New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-11-25
IN THE CHURCH PORCH.
RELIGIOUS CHANCES ANDGLIMPSEs.

RELIGIOUS CHANCES AND GLIMPSES.
like to hear breezy Western clergyman talh
about his work. There Is a downright earnestness
and bonhomie about him that Is contagious. He has
got rid of the flls" and convent0naltes that In tho
East bind most Of US hand and foot And he LOOKS
at things IN large way which is In pleasing contrast
to the parochal point Of view, so prevalent In our
moro settled social life. Here is DR.. Brewer, the
Episcopal bishop of Montana, for instance, who thus
speaks OF his field: 1T takes me about nine months
to get around my charge, continually travelling the
whole time / have no Cathedral and don't want
one. The church, schoolhouse or log cabin where
I happen to ofciate IS a good enough cathedral for
me. A clergyman In Montana should have something
of the cowboy in him. Hc must be prepared to XIII
HIS meat light his fire, chop bis wood, and defend
himself II necessary. I was shot at once myself,
but II was By a drunken and knew he couldn't
hit me. Sometimes, too, circumstances are so ad-
verse and tho elements so unpropitious that 1t Is
somewhat trying. bishop covered with fine akaii
dust and soaked through with incessant rain does
not look very ecclesiastic But l have always felt
well and strong and get more robust every day One
must rough It in Gods service, sleep where one can
the floor, in barns the counters of stores
or under heaven; STILL If men will do all this for
money, why It cannot be hard to do so for God"
very different type Of religious life is represented
by Bishop Doane of Albany, whose splendid Cathedral
was dedicated this last week And yet Bishop Doane
IS Just we'll fitted for the work he has to do as Is
the "bustllng' frontier bishop Representing as he
does the nigh sacramental type of Anglicansm, he
has stimulated to remarkable degree the religious
life OF his diocese and has gained the respect and
goodwill Of all sects. 1t Is his aim 10 make the
Cathedral the centre and inspiration of the church
life Of his diocese and so great is hts ability and per-
sonal magnetism that he has already largely realized
this aim. 1t Is very much TO The credit OF the
Episcopal Church that It has room enough for the
practical Western bishop who wants no cathedral
and the equally practical Eastern prelate who finds
in the stately functions OF a cathedral tho highest
incentives to spiritual growth and vitality.
That ecclesiastical bear garden" some ono has
humorously called the Episcopal Church Congress,
has had successful meeting this last week in Buffalo
The Congress is voluntary and unofficial gathering
Of speakers and essaysts clerical and lay taken from
every school Of thought In the Church 1t therefore
represents peculiar sense tho living thought OF
American Episcopalianism. And while a great many
foolish as well wise things are said, the
general result is good. 1t tends to Lift the
clergy out Of the sermonic and parochal ruts
into which they apt to fall, and
calls their attention to the great problems. re-
lglous and social In which all Christian denomnar
tions are equally interested.
Such gatherings becoming popular with other
denominations, and for the The thought
Of every Church is becoming larger than the dcnomi-
national limits There certain questions and de-
parments of religious work that are too great for
any one denomination to tackle, and which indeed
concern American Christianity whole, rather than
any one sect. 1t is hopeful sign that these ques-
lions are receiving the attention of the churches in
special congresses conferences. The next step
will be great interdenominatonal congress like the
famous Washington Conference held few months
ago For the churches merely to talk the mat
tiers that concern their common welfare Is great
thing. 1t results In an inevitable assimilation Of
view in non-essental things that vastly increases the
working power of Christianity. 1t brings TO the fore
men of catholic minds and broad human sympathies,
and sends the the good brethren whose lives
are spent in working for their sect, rather than
religion.
Choirmasters might well devote more attention
than they do the subject of correct enuncation
the part OF their choirs. A few Sundays ago went
to a church in this city which has an excellent choir
of men and boys; and yet many words were mispro-
nounced while others elided and slurred that
they could not be recognized. For instance, the
Gloria Patra, It was sung, came to my ears with
this phonetic rendering: Glor' beat tn Fathoh,
rant to tn Son, ant to tn Holy Chose. AS twas in
tn beeg inning, IL SNOW, an evuh shall be, wor with
out end. Aumen" In the matter of pronunciation
and enunclaton, think that both clergy and choirs
might well learn something from the best actors and
9ctrcsses who rarely sin in these respcctsnot always
because they know better. but because they are so
carefully drilled In rehearsals.
A lady who is prominent member OF one Of the
prominent churches Of Boston writes me about some
Of the humorous features incident to the supply" sys-
tenn. "For the last two months,' she says We have
Lad a different clergyman to supply pulpit every
Sunday, and within that time VIC have had Naaman
the syrian served up to us four times the last two
times being consecutive Sundays 'Phancy our
feclinks when the fourth man opened his manuscript
and rehearsed for the venerable and oft-tod tale,
telling us, his predecessors had DONE all about the
muddy Jordan the crystal rivers of syria the pride
of NaamaD, and the sweet little maid of Israel Now,
wouldn't It be a good idea for clergyman, when
about to preach In strange church, TO take with
ng Two sermons, ahu oy INJURY sScet,an me ioig
he prefers served up very often lately assure you.
our rsibles were sorey tried when Naaman was trot
ted out for the fourth time.'
As 1 suggested few weeks ago, Father Grafton
has been elected Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese OF
Fonddu-Lac, Wis. friend writes to that the
choice IS peculiarly a happy onc as Dr. Grafton Is
very much Interested in the Old Catholic movement,
aud there largo number Of Belgian Old Catholics
in the Fond-du-Lac Diocese, who viii naturally drift
Tic mission I'm Wisconsin Is Pere Nilatte, man of re-
markable ability and zeal.
There IS seamy side to every thng, even the most
laudablc church work which the good women in our
city churches so zealously doing young lady
of this city tells that she not long ago Joined
organization Of ladies whose object was the sending
out of clothing and books to Western missionaries.
especially those engaged In missionary work among the
Indians. But she says, she soon Obliged TO
withdraw because the ladies' tongues were even more
busy than their fingers. From the beginning to the
end Of the meetings 1t steady stream Of petty
scandal and gossip, from which one escaped She
has now Joined similar organization. the lady man
ager of which Is trying to put stop this sort of
thing by having professional reader cntertaln the
ladies' while they work, and thus shut off any chance
to talk But have my doubts whether the plan viii
work. The ladies' however are not the only sinners
In nl "a Il