The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-12-20
Is Professionalism Failure in New York !,

The statistics presented by the Rev. Mr..
PETERS last Sunday show that relatively to
the whole population the Protestant
churches have been falling behind in New
York during the last twenty-five years.
The Roman Catholic Church has made rapid
strides in the town until now its adhercnts
number 10000. and the Jewish community
has increased greatly. within the last ten
years more particularly, but the Protestant
churchgoing population is not more than
100000. Not single Protestant denomina-
ton, as he said. has kept pace with the
growth Of the town.
Why. he asks, is Professionalism a fail
ure in New York? His answer. in brief.
Is that the Professionals have defied tho
Christian spirit by building fine churches
for the few and segregating the many in
humble chapels. They have sold out their
church property in the lower part OF the
city and moved upward, following the drift
OF wealth and fashion. Meantime popula-
ton has crowded into these abandoned dis
tricts. while in the upper and fashionable
neighborhoods the supply Of church accom-
modations has increased beyond the de-
mand. with the result OF engenderng
"ruinous rivalry"
These are facts. undoubtedly. but do they
explain the failure OF Professionalism in New
York. il there has been any such failure:
The churches which have moved up town
during the last generation have made the
change for the sake OF preserving their ex-
istence. They were dwindling away where
they were. the population on which they
depended for their support and to which
their religious doctrines appealed having
deserted their neighborhoOd and gone far
to the northward. If they had remained in
their old situations they would have died
out. and their fate would have given Mr.
PETERS an even more impressive text than
he has now for preaching on the failure OF
Professionalism in New York.
They left simply because they were not
wanted there. and they went after the de-
mand which alone justified their existence
You might as we'll keep great schools in n
region abandoned by tho population upon
which they must rely for pupils as retain
churches in districts from which their
necessary supporters are gone. II these
Protestant churches could have maintained
themselves down town. they would never
have gone up town. II they had been
thriving either materially or spiritually.
they would not have left. They removed
because they were forced to go as matter
of self-prescrvation. They did not spurn
the poor in order TO cater to the rich. The
poor abandoned them. and they had to 60
In search OF people who were hospitabe to
their doctrines.
The poor Of a religions tendency are in
the vast majority. ndhercnts of the Roman
Catholic or OF the Hebrew faith. The ma
jority Of immigrants, who are the chief
cause of the increase in the population OF
New York. more especially in the lower
wards. have been either Roman Catholic
or Jewish. Protestants have moved out !,
and Roman Catholics and Jews have
crowded into those regions. II these new
settlers have departed from their ancestral
faith. they have not gone into the Prot
estant churches. They have lost all relg-
ioIs interest whatever or become out-and-
out inidels. The chances OF converting
either Roman Catholics or Jews are too
few to justify the maintenance of Prot
estant churches merely for the purpose of
taking advantage Of them.
Accordingly the Protestant churches. in
abandoning the downtown districts SO
largely to the Catholics and the Jews. and
turning their own attention to parts of the
city where Professionalism is more welcome.
have proceeded wisely. They have concen-
trnted their forces in districts where they
are the most effective and withdrawn them
from those where experience showed that
their efforts were hopeless. 1t is true that
the number Of their churches below Four
teenth street has decreased In spite Of the
growth OF the contiguous population; but
does not the circumstance that most OF
those left are struggling to maintain bare
existence. whore they are not supported by
endowments indicate that the withdrawal
was imperative?
The relative decline of Professionalism in
New York is explained by what We have
said. The growth Of the town In the last
generation has been Protestant In only
small part relatively. 1t has been chiefly