The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-10

loafing around the Deer saloons,
smoking ostentatiously. and laughing
loudly. There are flashily dressed
street girls, who do not leave their
giggling and ogling behind when
they come TO the service. There are
tramps and loungers of every descrip-
ton, with rags and odorous breath and
pitiful stories to tell. AS between the
sexes, the proportion has been from
two-thirds to three fourths men. There
is on almost all the faces a sad look Of
need. not SO much of food as Of the
support coming from an ordered life,
of friendliLess, OF hope. of the fixed
surroundings Of home and work, of in
tellectuaI interests, Of freedom from
bondage TO low ideals and distorted
theology.
The form of service used ia Philadel-
phia has been simple. II has consisted
of chapter from the Bible and few
collects from the prayer-book with the
Lords prayer: but together with this
there has been abundant music. A
brass band has led the singing Of the
four or five hymns previously printed
on leaflets and distributed by the ush-
ers. The music is one OF the attractions.
The congregation sings with such an
abandon aud enjoyment that one is up
lifted by the spiritual harmony, if not
by the musical.
The results of these services have been
chiefly visible in the attendance. The
seating capacity of the Bijou Theatre
was eighteen hundred. and the usual
attendance was about two thousand.
The Arch-street Opera House would
seat thirteen hundred, and the attend
ance was ordinarily fifteen hundred.
The smallest congregation seen 1T the
Opera House was about nine hundred.
The largest was about eighteen hun
dred, though this did not represent the
full attendance; for often the doors had
to bs closed before the beginning of
the service, and numbers were turned
away for lack OF even stand
ing room. In addition to this,
however. incidents have been
continually bringing to light other re-
suits. Persons who have drifted away
from religious observlnces have come
asking TO be directed to church rela
tions again. Young men who passed
their Sunday evenings playing cards in
the saloons near by have been known
to forsake their cards aud attend regu-
larly at the theatre. Those called to at
tend the dying in the hospitals and
slums of the city have found, in some
cases, that all the knowledge of religion
the dying person had, had been gained
at the theatre-services,
Something of this it is hoped to &C
complish in Boston. The need is here
as great. There seems no reasonable
doubt that the need can be readily met.
The main items of expense would be
the rent of a theatre and the cost OF
music. No clergyman or usher come ct
ed with the services would receive any
except the JOY of tie
work. The committee believe that the
sum Of 81 200 would be necessary to
their entering upon the
plan; and they think That this, to-
Zether with the small amounts received |
weekly by contribution at the services.
would lie sufficient to support the ex
pertinent for one season. They there
-ore ask those who in their charities
iesire to receive their own with usury.
With the largest return of good for tie
;apital invested, to consider whether
he small sum named can be made to
,xtend Itself more widely aud deeply
han in preaching to the Gentiles, the
goers, of this great city in
place to which they will consent to I
,ome.