New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-12
PULPIT AND PEW.
WORK DONE IN THE CHURCHES-RELiG-
IoUS OPINION HERE AND THERE.


Sscrk done by St Georges Church, IN this CITY, Is sum-
nariEed from an article by George Ta''man IN Inc
Christian Union" The Rev. Dr. wilson, one OF Dr.
Rainsrords assistants, holds mission services every
Sunday on Avenue-A near Fifteenth-st. recent ser
xiee ia TINS described short sermon upon Fishing
and Catching Nothing" which was very direct in
calling the attention OF the congregation to the
lives which many of them were leading, was
followed by a speaking meeting Some of the
workingrnen spoke. The audience respectful
and serious when the speakers avoided can't, but it
was dangerous for any one TO give talk which was
simply MOSAIC OF hackncyed Scrptural phrases
One boy evidently Polish Jew. was loudly laughed
at when he told the audience that they had
been fishing tor bread aud caught stone.
scoaing produced q profound impression. When
the speaking over Dr. Wilson SAID that he wanted
TO know how many Of the yonng men present oeeeed
IN the word wbch they had beard and wished to lead
a new life About fifteen raised their hands, and wheh
the meeting had been dismissed these and these alone
remained Tor a short prayer meeting
Dr. Ransiord and his assistants do not try to keep
the poor al distance In this is probably to be found
the reason Tor the enormous success of this work.
They do not run their mission schools as kind OF
arms-l length charity" DIR. Kaiusiord believes that
parish whose Christianity leads it to love the poor
but to love them a distance, has no Christianity AT
all When he became rector of st. Georges, less than
four wears ago there were only about fifty commuui-
capts Now the church has almost a Thousand
members aud smong them are great many wolkng
men and women. The church, large and beautnm
one is on Stuy-esant Square, and has boarding mouse
population TO the west OF it and a tenement u0uss
population not far 20 the east. When DIR. Rainsford
feok hold of the church mis- first demand was that The
sesfs should be- made tree. He thought cburch iof
the people, Christian church. could not auS
kind of property qualifications property dstlnc-
tions To an eminent minister who expostulated "''n
linn on this subject be said, viii we nave rented
Then we are nearer the ideal than you are" But of
course it was no formal change like this when
made a church OF the select few church lor the
DR. Rainsford believes in the Christianity of Christ
including that democratic spirit which State churches
and rich churches are apt to ignore. Together with
this democratic spirit Mr. Rainsford is liberal and
frank in regard to his creed. He believes in pro-
pressiye Christianity, which shall both inspire and
embody the best thought and the nobles work OF he
age Beon gng historical church. be oeiieNes that
U ongnt TO carry dead weights whether OF creeu OF
ritual At the time both be and his assistants
have living, working faith in whatever Is Oh TeG ;a
value in bringing about moral regeneration lhls
spirit has gradually pervaded the mass OF the CON
gregaon. People OF the arstocratlc circles ma 'hs
they can JON in church work with people OF tne
yoSpe CLASSES without encOuntcring either rudeness
or presumption. Young brokers will stand on the
street corners distributing of meetings
Others help in the work o. the Boys ClnD Inc ades
have organized guild of working girls, which no"
has about hundred members, and carries on Tue
work OF industrial education among them. brother
hood has been formed also band OF ladies' VINO WISH
among the sick and needy. The society employs TWO
trained nurses aud two lady visitors These together
with the rector and his assistants pald ABOUT oteeh
thousand visits during last year.
In his Budget OF Letters from JAPAN" Mr. Arthur
c. Maclay gives interesting pictures OF CHRISTIAN
Mission work in that country. In Toxic almost every
Protestant sect is represented. In 1okohoma the
Christian Church is quite strong Mr. Maclay thus
describes the work of the missionary: When he
reaches a village, he puts up at hotel lie then
informs the landlord that he wishes 10 preach III MS
lower ROOM Permission is generally easily ootaiheu.
The shoees then removed, thus throwing all tne
rooms into one The talking tten begins in CON
yersatioual way, the crowd begins TO gather ut
the streets and yard are packed with listeners. Inc
exhorter then steps out on the veranda ana preace
10 respectful gathering Tor couple ei hours al d
time. The people are champion listeners Ihey mea
an ordinary man out. They are insatate lhey come
three or four mes dav urging continuance OF tne
speech | know missionary who cegah al lout
o'clock in the afternoon, and when he was exhausted
s native helpers carried the exhortaion until bine
O'Clock at night OF course serlnonlzl3g Us not iesorc
to. Simply the barest recital OF the me- the WORK, hnu
the agony of our Redeemer seems to cnain the"
attcntior The people then dsperse Very few OF Them
perhaps. will be baptized. But curiosity nas oeen
aryak.ncd 10 know about this extraordinary region'
hooks are bought; and when the missionary makes
his next visit he will find number OF earnest st
;nourers after tn. truth. The good that Will result
from This kind OF circuit work is ncaiculapie
But the lot OF the missionary in Japan Is not an
srvable one In the first place while the native Is nm
uncomfortable listener yet he is possessed oil sucn an
amount of good-natured indifference on rehgiouS
subees that it is very difficult TO get MN thoroughly
in earnest. The people are usually HcAio anu
oapricious The samurai Laugh at Buddhism ana n ns
crass sunerstitons. They readily admit that bioie
,5,oralty il perfect, and far superior 10 ther own
feachipcs But they do not IKE to PUT u INTO l
because it interieres with sensual pleasures rnoy,
iiSe many OF our people, do not OBJECT
inc Christianity FROM purely theoretical stanaPon
hui they cannot endure practical hlustraon
They handle religious topics win an easy -eoihs OH
aho3 suri, quite inconsistent with the ldeas Oh
thorouph- going Westerners. Intense anu sin'clo
rnosiness on spiritual is certainly not one OF
superstitious yet they possess stronS naeui.-
Tendency toward atheism. Charmed Win tne hoVei9
the religion, aee teo watn ,ne ooralv admitting
the macnless purity OF his precepts. yet ,neF ar
indisposed to adopt what appears 10 ane 20
savare add ri yorous code OF morality. Inc tDcoreuca
ougbt pleases their fancy, but the pracucai mus
lengthens the vsage and ELECTS me fequesu 70 "e
excused. They do not like 70 eomnis netnn oo such
reggnlsT ana S'i'0' '''- % "a
Inasmuch as The different Christian denominations LII
the North are waking up TO the Importance oi
work among the coored people it NIL be interesting W
know what is the Southern white view on TINS SUBJECT
a recent article in The Vicksburg Herald prooaoS
expresses this view with great ciearhess' wac
aonhtless very commendable.' it says, IN the
FSsrona, Church 10 appropriate oooou for mlssloh
ary work among the coored people, oue "A ne . 49,.
10 be expended under the direction oi io Cos Il
~ i;t,is of negro character Bishop Dndey ooes,
viii assurediy be disappointing Ii its IeSui.' "
s,ood people who put up the money. We w III. 800 100
thatt hest negroes wOuIu not NC
For years Christians Of all denominations o,S
have been endeavorng TO coax MIN INTO thc'i seo,
Ia 10. hn does moi and will not occupy them. simpy
Ses he prefers to worship with those OF his own
color IL il the fashion OF the North 70 ta,n tbe
1eal soI ~, NO account appears to be taken OF the
DOUBTLESS the eGPs eepers
equal on the oospe y ,'a he train on
a%"e Of his own making and under conductors ana
Engineers OF his CHOOSING and asy one moral or
s: oin of we ~ the chances for success wli DC
mnip infinitely by assisting him 70 N wefk Aid U' him
p,o1 Svna,pg colored ministry and in maintaining
traning schools tor the children" .r
Sporadic discussions about Christian un'y a'e
Of tha but as lar