The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-05-18
Hos ~ Pisss f.. Pycsl,serss.s.

rather remarkable discussion concantng
the proper situatron FOG . church took plaoe
In the New York Preshytery on Monday.
Il seeu,s that Presbyterian church hss
been lately organised In Bast Seventy.
seventh stSeet. and that Il ID nov desirpus d.
purchasing . she fos . house OF worship
The Presbytery Axed on situation b. the
east Of Third avenue AZ the suitable piaD
for the new church. II was probably induced
10 30 decide because OF the lack Of Presby-
trrian parishes on the east side OF tho town,
and because thero was already Freshly
terian church ut the corner u Seventy-third
street and Madlson avsnt,A ,...J
Bat the Rev. Mr.. MOMENT. the pastos u
the nav church. protested against the situa-
ton named by the Prssbytery. He did not
want TO 20 cast Of Third avenue, which, he
said. wns IN undesirable neighborhood, iuled
up with tenements and third-class fat
houses. occupied largely by Jews and Roman
Catholics. Presbyteriaus. we Infer. affect
more fashionable quarters; and. accordingly,
he had picked out site ct the corner OF
Seventy -sixth street and Lexington avenue
a. QUO more agreeable to Presbyterian tasts.
After talking over the matter for two
hours tho Presbytery decided 10 let Mr..
MOMENT have his way, and plant his church
In the moro fashionable situation. We must
conclude. therefore, that thoy thought the
east side OF the city demanded no more Pres
byterianism than the very little 1t gets now.
Yet vast number OF people live to
the east OF Third avenue. That Is the most
populous portion Of tho city, aud population
increases faster there than elsewhere In New
York. The inhabitants have multiplied 50
rapidly that thoy need more schools, and
they must require more churches to accom-
modatc them all.
They are, too, tho very people who arc
most In want OF the Consultations OF religion.
They have missed many OF the good things
OF this life which the fashionable Presby-
terians have In So great abundance, and they
especially require the spiritual aonpensa-
tions which religion offers. g.
Moreover. the fashionable neighborhoods
are now dotted all over with Presbyterian
churches whose spires rise In the Fifth ave-
nue.. Madison avenue, Pork avenue, Fourth
avenue. and University place. They are all
large and costly cdillces, and their total
seating capacity Is SO great that 1t much ex-
ceeds the Sunday demand. Unless the
minister Is very popular. like DR.. JOHN
HALL, for instance, the church Is scarcely
ever full. f-' '' '@
. The particular neishborhood IN which tho
now church is to be built is also especially
we'll provided with Presbyterian houses Of
worship, four Of them being on Madison
avenue. and close by, at tho corner Of Seven
ty-third street and Madison avenue. Is DR..
ALEXANDKR's church. an imposing edilce.
We observe that this parish strenuousiy OBJ
jccted to the establishment Of rival Presby-
terian church In its vicinity, and with good
reason. for 1t probably has now about o.
much as It can do to hold Its own. t z
But Mr.. MOMENT says that Protcstants.
presumably Presbyterians, will not 70 east
Of Third avenue to attend church. They want
to worship Con. we suppose. In fashionable
neiYhborhood. Accordingly, the people up
town on the east side who want to enjoy re-
ligious services near at hand. must get along
without those OF the Presbyterian stamp.
Probably, however. they will not bitterly
suffer because Of tho deprivation. Other
churches will take pains to supply their re-
lislous wants, well knowing that the Attest
field for effort Is where there are most people
to be reached by the Gospel. Already tho
largest parishes In New York are to the east
Of Third avenue, or In its immediate vicinity,
but they are not Presbyterian parishes. ="