New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-07-24
THE NETWORK CLERGY.
THEIR MODERN SPIRIT-AWAKETO THOUGHT
INA GREAT CITY.

10 day is It's clergy And yet, strangely enough, tho
fact Is seldom recognized IN the press or magazines
Writers take snap shots at those OF them VINO naPpen'
for the time being, be In the public eye as Is no"
being done the case OF Drs. Parhhurst ana Rams
ford But the pictures hurriedly taken are NOS
always either accurate informing H. Is saie 70
assert that city the world not even In Uondoo'
are there 50 many clergymen who are able by single
sermon or q single utterance any question, W
command the attention Of the public-and JUST INNS
what that OF itself means NewYorkers are no' eS'T
Interested or aroused 1t Is only the great STAR or
the great artist, or the great professional man VINO
can ordinarily gain their attention. Chara'ahs anu
sensatIonliss may impose them for tme hus
they are provcrbaly quick to eaten on, anu INC
humbug whom the within OF the moment causes !"
rise like the rocket finds himself ere long falling ne
stick into the grave OF OBLIVION nom which 'hoie -
no pos sble resurrection.
Moreover New Workers are not apt to be spritiai
minded They do not object formally to creeds, but
some Of Them at least, might be charged WIN
strengthening their creed by shortening the decaogue'
The struggle OF life tends to make them pracucai
materialiss whatever be their theoret cal views
In their opinion poverty is not sin but Is Twice do
bad Some even 60 far as 10 say that we are to
producing the medieval type Of life In which there
we're only two classes Of men, beasts OF burden anu
beasts OF prey BE that as Il may, even the hiisu'
itself In NewY York. from the greatest dignary up :"
the latest raw candidate for orders, must DC ul."
sciously affected by this present-worid sPrt i"eo
retlcally therefore, the clergy ought to be WITHOUT
orr inenence since as a class they do stand up for
righteousness and spirituality in way to command
our admiration. But the exact contrary Is lhe oa'e.
40 other class OF is so influential IN tHS go
temple OF Mammon. When such mch a. Dr. rum
hurst Dr. Rainsford. DR.. Paxton, DR.. "reer' Aion-
bi1hop Corr-an Bishop Potter, Professor bngs''
Tc,o,nae Divon. DR.. John Hail. DR.. Van De Water Dr.
Mac ,rthur Dr. Taylor, DR.. Van DYKE Dr. Walpoie
Warren Dr. J. VI. King, DR.. Huntington, Dr. >, W.
Brown President Hastng-, DR.. schait' Dr. neue'
Newton or Dr. Morgan Dix start any toplc vi NY
cusslon either moral, SOCIAL or POLITICAL they are
listened TO with eager attention. The great papers
exploit the subject in interviews and editoraN' anu
the people who make public opinion canvass u,e
oueSton with Intelligence and earnestnesS> we taiA
about the supremacy Of the old tine Puritan -'e"-
England minister but he did not begin 10 eAcrc'se
the power that the great preachers Oh new. w"
exercise to-day. Brooklyn still tries to live up 10 us
oid sohyiouc CITY OF Churches though, as ma'er
OF fact It has proportlonately fewer churches unnh
NevY York But New-Yorb might certainly claim W
be the city OF clergymen not much because Oh e'
number as because of their ability and influence ~,
And only the best types can live here "why Oh"
vonr pastor lcavel' asked prominent man rc.e"s
. oh wos the replv he found the ineliectuhi Pace
too fast for him. and when he could not keep up WIN
tho nrocession he senslbly decided to leave lie
is now in n country town, doing well on the repF
tation he got By being our pastor Tor year. IL.
remark we'll illustrates the fate that awaits oeI""
rodIocr,v in this city, And yet at any given time,
IL IS probable that there are at l"a't -" "nE"o"n
cerrymen in New York. trying 10 got some sort OF
church and In the meanwhile eRihs ouI
miserable living by acting as supplies or DOCK
convassers or doing literary hack work. Ihese
poor fellows illustrate the tragic side OF cerc" h.c
in New-Y0rl. 1T Is a remarkable thrne' o'oc S'
BIshop Potter to me-. chow many most eAoenei''
country clergymen-nOt Of my own Church especlaly-
ofs.r A.. ranll
get tho idea that the air Of Network Guy Is reas
necessary for their threats. could tell you
orro natho,ic stories OF men who have given
IN GOOD marshes I'm the country where they we're CO.
ing an effective work, and have come TO New iorA
only TO find themselves swallowed up ana lost III so
rreat vortex, But, perhaps, IL Is even "oto
pathetic when some of these mediocre men, oy COCA
lnck or influence, gain temporary foonng III 'he
| metropolis. I once met such man, who' "'no''
rho ability very fooishly tried TO get the reputation
Tor briIliancy In conversation, BY making poor ana
pointless Jokes diligently rehearsed beforehand. INC
| result might have been anticipated. ""hy uiu '""
ret rid OF your pastorl' asked one OF the Dig mcii
of his church. after his resignation. "Oh' he rephed
with brutal fran1ness, he WAS too punny SIX Gays
| ~ the Week and too plny the seventh some
such vrioic cpaph IS sure TO be recorded over 'ne
failure of every mediocre clergyman VINO Tries 10
storm the citadel of success in New-lork.
The results OF this weedingout process arc
seen in those who are left. They are n sur
| V1Val OF the nttest NV 'i'o WY
mon OF genius by any Many OF them are
men OF slender intellectual equipment But IN suca
coses they have social Influence, and that means
much or they have done peculiar WORK we'll or uey
have organizing and business ability they know how
70 deal with human nature. The most successful
clercymen of New-YOrk are men OF the world anu
men OF affairs Their parishes great business enter
prises recurring in their management the same SORT
~ ability demanded Of n railroad OF bank president.
They NAV have strong theological views but they have
no theological illusions. They never waste any hme
in attacking windmillS. They In close touch Win
modern lle and especially New York liie They take
statesmanike views Of all questions and know how
TO meet men their ground. though perhaps nob
approving Of their views. That excellent but OuiXoc
man the Rev. Dr. DE Costa, who seems TO have
genius for taking the wrong side OF so MANY noo0
questions is almost the only exception TO this rule.
And rs a consequence. his influence is ininltesms''
The hard headed men whose opinions make New orks
current history simply smile at what they consider
his vagarcs. because they believe him to be out OF
tonch with the movement Of the time. And with
peope I'm the metropolis that is the one unpardonaDe
sin The sermons they hear, well as the plays
they see mast be thoroughly up to date
As a consequence Of this there is practical toler
ance and charity among Newlork clergy men Of dlfer
ing views that can only be paIaeled in Boston, where
they are telling with amusement new story about
that broldmnded man, Bishop Brooks. He recently
announced that ne would officially visit the Church
of the Advent Of Boston. of the most nualistlc
churches I'm the country. With singular courtesy and
consideration Father FrSby, the rector, wrote TO him,
saying that many of the usual ceremonias in his church
would doubtless offensive to him. and expressing a
desire to have the service that occasion just tho
Bishop wanted it. In his reply, after thanking the
rector for his courtesy. the Bishop added Il beg
Of YOU, however to make no change whatever in your
service. Turn every thlng on
what do you think of our New-YorlS clerSyi'
NOT long ago asked dear old country parson visiting
tho city. who has not changed the last of his views
for the lat forty years.
"Welln he said, sadly al found few believers
among them, but. dear me, how friendly they
with the heretics. They visit and joke with them
lust as though thcT were sound in the faith. 7
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