The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1894-05-07

|
Of tho chcrtios out Of which IL will not
do to make two bites"
itIs RERoRMAroHY AND CnAmrAnLE WORKS.
The immediate cause Of my calling on
tho doctor recently, next 10 rcsuscitat.
Ing whatever we might remember OF
each other at Wheeling, wac TO get como
fact. IN regard to tho reiosmatory ind
Charitable work which no is carrying
forward herc In large way under tho
liberal cooperation oil tho VanderbIlis
and other wealthy mOmbors OF his con.
grcgation. Ills name was especially in
tho newspapers jus, at tho time In tho
matter Of n schomo for rescuing tho
worthy poor OF tho city from the relont.
less grasp OF tho pawnbrokers. In fact
n bill had Just passed tho Legislature
chartcring tho ProvldCnt Loan Associa.
ton, In which such mon rs himself,
Abram 5. Hewitt, Cornelius Vanderbilt
and other philanthropic people woro
incorporators, aud tho aim OF which
was to afford relief to the unfortunate
borrowers who wcro being mercilessly
robbed in tho pawn shops OF tho elums
and thereby driven 10 desperation aud
ruin. DR.. Greer doos not much believe
in tho theory oil lettering people moral.
ly or religloualy until you can first re-.
llevo their physical necessities. HU IL
very practical man US have found
out.
Going up to his home to call on him
n few days ngo. at about o'clock in the
afternoon. was quito dismuyod to find
tho an,e.room full Of people waiting
their turn. and was almost ready to turn
back and wait for n moro favorable OPP
portunisy, when the doctor came out
and assured mo that no would dis.
patch the crowd speedily, and moan.
while invited me to take n scat and ex.
orCise u littlo patience. was surprised
10 see how fast thoy melted away, and
inasmuch as they were tho tail end OF
the procession md only ono or two
moro cane no was soon at liberty 10 sit
down and talk with mo in his reception
room. | began by telling him that l
| felt tempted to assume tho rolo OF Jcthro
In the wilderness and give him some Of
tho fatherly advice that tho wise priest
OF INDIAN gave to Moses, which was to
divide up some OF this popular pressure
and shift at loast part OF 1t on to
other shoulders. Iio smiled ut my OBJ
seryation, and remarked TINT no
was not so much Of q victim to
this sort OF pressure US ! might sup
pose, md said that | had happened
there just at the particular timo set
apart for these audiences, and that II
| had como in the forenoon or later in
the evening would have soon practic.
ally nothing OF It. lie then wont on to
explain how he divided up his time and
his work and the character Of assistance
that he had, and how tho pressure on
any one part OF the machinery OF his
purish was relieved. | will not 90 into
details OF our conversation inasmuch as
| wish to reserve all the space at my
command for some account OF my aubsc-
quent visit with tho Doctor to tho
Parish House" whore so much that no
was explaining to inc theoretically was
shown to me practically as an objcc!
| lesson.
On. GREER AS A PREACHER.
! do not know what was tho exact
status OF St Bartholomcw's parish when
DR.. Greer was called to it from Provi.
dence six years ago, but OF course it was
rich and influential. To-day 1t Is not
only all that it then was, but it ia noted
throughout the city, among all dcnomi.
nations, in connection with tho namo
and labors OF its present rector. He is
not famous in the pulpit as an orator
in the sense that Beechcr was in his
day, nor in the sense that Talmasc is to-
day, nor even as Dr. John Hall is, nor
is he sensational preacher in any de-
greo like many OF these to whom the
people flock. He is plain and sensible
talker in tho pulpit, who seoms TO
speak extemporaneously, and, on that
account. Theoretically, and is known for
his plain words to rich people about
their opportunities, responsibilities and
duties. On this special point he "cries
aloud and spares not" and, because of
his precept and example as regards the
singleneas OF purpose with which no de-
votes his own means to the work no en-
joins on others, he has been able to
educate his people up to the work of
giving as perhaps no other congrega-
ton in this city over gave before. When
l tell you that they raise in that con-
gregation quarter OF million dollars
annually for the prosecution OF the work
in which Dr.. Greer Is engaged, and that
q collection OF US much us $4,000 has
been taken up on Sunday, YOU will
understand both the ability and the
willingness OF the members to follow
their leadership.
PRACTICAL CHARITIES
The Parish House on Fortv.second
street.. to which went with the Doctor
n week ago, was tho gilt Of tho widow Of
tho late William II. Vanderbilt, and
cost q round hall million to build exclu.
sivc OF tho ground on which it stands,
which was donated by another member
OF the samo family. 1t is OF this house,
which is only one OF tho charities OF the
parish, that l now propose to speak.
The design OF it was to draw as many
young people MS possible away from the
Temptations by which they are sur
rounded and that so easily bese. them
in n great city like this, To attract
them under its roof for number of
hours during tho day or evening with q
view OF both teaching and amusing
them and of giving to the moro adj.
vanced and serious youth aid in the
direction Of a better livelihood. There
is, for instance, girls club on ono side
of the building and boys club in tho
other, and also childsen's club,
and nleo . mans club, and in the
aggregate they number over thoug-
and members. This house is their home
when thoy have spare hours to
read, to exercise, and to take lessons in
something industrial and useful. Those
people arc not however Inexpensive or
o,rolo,,I,, brnpyh, tora,b.. n,l