The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1881-02-09
ESPON NCE.
Letter from Rev. Robert Knox,
d. D., of Belfast, Ireland.
BELFAST, January 10, 1881.

BELFAST, January 19, 1881
Messrs Editors,-I have not forgotten my
promise to send you an occasional letter from
the old country in which have no doubt your
readers are deeply interested, but have been
laid aside since my return from America by
dangerous and tedious illness. Thankful l am
able to be at my desk and in my pulpit once
more. One of my first duties has been to pre-
pare report on City Mission work for 1880.
And it occurs to me that it might interest your
readers to get birds eye view of the condition
of the masses here and how we try to bring
them under the power of the gospel. l send
you the document IN proof. 1t has notyet been
published.
City Missions.
Just now the earnest attention of all
classes is centred on the rural population
of this country, and it will tax the wis
dom of the Imperial Legislature to devise
such measures as may quell the turbu-
lence of the people, and in some measure
alleviate their misery. The problem
before us is not less difficult: How to
meet the spiritual wants of the teeming
population around us in this great and
growing city. The distress that has
fallen on the tillers of the soil tells
powerfully on the growth of our civic
population. Belfast is the refuge of the
laborer, and the small farmer who has
failed to earn living in the old home.
The poverty of Ulster swells our popula-
tion, and so we find our civic authorities
announcing, on the first of, this month,
that the increase of new houses in 1880
IS the largest ever known in our an
nals-l 800 new buildings. Making
allowance for a few being shops and
warehouses, this would represent an
increase to the population of 5000 souls.
The great majority of these belong to
the poor and operative classes, and we
may fairly calculate that two thirds of
them are Protestants of some denomina-
tlon,-say, In round numbers, 5000
souls What are we doing to absorb
these 5000 souls in our Church organiza-
tions, and thus bring them under the
power Of the Gospel? 1t is estimated
that we have already an accumulated
mass of 3O,OO0-some say 50000-out-
side our churches, while an annual in
fux goes to swell this fearful aggregate.
1t this process goes on without adequate
means to counteract it, the prospect Of
the future is appalling. For certain
class new churches, and several of them,
are needed, and will be needed every
year. But we all know there is
section of the people in this town, and
In every town like this, who are not
reached by the ordinary ministry. They
are stepped in poverty, or encrusted by
worldliness, or debanched by vice. For
these the house of God, though erected
In their midst, has no attraction.
There is also large class, very
different from these,-those who have
lately arrived from the country. Bafaed
and borne down by overwhelming diff
culties at home, they have come here
in quest of work for themselves and
their children Weeks or months pass
away before work is obtained. During
this weary, anxious time the house of
God Is little thought Of Their capital
(if they had any has melted away. The
Sunday clothes have probably disappear
ed. Absorbed in the struggle for bread
the old church-going habits are forgotten.
Spiritual apathy sets in. They find
themselves in the midst Of population
few Of whom repair to the house of
God on the first day of the week.
The temptation is strong to sink to
the same level. And yet these are
people who have brought with them
their Bibles, their catechisms, and, it may
be-. certificates of church membership.
Lett to themselves, they are in imminent
danger of settling down permanently
into selt-generated heathenism and even
should the parents cherish, till their
dying day, something of the faith and
hope of early years, what can we expect
from their children, growing up in such
surroupdinoo