The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-25
A "srRASaER" AT ST. AIMS.

To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
You have not taken up grievance in ten years
important to the public rs the presented in
Money Changing in the Temple" Nothing but
good can come OF the discussion or expose rather.
and tho thanks Of the public will be fairly due the
HERALD. Permit me to say. in the first place, that
the money changer is not confined to this city
country few years ago, being i'll London, went
to the procathcdral. and found the charge for adj
mission or for seat shilling. Spending the
severe weather in the city to the nearest
church to this hotel. and told that seat in the
middle aisle was twenty-five cents, in the side
stranger asked me where he could get a seat re-
fcrred him to one OF the ushers. who promptly
quoted their price. The stranger said he
thought the whole thing for the glory
of God, and he Indignantly walked out The
rule of that church is. as subsequently heard the
pastor Very Rev. Father Preston, announce to scat
strangers without charge But the class OF people
that clcrgymcn have to employ ushers have little
or no gumption about things. In the non-Catholic
churches the gentlemen of the congregation move
around and attend 10 strangers. / knew on the in
slant that the gentleman who left st. AIMS Church
was stranger. knew the pastor would never have
allowed him to be treated in that manner. But
there's the Fact The reverend pastor announce that
the o'clock mass was free to all. and at the
other masses charge was made Seven o'clock is
an early hour, and then all the members OF poor
family are not able to go at any given time. The
pastor of ST. AIMS said that ut his church there
charge at any service for admission;
but IL Ia conspicuous thing for persons to stand
the door during service. Many do stand there.
While they stand, rather last sunday while they
SO stood there at least hundred vacant seats
in the body OF tie church. These people stood there
presumably because they did not have the twenty
i've cents the fifteen cent?. Now, liz there any
sense decency catholicty or Christianity in
keeping poor people standing and the seats vacant?
If the churches cannot afford fine seats and fine
cushions then throw the BODY or the gallery of the
church opcn seatcss and carpotess and lie, the poor
people In TO mass mdssc, you may say, just as
they used to attend mass in the chapel ut home.
Rev. Father Preston IL gentleman well as
priest, aud when he cannot get common sense into
the wooden heads who act Us ushcrs II shows that
radical change liz needed In tho Sixteenth street
church the seats ere free at all the but the
high mass.
One of two things ought TO DO done at once
abolish the sin or stop preaching the sin OF non
attendance at the holy sacrifice. abolish the MI
teen cents charge tor the compulsory attendance;
that is. compulsory on conscience 1t does seem 10
me that congregation would without any difficulty
make up the deficit. IL any caused in driving
out the money changer For myself. IL have to pay
tor seat, do under mental protest. When the
plate comes round am glad to have penny to
jingle on IL. If go to church where, rs stranger,
l am shown 10 a seat when the plate comes round
put on 1t as much - can aAord. And tAen act