New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-20
IN THE CHURCH PORCH.

6oxicaI but n embodes a great deal of good sense.
The Rev. John c. Collins, OF New-Hayen, has for
years been successfully working this idea in HIS
efforts to civllIze neglected boys. Mr..
Collins began this work, for which no
has special aptitude, in very modest
way but he Is now beginning to attract The attention
of phslanthropists all the country. Bis boys
clubs are certainly doing much to solve the problem
that they set out to solve. And they have resulted
in the reclamation of many who would otherwise
have grown up to be incorrgibe criminals.
Thirteen years ago, when Mr. Collins was student
in Yale College, he was asked TO become the superin-
tendent Of boys club. A hundred more boys
met together in a large room in the weekday even
| ngs and engaged in reading playing games. HIS
| first evening rather discouraging. About 500
| "yellng little mps,' as the disguised policeman
called them, surged into the hall and proceeded to
make pandemonium. Mr. Collins's opening speech,
as reported by him, very suggestive of the diff
| culties he encountered Here It is
club pG oSrh ss o Se DON'T
say SOP Two boys are put out for getting into
foe you this winter Oh, cheese Il. mistcrr Small
boy in tho with very dirty face goes Wild with
hat you must behave Shoot ii. old boy 7 and
cries such as hit him aginp 20, you git ontll
excitement yeiis and whistles several boys nn their
mouths with fresh tobacco one boy put OUT Then
hair evcry-tTerriho wells. Small boy In the corner
cSnon sSoa S spes nj a' Secd coming
! the room isubdued spplausel and YOU must not
s s n YOU the n Sst you Ss0
| 90 cork up, mlsterP Give US q restg) and no boy
Smse r. as bs Should 'ne No% we W Se out
| Great applause; several fights: boy put out;
great rush to the desk for tiekeis)
II never have religious service in connection with
my work. says Mr. Collins, but nevertheless there
is lot of religion in IT. 1t leads TO exact
no
| Of the community, since by going TO the homes OF
the boys find out about their sisters and all those
who may be effectively reached spiritually. II, there
fore Is an open door 20 the Sunday and spiritual
work 1t is night kindergarten for the boys OF tho
street, and may be made in many Of our cities and
| towns Of successfully resisting the almost
overwhelming influence for evil that surrounds many
a boys life on the Streets and Of Hitting him into
lfo both honorable to himself and useful to the staep
The Convention of the Episcopal Church Students
Missionary Association recently held IN this city Is
] a gratifying evidence that many young are i'm
pressed with the importance OF missionary work Tho
addresses Of the young excellent in manner
ard matter, and In tho main were characterized by
a tone of healthy common sense. If they will only
remember IN their ministerial that every settled
pastor ID this country must do the work OF mis-
sicnary, mater how wealthy and cultivated
bis pewholdeis may be- their viii be crowned
| with success
"oh, DR.. Alright. that was such a beautiful ser
mon you gave us this morning. Won't you lend II 70
! me so that can read II overt" What clergyman Of
any experience has not heard such oommenda
ton as this from moro admiring ladies' In bis
congregation? OF course pleasant for him to hear
| such praise But fear that in some Instances II
hurts rather than helps the object Of s. For while
II may be true in general way, that the clergymans
sermon beautiful, It IS not ali the truth Its
merits and beauties may have been such to appeal
4g4e1 rrhN Ia nm
| the other hand, It may have been open 10 serious
criticism in many respects Indeed, II may have
utterly failed 20 impress every in the church but
the two or three kind hearted ladies who generously
praised II. But as those who not impressed are
| silent, the poor clergyman jumps to tho conclusion
that they arc Just pleased the ladies, and he
| goes confirmed than ever in his errors.
Said prominent layman 10 me the other day Tho
truest kindness 10 young clergyman would be for
the prominent men IN fhe church W kindly tell him
his faults Of manner and matter in private If he
Is the right kind Of no VIII take 81 as IL is meant
and Will profit by tbs hints given him. Once we had
bright young In cur church, whose sermons lost
much OF their effect from his jerky, spasmodlc de-
| livery. 1t a mannerism which he had fallen
| into unconsclously. But took him aside ono day
and as decaely as / could told him about It, and in
less than three months he entirely cured Of tho
fault lie is one Of tho most admired pulpit
orators IN our denomination, and think did about as
much 70 MAKE MIN what no Is "a MS
But the matter Of delivery that Is not saying much
for seminaries, rule, pay very little attention to
| delivery
| The same gentleman had something interesting to
say about the ways Of ministerial candidates for a
parish :" Once when church vacant" no
| said, received Letter from clergyman OF whom
had never heard. The letter 10 the effect that
he wished to recommend for the place certain clergy
man, whom he named as being the very man We
/ hoWc he should
call the I'm question, he felt confident that he,
the writer would I'll the bin admirably, fact which
he would not have mentioned II he had not been
writing anyhow. found out afterward that he had
been asked to write the letter by the whom he
recommended and he evidently thought that II would
do no harm to put in word for himself at the same
time Well, TO go On with my story The Rev.
Mir. Brown, the clergyman whom he recommended was
evidently pretty confident OF success, for he came the
next day 10 town, asked 10 be shown through tho
parsonage and church. and made minute inquiries as 70
the price of provisions. We didn't call him. however,
although he was a good man and, think would have
succeeded because the eageress he showed 20 get IL
prejudlced against him Instead We called an Cd
scure man in little village who had never even heard
OF US, and he is Of the bestknown clereyineh
| IN New-England. Just tell the young ministers that
they make great mistake when they phil wires for a
desirable church The best way to got such church,
although 1t Is poor ambition for clergymen TO enter
/ tain. IS to do good work in small church. Al a
man does that we VIII all soon hear of him.
heard the other day Of young clergyman VINO Is
very proud Of his oratoiicai and rhetorical powers
Learning that certain clergyman wanted an ASSIST
pastor, be boldly called IN person to ask ior the
position. He descanted at some length on hS so'd
points, but dwelt especially his cloquence ana nhe
delivery. And as cncber be got up before the
astonshed clergyman and acclaimed Casabanea' IN
true sophomorcal style. after which inc delivered 90
original effort, which he announced as Thrcnody on
| the Death OF Pet CalfS The clergyman, In telng
me the story said that be did not know whether 10
wonder most at the young mans sublime belief IN him
self, at his utter unftness for tho duties OF 'ne
sacred ministry.
Some Htde time ago the Row. r. Heber Newton
wrote article on criminals The Editor Of Tbs sum