New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-08-02
TIE CHURCH AND THE ALIEN

The problem of immigration divides itself
into n number Of distinct problems, each one OF
which must be solved separately. And by no
means the least important of these problems is
that relating to the religious and moral instruc-
ton OF immigrants which the churches OF
America must solve, if it is ever to be solved
at ALL Now, it is perhaps not so much their
fault as their misfortune that comparatively
little has been done by the churches to Chris
hanize the great armies of aliens that pour into
the country every year. Their failure has been
partly due to the character Of the Immigrants
and partly to the cast-iron nature of the
church organizations. As to the immigrants,
while IL IA true that considerable percentage
of them Immediately connect themselves with
some American denomination, a large pro-
portion of them join the great and increasing
class of non churchgoers. And the amazing
thing is that this is not true simply of those
immigrants who are positively inehglous or
actively hostile to Christianity, but OF large
numbers who have been churCh-members all
their lives Owing to causes not necessary TO
specify here they are about as ignorant Of the
principles of religion as though they had never
heard of a church and it is therefore inevi-
table that when they come here they should
shake off even the outward allegiance which
they acknowledged to the Church in their own
country. Moreover, the necessity of making their
way IN a new country often induces many good
| Christians to postpone for time the duty OF
Joining a church, and before they know it they
have begun to be content to remain as non
| church members.
The other reason why the churches do not
reach immigrants is because, as rule, their
machinery is too unelastic The modern Church
is the bond-slave of it's organization. II is a
congcries of parishes, each parish being made
up of intelligent and fairly well-to-do men and
women, and adapted only to gain a member
ship among such people. The machinery OF the
parish works well in a limited sphere; it sus-
tains the interest and enthusiasm of those who
are already Christians. But it is almost entirely
useless in reaching out into the great cOngeSted
masses of aliens who for one reason or another
| do not acknowledge the claims of religion on
their lives 1t is indeed passing strange that the
American churches 50 practical in most mat
tclS. do not sec the necessity of modifying their
methods to meet the special problems due to a
vast number of non-regOUs aliens. Optimism
is good thing; and the optimism of Americans
finds ample justification in the facts Of their
history 6ut what sometimes passes for optm-
ism is only stupid thoughteSsnesS as when the
American churches take it for granted that some
how or other the foreigner will in time become
a wel-inStructed Christian, although they do
not take the slightest trouble to reach him.
We do not forget the good work which the
churches are doing in the establishment of
agencies to look after the immigrants when they
land But this work is necessarily superficial
and temporary What is needed is some inteIli-
gent and practical plan to reach the immigrant
in his new home, and convince him that Chris
tan brotherhood is fact as well as a name.
II may be that he has been alicnated from the
Church. and has learned to hate it's ministers.
! But if he sees that the Church takes real in
terest in him. if he finds it ready to give him
a Christian welcome and help him to get on his
feet in a new and strange land in nine cases
ont of ten the alienation and hatred will die
ont of his heart, and he will be found among
the most sturdy upholders Of Christianity. How
many thousand aliens there are in this city
to-day. herded together in nOiSOme colonies,
speaking a strange tongue, and carrying in their
hearts the thoughts and prejudices and animoS-
ties of the Old World, to whom American Chris
tianity never thinks of going And yet until it
has devised. some means of getting into the
lives of these people just as they arc, without
waiting for them to Christianize and American