Smyrna times., 1883-04-25
Practical Missionary Work.

The Protestant Episcopal Church
suffered for many years from the re-
proach of being sluggish in missionary |
work on this continent. The preju-
dice against it caused by its intimate |
connection with the English Church |
was naturally most formidable in new
portions of the country, which plumed
themselves upon being ultra-American
in feeling. The character of its serVi-
ces, moreover, seemed to be adapted to
the wants and tastes Ofresidents of cit
les and older communities rather than
to the necessities of rural population
and new settlements. One of the mis-
sionary bishops has humerously de-
scribed the Methodist preacher as fol-
lowing close upon the steps OF the
sturdy pioneer and having a chapel on
the ground as soon as village lots were
offered for sale; the Baptist and Pres
byterian ministers as appearing not
long afterward, and the Congregation
al representative after long interval
and finally, after the village had as
sumed the air of town and there were
several churches fully organized, the
belated Episcopal missionary came lum-
bering along out of breath and rubbing
his eyes to see if there were anything
left for him to do in the new settlement.
The time, however, has gone by VIXEN
this religious communion can be raj
lied for inactivity and backwardness in
domestic missions. During the last
twenty years it has retrieved its repu-
tation in this respect and it is now per-
meated with the missionary spirit. 1t
is joining heartily with other religious
bodies in systematic efforts to meet the
requirments of rapid growth in the far
West. Its missionary Jurisdictions
have been divided and subdivided, its
chapelS are now rising in the newest
settlements, and its work is increasing
in practical efficiency as we'll as relig-
Gus fervor every year.
The successful labors and Sagacious
foresight of Bishop Paddock, of Wash
ington Territory, illustrate this new
habit of practical work which this in
fiuential communion has acquired.
Since his arrival two years ago in
missionary field separated by the
breadth of the continent from the par
ish church in Brooklyn where he had
been laboring for more than a quarter
of century, the number of mission
chapels has been nearly doubled and
the interest in the work both in the
Territory itself and in the East has
been largely increased. While keep
ing pace so far as he could with the
present religious needs of the popula-
ton, the Bishop has not been inclined
to shirk the responsibilities of the flu
ture. He has felt that the best way in
which to appeal to the sympathies and
to command the respect of the pioneers
in the Territory was to multiply the
practical agencies of benevolence and
educational work. He had not been
there year before a hospital was
opened at New-Tacoma as memorial
to his sanity wife, and he has spared
no exertions to supply one of the most
pressing needs of a new Countrywide
lack of good schools for girls and boys.
A resident of Philadelphia having of
fered to give $50, 900 for the endowment
of a girls school, with the land, if a
building worth $4,000 should be erect
ed, and another $4,000 for the endow-
ment of boys school on the same
terms, the Bishop has made a deter
mined effort to raise the money in the
East. Hehas already collected $27 600
mainly in New York, Brooklyn, Phila-
delphia and Boston, and is about to re.
turn to the Territory to lay the foun
datiOns for the first school; and he
confidently expects to complete within
year the building fund for the boys
school and thus to secure the seconC
endowment. With hospital, two en-
dowed church schools, and a thirC
school rebuilt largely through hi
efforts, he will furnish the people o
the Territory the most convincing
proofs of the practical character of tn,
Christianity which he represents.-N
Y. Tribune.