The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1891-01-07
DOWNTOWN CHURCHES.

confronting the christian world to-
day is what to do with the down
town churches of our large and
growing cities. In scores of our
larger cities there are churches that
few years ago were contiguous to
the residences of the families at
tending them, in quiet neighbor-
hoods, away from the din and hustle,
the dust and smoke of the COM
mercial and manufacturing inter
ests of the city. But in the steady
growth of the city more room must
be had for business houses, and so
residences have been torn away and
stores, warehouses, factories, &c,
have extended around these church
es until now for blocks,-in every
direction, there is scarcely a private
residence to be seen, and the whole
air is filled with the din of COM
MERGE. In the suburban portions
of the city, to which the residences
of the families of these -congrega-
tons have been remanded by the
march of business, new churches
have been planted. The incon-
venience and expense of a long ride
on Sundays and Wednesday nights
down into the heart of the city
the trouble about getting the chill
dren to Sunday-school, &C., lead to
gradual withdrawal of member
ship, corresponding shrinkage of
church revenue, and such financial
straits as are very embarrassing to
a once wealthy and liberal congre-
cation. What is to be done? There
is one remedy which at first sight
seems easy of application. Sell
your property at the greatly en-
HANGED value which it has attained
by the growth of the city, move out
and begin in new place, contiguous
to your membership. But two very
serious difficulties here emerge.
In the first place, where will you
move to? Young and ambitious
organizations have planted them
selves, at very great self-sacrifice, in
all available openings. The ground
is covered, preoccupied Are you
to go in and build your stately
temple so as to overshadow the lit
tie church that needs only to be
given the ground and in few years
it will be vigorous and faithful
branch of the body of Christ? But
again, what is to become of all the
people you leave behind in your
former downtown vicinity? There
are few private residences there, it is
true, but there are acres of board
ing houses for young men and young
women, tenement houses, hotels,
&c. There are thousands of un-
saved souls within five minutes
walk of the locality of the old
church. What is to become of
them if all the churches are with
drawn? Here then is the problem
Your church fnancier comes and
looks at it and says, This is poor
investment of the Lords money.
This property is worth 100000.
You can take one-third of the
amount for which you sell it and
buy and build in a more eligible
location, and have 100000 to be
united for service elsewhere in the
great vineyard of the Lord" The
treasurer of your board of deacons
comes and says, "There has been a
steady decrease in the financial
ability of the church for years. We
have reached ow-water-mark. We
cannot any longer meet our current
expenses. To run longer in this
way is to run in debt" The pastor
comes and says, "My discourage
ment comes from another source.
] cannot get hold of these thousands
of souls around me. They come to
church on Sunday, many of them,
but as they pass out they are lost
to me in the great maze of tenement
l. ,,,.,- 4 l,,1 So. ll,.. nj.