New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-11-25
METHODISM IN NEW.YORKy
DIR. ROCHE DID NOT SAY IT WAS DEcLN1N,

ph- ROCHE DID NOT SAY 1T WAS DECLINING.
TO the Editor Of The tribune.
Sir After taking The Tribune for about thirty
years must for the first time ask space to correct IT,
Should allow report in your issue Of November 90
10 pass without correction. It might justly be con-
strued a an acceptance Of the statement The ar
ucle Is headed Mehodsm Not Yet Declining
am represented saying, in address delivered be
lore the Methodist Preachers Association at Phila
dephia on Monday that many of the Methodist
churches in New-York and Brooklyn were struggling
FOR existence, and that every church in New York
now looked for maintenance to the church societies
Inc Rev. DR.. Thomas Eaton Of the Methodist Book
concern Is introduced saying, The whole story IS
nonsense; adding Or. Roche has not Kept track Of
recent developments. He IS from slxtyfve to seventy
years old, and has not realized the uptown tendency
In both cities. which accounts for the falling off Of
the downtown congregations"
How far age has impaired my faculties or limited
my observation, will leave 10 the Judgment OF Others
who have known me much longer and far better than
Dr. Eaton. How keen a perception, that 1t
once exclaims Nonsense n my reported speech, &C
cept so absurd statement that | should declare
>" that every church in New-York looks for main
tenance TO the church societies. Ii every church
In New-York' looked to the church societies. whence
do those societies derive their means? Are they not
nom strong arms that help the weakl
The truth IS that, having preached in ST. Georges
Methodist Episcopal Church. Philadelphia on last Sab
bath, was requested by the preachers meeting on
Monday morning to speak 10 them The MethOdsm
OF New-iork" l asked 10 be excused, but yielded
to their urgency. l mentioned difficulties IN New
York as greater In magnitude than were encountered
In Philadelphia. At the same time l declared holier
more liberal and self sacrificing Methodiss had never
known than found I'm New York. nor may pastors
or preachers be found anywhere devoted to their
work. No one has ever heard me say, I'm public or
private that Methodlsm is declining. OF IS likely here
after 10 decline, in New-NOrk Brooklyn. | did on
Monday morning speak of a part of NeWNOrk, on The
east side, where MchOdism struggles for existence
ana receives help from the church society. But Why
Becaise she Is tenacious Of the life she has. Though
other denominations have felt compelled TO change
their locations to preserve life and I'LL their missions
Mcthodlsm holds the poor in these places where
the struggle IS hardest.
In my contrast between the past and present
OF some of our churches, gave broader and more
weighiy reasons for the difference than DR.. Eaton
has supposed me To have overlooked. gave NOR,
man The uptown tendency. by what means Or Eaton
ha, been enabled to keep track better than my SET
reason was nine years pastor In Philadelphia
For more than hiry-twO years | have been In New
J Ork and Brooklyn about as many years. ! think.
as DIR. Eaton has had OF weeks. have filled some
Of the strong st and some Of the struggling Chmch2s
pr. Eaton has never been pastor IN either Of
certainly have induced the study Of all III, problems
that the work presents. Within the last twU months
have attended the discussions OF the preachers meet
Ing OF New York. where the strongest speeches Were
made on the difficulties Of the Church. am not
that ! DR.. Eaton there. And therH
more positive utteranccs right In the board
room than / INDUCED III Philadelphia. Amld my
crofs expressed a, the difficulties Of some Of our
churches. ! emphasized the strength Of other. and
among them NAMED Hanson Place, I'm BrookyT.
as having perhaps the largest membership OF any
one Methodit church IN the world. How far thr
intentions Of new Agent give him advantage
over my studies observations and la9or, PeeIrRap'
brooklyn, y. Y, nov. 90, 1880.