New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-11-29
WOES OF woRKINGwOMEN.
nR VINCENT oN THE DUTY OF THE CHURCH
WHAT CHRISTIAN PEOPLE SHOULD Do-cAUsEs OF
rur rYIIa eHOurn he REACHED

scribed by Mira Helen Campbell in her series Of article
now being published on Sundays in THE TRIBUNE s o,
citing increasing interest Clergymen who have bee
tsked with aboat stories Of prisoners Of Poverty
say that they have thought much as to methods Z
alleviate the misery Of the slaves OF tn
machine. The Rev. DR. Marvin r. Vincent,
the Presbyterian Church Of the Covenant allude
to the subject yesterday In his morning sermon
basing his remarks Mark xvi. Is: "And lie said unit
them 80 We into all the world and preach the Gospel
the whole creation" DIR. Vincent discussed missions
the central idea Of the church He argued that this trul
not generally recognized The idea which s cen
trail has been pushed of to the circumference
made to revolve about something else
when all else should revolve about It, He declared
that the church must not exist merely to furnish
Portable place where Christian people may hear sermons
on Sundays and where pitiable fraction Of them may
refresh their souls with social prayer that she must
stand TO the great work of the worlds redemption simply
In the relation of channel through which each year
much shall he central machine framed to
evanseiIe the whole creation Her business must be te
train missionaries, not only in the shape
OF preachers who shall 90 to India or Siam
the great West but in the shape Of Christian parents
Sunday teachers visitors among the sick and poor,
good citizens. churchs work should begin In Its own
streets among its citizens 1t should not only
deayor to make converts II should bring the Gospel TO
parents as the OF their chdrens training 1t should
teach business the application Of the Gospel to bust
ness should teach neigbors how to live together in
charity. That, said Dr. Vincent, " Is missionary WORK
Continuing he said:
Our problem here in ewYork Is complicated. We
close and have difficulties TO encounter
which do not exist at least not serious In the
but our Ss WHICH a. bey
mand They ought TO canvass those districts and find out
For the carrying Of this missionary idea recognize
the value of every legitimate agency Red tape must be
banh he'd from real missionary work. but Tor all that the
work cannot done without organization. Let the
ganzaton be elastic and flexible, but some organization
Importance TO the church views and practice
regards the whole subject of missions In the country
below the average working level of the church In this
city, for Instance have to face other facts than poverty
lies the ultimate remedy for social evils the ultimate
OF the S c OF and e cara Ge Of rho
evil which that word contempates and to study these in
the light OF the evils themselves IL is all right neces
sary, Imperative that carry and preach to the poor
the great lessons repentance toward God and faith In the
Lord Jesus Christ and Gospel comfort in distress and Cos
pei hopes Of Heaven IL Is right and necessary that we
relieve the of the poor by judicous ministraons
and liberal gifts.
But we must go deeper than these results. We must
face the Ii will not do for Christian ministry to
suffering hearts while Christian influence does
Itself to shape popular sentiment into agency which
shall reach the numerous mammon- worshippng
villains who are coming their fortunes out Of
n0 wsh every snus in the ' Gnited states
would read that series of articles which has recently
pcared in of NewYork daies the extortions
God bless the woman who wrote them. The church has
practical atheism be confronted conviction that
and love- to the poor and oppressed fulfilling its
promises Affecting that the church does not care whether
Is largely mistake that the church does and
strong 1t Il was voiced by thot woman who SAID I'm
sxtytwo years old run the machine fourteen hours
day. I've never asked man alive for penny beyond
what my own hands earn, and don't want 1t. l
supposed the Lord knows what il all means It's His
world and His children In II, and I've kept myself
His world that somehow it all right in the
There's nothing left but men that live to grind the face Of
the poor that chuckle when they find new way of max
ing cent two week out of starving women and
children"
Dr. Vincent finished with appeal for missionary work
abroad and at home, and asked us the motto of the
Presbyterian Church be- The past secure, let the
past suice'i Remember that in the Christian economy
past which suffice. No past is which
does not form the basis for an advance"
In conversation on Saturday evening Dr. Vincent talked
with enthusiasm the work done by Mrs Campbell, and
urged that her stories Prisoners of Poverty" be
closely by everyone Here is the substance of what
he said:
described by Mrs Campbell Is not overdrawn The church
In her with poverty and suffering takes cognizance
principally of results She does not know fairly crap
dealing with the results the church is active sympathetic
and generous. great deal of unfair criticism is avshed
exclusive and uninteresed great abuses like this But
the Christian heart of NewYOrk Is large and
and her hand wide and constantly Open know OF
evil misery that has been fairly brought before the
church this city that she has not responded generously
But alternating the results Of mems avarice and cruelty
does not reach the Here the serious practical
problem of the church. The class Of to whom the
suerngs Of workingwoinen are largely due Is Just the
uences which the church dispenses. They not only
nsensibe to the appeal OF gospel OF charity and help
fens 50 O far ' as they are Su' made by the Church
c ministers and agents of the reach them
I'm their Offices Such attempts would be met with insults
and abuse And yet these are the people that must be
the evil here at the roots is the only way TO deal with
effectively We on 10 the end of time giving food
and clothing and shelter to these victims and preaching
- them patience and RESIGNATION under their suilerngs
but that will only be putting plaster on the sore and not
church cannot do however by direct dealing with the
persons who are so largely responsible for this state Of
things largely contribute having done by the
ventilation and discussion OF the subject through the pull
pit and in church assemblies ana 10y helping 10 shape
which shall throw around these unfortunates some pro
lection; l do not mean such -, legislation
such as shall strike hard % ana straight "a, at
nshes a parallel in this respect The church can deal
with il only up to certain point The cures differ In
that good many OF the subjects OF this evil come within
direct range of the moral and Christian influences OF the
church but after AL there Is point where the only re-
combine and organize 10 secure restrictive legisla
bon
Christian sentiment might also be advantageousy
moulded upon other lines tributary to the main questions
or instance to divert people from the oDersoeked labor
mailer centres There is constantly pouring into the
>itcs mass OF iapOr,
which throws itself into hopeless competition with the
>eter training and pracsed skill which find profitable
sed there. This is true Of women well as OF men.
Young women with good natural voices and some
musical training from second thirdrae hands girls
With some natural faculty for drawing painting
Drolery press into New York. full Of enthusiasm and self
reliance and imagine that their little achievements,
which have elected the admiration Of the country
n home circles will command attention and market In
De metropolis. am often consulted by SUCH My ad-
ice majority OF is you value your
eah your peace mind your well being, keep out Of
few York You will not only be disappointed If you
ere in he |
rushed.
The churches in their organized work the poorer
lasses much to and develop thrift and
raetca ability deal with hard times the want OF
heh adds greatly to the inflicted by the avarice
nd cruelty OF unprinciplcd employers They can,
pine OF doing, instruct the children of their mis-
schools only in Scripture and In the catechism
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