New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-02-02
HARD on TILE RICH CHURCHES.
DIR DE COSTA USES STRONG WORDS.
THE SERMON HE INTENDED TO PREACH AT ST
STEPHENS WEEK AGO

THE SERMON HE INTENDED TO PREACH AT ST.
STEPHENS WEEK AGO
The Rev. Dr. b. F. De costa yesterday morning
preached the sermon at st. Johns Evangelical Protest
ant Episcopal Church. Waverly Place and West
Eleventh ST. which he had chosen to deliver a week
ago in It. stephens The sermon, however, was not
delivered at that time. Dr. De Costa chose as his
text: BE watchful and rcngthcn the things that
remain Differences Of opinion existed he said as
to the best manner Of strengthening the things that
remain New ork's population had become truly
cosmopolitan. The city was Overrun by population
which was alien and which cared nothing either for
the clty or for religion This period Of transi-
ton The lower part OF the town had changed To All
alarming extent. The lower elements OF society were
gaining the asccndancy. The change had been dis
astrous to religion. Many churches had gone from
tho lower part Of the town on the plea that tey dd
not have sufficient strength.
In 1s5O~ continued Dr. De Costa. " for the popu
ation Of 400 900 which then lived below Fourtecnthst
there wer, thirty six churches. To-day. with popua
ton in the same district Of 100000. there are only
twenty four churches Wise generals did not allow
their outer lines to be weak The hosts OF darkness
now began at the battery. They would soon reach
Spuytcn Duyvll The Church in this city suffered from
congestgon When physician undertook to cure
body that wa suffering from congestion, he ala not
cut OIL one limb I'm N" belief that there would be
blood enough 10 - around the body. Neither should
parish which had become weak BE- cut OF. The blood
Of the Church WAS money. Congestion was cured by
Increasing the general vitality. In order 70 stop tho
congestion IN the church II necessary for the rich
10 ,top hcrug Themselves together I'm single parishes
p..ple If mean, should ask themselves where they
cGud de- most god. They should not seek the church
with the most elaborate ritual ard with the best ana
most congcurl society. The man who refused to
consider these questions was enemy and not ~
friend Of the Church. The abandonment of the down
town churchc, by the rich could only result In steady
decline II the church ANY proposition To close up
one II tn, remaining twenty four churches should be
regarded with concern. The mission money now spch.
ON th. city Institutions with their devils sick and
wounded - should De -prnt In strengthening the poor
parishes. The wrlh parishes were cuttltI TO inc
| mission money Il belonged 10 tho Church OF God
In the lower part OF the city. good general cared
L, for thn .ick and wounded than for the body Of
troops \ mission chapel. added the preacher. Was
only notice the poor TO keep out of the churcnes
al the rich When the rich established missions. with
ten cent prayer books, IL not 10 save Others, but
10 ave iucn>clyc,. The rich and poor should meet
together. parishc, for wealthy people were not
needed. In New York the best music The handsomest
churches, the beautiful exclusively for the
rich I'm ENGLAND il different. The wealthy
chlrch,, her, werr htto than club houses, and
constituted a menace, standing menace, 10 religion
I and the Crirch proper: ,.,
"shoud proud puttoiup. moteaged Institutions
like these asked the Doctor. be strengthenedi Are
they not keeping people ont Of the church with their
rich ones III that Is your religion. we want none
Of it, The cur>. ~ God viii rest upon the syndicate
Of wealth. These are strong words. but they ara
words which am prepared to Defend