New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-28
NEV-YORK CHURCH-GOERS

Critjcis;co sermon by Dr. CROSBY 1he Herdtd
saws: ave have a population of IA million and a
half. There are about 500 churches ~ this cly.
If each of these churches had an audience or
1000 then a third of the people would he
church-goers. The average attendance, how
ever. is not more than 500, so that only one
sixth of the people are at church on given
Sunday. TwO-thirds of the million and halt
are practically -church-gDers When DR..
Crosby looks over his congregation and those
of other clergymen, therefore, with the feeling
that these men rule the city, or could do so if
they would, he labors nnder a delusiOn. q.
They Go not rule the city because they are
hopelessly in a minority" These statements
are made With as much postiveness as il they
we're established aud unquestionable facts. If
New-York now has 1.5U0, 300 population, it
has gained 25 per cent in six and third years,
whereas from 1870 to 1880 it gained only %
per cent in ten years. Whether the statistics
of churches and church. gpers are more accurate
it is hardly necessary to inquire, for the MIS-
leading character of The HeratfS statement,
irrespcctivc of it's statistical inaccuracy, should
be apparent.
Out of a given number of inhabitants. fully
one-half are under twenty lone years OF age.
Mapv Of these attend Sunday schools rather
than churches but they do not rule the city,
whether they attend either or not. The ques-
ton is whether the 500 churches, more or less,
influence majority of the 7OO,OO adults,
more or less, in this city. Indeed. the number
of inhabitants to be considered is somewhat
smaller. The crippled and helpless, the aged
and infrm, the SICK and those whom extreme
poyerty excludes from church services, tho
babitual criminals and the outcasts. are to be
deducted. Large numbers Of persons are en-
gagged in such occupations that their attendance
at church services is impossible Ut peculiarly
difficult, and some churches, especially the
Roman Catholic, make par ocular provision for
this difficulty by having numerous services, at
So oh hours that opportunity is given for per-
sons of almost every occupation to attend at
one service or another, though the church
might not be able to seat nearly all the people
within it's regular influence, if all should attend
at the same sery ice. The proportion of person ms
within the influence of the churches of this city
is therefore much greater than The Uera.d
represents.
1t is not the truth that the church goers of
New-York are helpless and irresponsible be-
cause "a hopeless minority" Responsibility
cannot be eyaded on any snch pretext. The
men who can rnle the city if they please and as
they please, are the church goers. Among
them are found a very large proportion of the
men of influence in every political organization
or movement, tho candidates for almost every
elective Office, most of the leaders IN social,
business, trade or labor organizations, most OF
the employers of large numbers of persons,
most of those who by voice or pen have power
10 shape public opinion. II New-YOrk is no.
what it ought to be, it is because the people
who are chu:ch-gOers do not make it what it
oueht to be-because they do not honestly and
earnestly use the influence they have for the
hest good of the city. That is the unyarnshed
truth. and the church going people of the city
cannot shuttle of les possibility for its shames
and its crimes by pleading that they are hope
less minority.
They Can admit, for honesty requires it, that
their influences 10 frttered away by all sorts of
divisions. while the influence of the rreiglou-
and unbelieving, and of the dangerous and
criminal classes, ia far more concentrated and
intelligently employed with reference to the
ends they seek. The children of this world
still are wiser in their generation than the chill
dr.n of light, and when there ID Il clear issue
between better government and worse govern
ment. between corruption, vice and crime, and
their suppression, the votes OF the vicious and
dangerous classes are cast with remarkable
unanimty on one side, while the influence OF
the church oers IL usually divided between
two or more candidates or parties. That Is the
fault of those who ought TO make the city
better than it Is, and do not. 1t is also true
that the churches are not all what they should
be in order to exert their best influence over
the population oil n vast city like this. Fashion
and display repel many from seats At commu-
Mon Journalism aud empty regard for creedS
without the sou or purpose that can make a
creed life giving repel many. But these things