Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1890-04-05

Third aven9fand you will find but two self
supporting churches, yet this region once
cafained many of the richest churches in
the city. The whole lower part of
the city is nearly without Protestant
churches. There are many black pages
in church history, but few that record so abb
solute an inversion of the gospel as the
course of the churches in New York during
the last eeventy.five years.
Meanwhile there are magnificent examples
of what the church can do and could do In
endless measure If the means were at com-
mand. DR.. Judson's memorial church on
the west side, DR.. Merrideth's church In
Brooklyn, just entering upon complex and
highly organized system of work, and
chiefly ST. Georges church in Third avenue
and Sixteenth street, the most marked illus
tration of the success of the new methods.
It is not mission, but .
church. Its doors are open all
day long; it's services are frequent;
its pulpit 10 filed by able preachers. It has
school rooms, reading and lecture rooms,
gymnasium, bath rooms and homes for i've
clergymen, who, with the rector, conduct the
church. Hundreds of young men and women
are constantly under its saving and educating
influence. Its vast church 10 filed each Sun
day. The attendants come largely from
boarding and tenement houses. Seven years
6RO tuIb phIlbA auu0b0Io0 AAtoOu A0L1llA0bs
To day 1t spends over seventy thousand dol
lars per year. What is the secret and the
strength of this works The genius Of one
man, who understands his day and genera
| ton. What is Its weaknessa The lack of
an endowment. It is the best church
work done in this country, but it has
no ground of permanenee. Yet this church
once owned property, the income Of which
would have largely met the present outgo;
this property was sold and the money used to
build the present edifce at a time when it
was filed with the richest men in the city.
| The only aleviating feature is the fact that
| the church was not sold and the proceeds
carried up town.
| have made this case conspicuous not to
criticise it but to illustrate my point. 1t is
| a history repeated over and over again in
many of our larger cities. It is process
which is not perversion of the church, but
| an inversion, and comes nearer anti-Christ
than any papal assumptions.
The thing for the church to keep in mind
is that 1t Is an institution established for the
Deneft of the community, and not club for
the convenience of few people rich enough
| to rent the pews. It is also to be kept In
mind that the time has come for reoreani.
cation of methods-not giving up the old but
adding other forms of work, not ceasing to
depend upon the piety and efforts and self
sacrifice of each generation, but adding the
gifts and strength of one generation to the
next, 30 making it not only permanent but
a strong institution. Changes are coming
over the church whether we will OF
we hear or not. The church al
simply preaching and singing and pew
renting institution with some slight adjuncts
| cannot last much longer; the keenness of thu
age ia exposing the fallacy that the church
fourishes in the ratio of popular preachers
Its processes are not only meager but meagel
as they are, all its energies are consumed IL
the effort to live, and IL is largely SO because
it is 80 meager. If 1t should do more thing
it would have fuller and stronger life
But for these enlarged Misunderstanding fo
three or four ministers where there is nov
one-tnere is needed more money than car
be commanded; hence the need of endow
ment.
It may be asked: Of what avail is such
pleas The churches are not endowed, ans
the church of to-day cannot endow tn
church of to morrow. But it is not too lat,
to SOW seed that may grow and bear fruit to
| morrow. It is never too late to correct mis-
| takes and begin anew.
I will not leave the subject without offer
ing practical suggestion. Why should no
every church start an endowment fund b,
taking an annual collection for the purpose
Be assured, 1t will grow beyond your expect
atoms, and faster than the aooumulations O
interest. Once get it clearly before tn
churches, and there is no cause that woult
appeal more deeply and tenderly. It is the ex
act thing that would touch the heart
of good men and women about to go henc
as they divide their property. It falls i,
with the natural and half spiritual desir'
for remembrance and enduring influence.
What more appropriate Offering for Easte
than one framed to make the kingdom of tn
risen Lord an everlasting kingdom to bint
the generations together in a common pur
pose to make his gospel q power unto saliva
| ton.