The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1879-10-18
Our BrOadbrinl Letters.
Deeenerated Churches Pedestrian Pho.
bia-Attempted Murder and Sui
cide-Poitics, Produce and
... Gold.

bia-Attempted Murder ana 6ul-
cide-Politics, Produce and
... Gold.
NEW York, Oct. IL, 1879.
EDITOR CHIEF
A stranger taking a stroll through
New York, would at once put it down
as very ungodIy city, and if lie did,
l am not quite sure that he would be
very far out of the way. On Grand
street, and Prince street, aud Ninth
street aud Broadway, stand churches,
the names Of which are historical.
Here, as late as ten years ago the dis
ciples of Christ dispensed the bread
of life alike to the lambs and the
sheep. Grand old apostles were these
same priests; and ! have one now in
my minds eye, who preached the
Word of God from az old pulpit for
more than fifty years. He came
among his people, young man of
thirty, aud they laid him away to
rest at the age Of eighty -four. 1t is
only ten years ago, since, under that
sacred roof, hundreds Of old knicker.
bockers gathered around the coffin of
that aged minister Of Christ; and to-
day, negro minstrels kick up their
heels above the spot where once his
holy altar stood, and brazen women,
scantily clad, display their faded
charms, almost minus the tig-leaf
which distinguished our mother Eve
few days after the fall.
No less than twenty prominent
churches in this city are occupied as
theatres, auction rooms Or stables,
while many have i'een swept out Of
sight entirely by the Unsuitable de.
mands of trade.
On the corner of William and Full
ton streets stood old st. Georges
Church, which, in revolutionary times,
was one Of the great centres Of ortho-
dox faith, az understood by the Epis-
copal Church. At it's altar both re0el
aud royalist knelt to receive the Holy
Sacrameuts. just previous to the
evacuation Of the city, Sir Henry
Clinton, surrounded by his staff, re-
ceived the blessing of the attendant
minister and partook of the bread
and wine; and few weeks after,
Washington and his staff knelt in the
same place and after partaking the
Sacred Elements, heard prayers offe'-
I'd up for the safety and protection Of
His Moot Gracious Majesty, our be-
loved Sovereign, by the Grace Of God,
King George the Third. AS late as
1910, St. Georges Chapel had still an
aristocratic congregation, and divided
with Trinity, the patronage "f the
better sort of people, vii" clung to
| the old church aud the old time faith.
When the glory of St. Georges was
fading, al Evangelist appeared, who
struck the key note "f IL new revela-
ton, aud the Fulton street noon day
prayer meeting was iuaugurated. 1t
is difficult, sometimes, to trace the
cause Of the inspiration, but Oh these
meetings descended Ptntacostal
shower. such AZ the old church had
never known, even in the zenith of
it's glory. Merchants left their offices
aud ledgers, and bankers their dis
counts and exchanges, aud, in COM
pany with prize fighters and harlots,
knelt at it's altar aud asked forgive
uess tor their sins. That was IL quar-
ter OF century ago, and for years
after, the walls Of old St. Georges re
sounded with the jnbiIant hymns "t
ransomed sinners, VIII" had been
snatched as brands from the burning.
! Then tue devil began to get foot
/ hold, and the cupidity Of trustees de-
voted the old church to destruction.
First, the old grave yard was invaded
and tile bones of old christians which
had lain there a hundred years, were
dug up from their hon0red resting
place and rudely carried away. Over
their graves huge buildings we've
erected, which at once became Il great
source of revenue foot after foot was
taken from its grounds, and finally
the old church itself IVES pulled down.
But, i,,asmucl, as the ground on which
the church stood was granted hy the
original donor exclusively for church
purposes, ia order to keep it from re-
verting to the heirs, the willy Presby
ters devoted i little room in the Gen.
tire Of the building to be used for gos-
pel pnrposes, aud by this adroit trick
have cheated the dead mans descend.
ants of their rights. s-.
The Fulton street gospel prayer
meeting which started twenty five
years ago goes nomiually ou to-day
but it is only the ghost Of it's former
self, or like Sampson. it is sllorD of it,
locks. The few pious old gentlemen
who have charge of the church fund.-