, 1889-09-05
The Distinguished Son OF a Dis
tinguished Father in
America.
He Writes Interestingly Of What
He Has Seen While
Here.
Baptists Well to the Front--Re-
llgious Affairs in Eng
land.
from tho chicago Inter ocean,

United States. At the outset would
like to observe that have always been
pleased with America. My reception
here has been most generous and hearty.
On my side of the water we are familiar
with the meaning Of the phrase, AN
English welcome;" hencoforth
shall believe that the people of
the states are entitled to lay stress
on the heartincss OF the American vel
come | have Travelled considerably
during my brief stay in the Eastern
states, In tho near West and the far
West (for to q foreigner there seems TO
be two localities at this poipt of the
compass), and in the various families
where have stopped have been treated
with such kindness and have been re-
ceived with so warm welcome that for
the time being lost the faculty of be-
ing homc-sick.
HAVE BEES PARTICULARLY CHARMED
with the beautiful scenery that | have
seen. OF course have been to Niagara
Falls, and of course I'cannot add any
thing to what has been said in the way
of enthusiastic praise OF that great
natural wonder Niagara is sui generis;
IL Is proper that the Americans should
be proud of this great feature of their
country's natural beauty. But | have
received equal pleasures from my visit to
the Yosemite Valley and the Yellow
stane National Park. | think they de-
serve prominent place in the long
catalogue of hne scenery of which your
country can boast.
| have found the Baptist church here
in n very successful condition. Tie
people are full ofenthusiusni and, among
the various Protestant denominations,
the Baptistg are without doubt the most
aggressive and enterprising in church
work. The churches of the United
States are certainly much better APP
pointed than they are in England. Our
ediiices cannot be compared in archltec-
turitl beauty toyourS.
THE INTERIOR OF THE AMERICAN CHURCH
is IN striking contrast to the London
Baptist churches. You make your
buildings more comfortable, moro home
like, In many cases more luxurlous but
| have seen no ground for criticism on
that ground in what ! have seen since l
have been here. Your decorations
are more lavish than ours; the
cushioned pcws and the carpeted
aislos give q furnished aud homc-like
appearance which is distinctly different
from our churches. The best floor COW
cring We could have would probably be
linoleum or cocoanit nultting, never
any bright colored carpets. our church
goers, il they want carpet. are allowed
in in Their their pew pew. fhc electric bells which
communicate from the pulpit to thessex-
ton, telling him how to regulate the
heat, the ventilation, etc., strike for
eign clergyman with surprise. This
tho preacher; it is characteristically
American.
Your Sunday schools arc much finer
than ours. / do not think they are
any larger. but your Sunday school
rooms are bright, cheerful places, with
carpets on the floors pictures on the
walls, and we'll furnished and conven-
lent seats. Some of your Sunday school
services would probably be considered u
little too lively
FOR THE ESGLIsH BAPrtsTs.
I attended one Sunday-schoul ami
vcrsary here where the children came
upon the platform, sung hymns and
gave scripttIral recitations. We do not
have anything of the kind in England
on SUNDAY. We have an ordinary Sun
day-school service, with preaching, the
main feature Of the service being the
singing of the children. On the occasion
referred to the platform was slnothered
in flowers. Such sunday services may
he considered profitable by my Baptist
friends in America, but, without max
ing any criticism in regard to the mat
ter, would say that such service
would be more appropriate for week
duy tbau sunday.
Some time since the methods of the
Charity Organization Society of New
York were the subject OF discussion in
the newspaper press. have been asked
TO express my opinion in regard TO those
methods | can only say that we have
in London n similar society, and it docs
u great deal of good, but | think that its
work is crippled by too much organiza-
tion, too much ''red tape A man ap-
plies for charity, and it takes SO long TO
| investigate the case that by the time the
agent reports iayorably on the matter,
| the man is often past the need of help.
And yet | think the organization pre-
vents IL great deal of indiscrin mate Civ
| ing. 1t looks into some cases and proves
that the applicant is an impostor How
| to strike the average amount of merit. as
exhibited by tie applicants to this so,
ciety is difficult thing to do. This SO
ciety helps some cases, but it makes q
'iiolly fuss" about what it does give, and
| there is too much machinery III 1T
methods of aliording relief
THERE ~ ONE GREAT ABUSE
we have In England which you do not
have in your country; | allndc to what
we term "cunvassing for yotes.' Nearly
every charitable institution in England
supported by private Enterprise receives
its money from annual subscribers, who
give what they sec tit. Each pound that
they give entities them to one vote OF
tho admission OF u candidate TO the in
stitution. When u person wants TO have
some one admitted to the institution
where he knows u subscriber, he will &c
among the other subscribers and can
vass for votes" in order to secure enough
votes to warrant the admission of tht
candidate. This IL often Il difficult
sometimes an impossible thing to do fo
persons without means or niucnce.
poor person may unsuccessfully apply
Tor admission year after year.
have In mind now the case ola part,
who made six or seven application
year after year, only being able Il
secure 800 votes when 1900 We're neces
sary. Under this system II Is not th
most neccssitous that gets the benefit o
the institution; II IL the one who lia
the most influence and money. yhi
method prevails in nearly nll the phil
: anthropfc institutions In England, OK
cept, am happy to say, IN the Spur
gcou Orphunge, where the applicant
are received solely OH account of thei
deserts.
GREAT AS THIS ABUSE
A.. thcre has been no orpanized effort n