The Evening critic., 1882-10-23
SYSTEMATIC PARISH WORK
AS Practiccd I'm One of the Churches
of WnsbiurtOu.
TO the Editor Of The Erening Critie!

OF Washington.
TO TIE Editor Of The ECening Critie!
know busy merchant who responds
faithfully TO the exactions OF an extensive
business, and also TO the calls OF various 80.
cieties who want secretaries or treasurcrs, and
TO schools and asylums who want trustees, In
truth TO nearly every call mado upon him ex-
cepting that of his own personal pleas.
ure. Mentally contrasting his multifarious
performance with tho limited "doings" of
number Of othor, people, including myself, !
ss ssld to m him & W do, DO not M see 70 & now & you get
could got through 1t all II did not systema-
tlze it," was his quiet answer. -
:. by contrast was then reminded Of the bril-.
friend ono day told him brusquely: "If you
would buy n few yards Of red tape and tie up
your papers you would bo the greatest man In
But few years ago plan OF thoroughly
systematlzed charity was adopted In ono OF
tho smaller cities OF Great Britain. so full
givcr and receiver, while tending ever to raise
The recipient above dependence, that tho plan
quicklysprcad In beneflcent contagion to tho
nearest city. 1t was not long In covering
Britain; It has leaped the Atlantic, COM
mended Itself to the best cities OF tho North,
and has mt last naturalizcd itself in Washing
ton. am told by an officer OF the Associated
Charities OF the District of Columbia that our
organization is already as complete as that OF
Boston. Everybody knows tho English lan-
guage furnishes no suporlatiyo TO that state
ment.
One who confronts the mass of human suffer-.
Ing and need Is appalled, and disheartenod
unless he sec approaching bands Of relief,
trained TO fall In organized squadrons upon
the special points OF dangor. ono OF our
churches has adopted u plan OF parish work
which succeeds we'll In utilizing all the stray
energies and good impulses among It's mem-
bers. Sometimes these run to waste for want
OF discreet guidance, or for want of q congenial
field OF action. The Church Of tho Incarna-
tion, whose latticcd and pointed windows, and
ivied walls and pinnaclos of dark, gray stone
n Ia n
passer OF the builders purpose, has an effect.
I've and interesting guild, organized n year
ago by % the rector the RSy, e. Dr. ,, townsend. 10y
the parish who are willing TO undertake any
sort of good work. 1t is subdlyided into wards,
each having q directing warden. The mem
work most suits them. Some OF tho more zeal
Gus guildsmen and guildswomen belong to
several wards. st. Johns ward aids the vestry
in anything desired toward the repairing, I'm.
proving or decorating OF the church, tho care
Of the chancel and the altar, otc. Tho Church
OF the Incarnation faithfully celebrates all tho
| holy days OF tho ecclesiastical year, conse-
| quently II has much need for the pleasant sor-
| Vices OF st. Johns ward.
Another ward aiding greatly In the attractive
ness OF the church service Is st. David's. This
| takes charge OF the music. The warden, Mr..
| Parker, has his hands full with his surpliced
boy choir. The little follows have responded
credltably to his efforts, attending punctually
| through all the hot Sundays at morning and
evening prayer, and seldom falling at the
now practising music from tho finest English
| composers, sullivan, Tours, Smart, Dye, and
| others. Great credit is due to Mr.. John L.
| Parker, tho precentor OF tho choir, and to Mr.,
| Camp, tho organist who labor untirlngly 10
| build up the music OF tho church. No gentle.
man In our city is moro conversant with
| English church music and tho choral render.
ing of the services than Mr.. Parker. For many
| years he was connected with the famous Boston
boy choir of tho Church Of tho Advent. The
lovers Of n restored church service congratu.
| late themselves upon his labors here.
| st. Andrews ward takes caro- that strangers
| visiting tho church are Hospitality received
| and comfortably seated. 1t also has the ar
| ranging OF tho program for the simple but
| pleasant social entertainments, In which all
tho guild and outside membors OF the parish
| unite. A very pleasant and important work Is
| that of st. Andrews ward. st. Andrews, as the
name suggests, is also expected to do all II
properly can toward enlarging the parish
fold, inviting new members, &c.
st. Timothy's ward occupies itself chiefly
with tho work of the Sunday-school This
is work which comes peculiarly hard to somt
especially attractive. ST. Luke's ward under
takes to gather, sort and distribute suitable
Sunday schools. The children Of the Cnurci
OF the Incarnation take great interest In saw
ing and collecting little books and "plctur,
deeply interested In the welfare of the colore,
mission Sunday school, which is tho especia
charge OF st. Philips ward.
| This mission school is called st. Peters, n
any OF Its members will proudly inform you
Apparently the little wallis have an idea tina
they are under the particular eye of st. Peter
and who knows II they are mistaken? Th
| girl scholars OF st. Peters meet in an indus
trial school on Saturday afternoons to b,
taught sewing by the ladies OF st. Philip
| ward.
ono moro ward, that OF st. Barnabas, is no
| yet organized 1t was designed for the care o
the sick, but rs yet, most happily, there ha
been no demand for Its work In the parish o
tho Incarnation. The attractions and nd
vantages OF this method OF specializing churcl
work do not need TO be dwelt upon. The war
names were chosen because they appeal TO tn
heart OF youth and age, with golden memorie
OF noble, valiant and lovely workers who hay
already won their immortal crowns.
L