriu cQrpu-
lent elderly man-on seeing them, spoke very suriiy N
words % this effect. " On! don't stand there,
in at the door! Come away! stand back"
At hafDast eleven the service began ut eleven in re-
spouse to a cordial invitation OF this same sexton, who
appeared the and raising his fat foretnger, said
&" one Gomez followed him INTO the cnurch, ana
was shown a seat. nad then been waiting three=luar-
by the watcn, and therefore cOEsld-
erably surprised TO great numbers OF seats still
can't pews in all directions made for the accomm0da-
on OF from four 70 SIX people with only TWO or three
Occuuants
Dr. P0ttcg's sermon was such "a / had expected to
hear, ana was worthy NJ his reputation 20 good ana
able man. During his discourse be Ia measure depre-
Gated the uh0spaty OF his clurcn OF whlcl lie seemed
PAINFUL aware. I can readily appreciate how utterly
csiasteful 10 him 10 must be.
The whole OF the 10 The strangers was
ObiectiOnaby rude and OYcthcarGg. driving them out
and let ing best suited their pleasure; as the
ma ter OF the pack. stick in hand whips back or admits
the hounds 20 the meal trough The stranger cannot, of
course expect DE seated to the exclusion or the
regular cOngregati0n but every gentleman does and
o1glt TO xect the utmost civty ard poteness the
part OF the ~ tlc church, even though la
mentally BAT example ia set them by their masters
Neic- York; Nov. -, 1877. STRANGER