The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-02-04
The GOSSIP OF GOTHAM.
Sudden and Unprecedented Outbreak
Of Religious FeTVOT.
Authors and the "Archiver''-How
New York is Preparing to Observe
the Lenten Season.
Copyright 1s94.)
Copyright lSs4.)

New York is Preparing to Observe
the Lenten Season.
Copyright 1s94.)
New York, Feb. 3.-This is Shrove
Sunday and next Wednesday Lent begins.
tn New Workers. such expressions APP
plied to particular days have never meant
much. But this year that inexplicable
religious revival in Gotham which has
puzzled so many persons has resulted in
an unusual amount of preparation for the
observance of these feasts. Some Of the
clergy attribute the present state of az
fairs to the reflective influence of the
hard times. At any rate, it is not often
true. as it is this year that the churches
are full to overlooking and that there is a
positive embarrassment in providing
seating accommodations for the throngs
who come to the Sunday services. The
situation has a humorous side, if it be not
irreverent to allude to it. For to see
New Workers tocking to the places of
worship is occasioning some bewilder-
meut TO some of the clergy, For instance,
at the Roman Catholic churches in New
York 1t is customary to see women
largely in the majority at most of the
masses. Now, however, 1t is different.
Men are as numerous as women, to the
mild surprise of the clergy in some par
ishes.
The Episcopalians have been partic-
ularly overwhelmed in the general in
crease of attendance at divine services.
At three different churches in widely sep
arated portions Of New York the in
creased attendance in the last four Sun
t,1t. ufV ~,
clergy are at loss to entirely account for
it and its unexpected nature continues TO
be a source of conjecture as to how long it
will last. The Methodists, the Baptists,
the Presbyterians and the Jews have the
same reports to make. Now that the
somber season is at hand it is reasonable
to suppose that there will be no diminua-
ton of this spirit Of holiness, or whatever
it may be termed. But it has brought
out the fact that for the first time in the
citys history New York's church accom-
modations have shown a tendency TO be
inadequate.
Closely related to this is the change OF
sentiment, so to speak, in the matter of
church going Old New Workers remem-
Der when not TO go to church at all did
not place a man under the ban particu-
larly, 1t is different now. Any New
Yorker who to-day said that he never
went to church on Sundays, at least,
Would create a dubious impression. Even
the club men and the boys go to church
nowadays and go to the length of making
the fact known. 1t is good form to be re-
ligiously inclined, in a word. The clergy
do not quite like this aspect Of it, and in
some Of the Episcopalian and Roman
Catholic pulpits there have been heard
utterances concerning people who come to
the house Of God principally because it is
the fashion.
None the less thepresent rush to church
is one OF the most curious signs of the
times and may explain the marked in
crease in the influence of the clergy of all
denominations in the affairs of New York.
ANOTHER LITERARY ROW.
As the recognized headquarters of the
literary profession in the United States,
New York is to be made the scene of an
agitation in favor of the overthrow of
what is termed the "archive ring" This
ring, headed it is alleged, by Henry
Cabot Lodge, has succeeded in so con-
trolling access to the the public records
at Washington that only certain favored
writers have been able to gather material
Tor the lives of the more eminent states
men Of the republic. Not long ago, for in
stance, the editor of one of the foremost
celebrated writer on subjects historical
TO prepare paper on the colonial period.
ina literary gent" in question proceeded
70 washington to look up up the archives,
Dut not being in this ring, his efforts to
get sight Of certain documents were not
successful. He was obliged to communi.
cate with the editor who had given him
tn9 loo, II such way of putting it to be
unllIerary, and say that he could not pre-
pare MS article. According to the story
sHe editor consulted a member of the
new York city congressional delegation,
Dut the result was far from encouraging
II Is stated that the more prominent mem
oers OF the Authors Club will be asked
" see II this monopoly of historic mate
RAJ cannot be broken up.
/ NE little row is but a new phase of an
giu trouble with the literary men of New
England. The New Workers. declare that
oue writer's of Massachusetts have long
onIoyed special privileges in this matter OF
consultation of government archives and
snay outsiders have no chance of getting
a. tIen' Thus it has come about that
suo historical works of recent years con-
nected with United States subjects have
az 9een the work of Bostonians or those
"iSu 6ostontan influence. The New York
puoilShers recognize this fact so thor.
IIut Wy 1t is alleged, that they hesitate to
ling out American historical works now
pen F-'-00' "a " A'oe'0NANIAi
were the letters that have been written
VA NJ suls grievance by New York literary
WI ,,on 70 make public, it is likely that there
E Eoulu De a sort of literary-oficial scandal
90 Irt'y CABOT Lodge is made the scape-
6 UGs oI the business. But even Josiah
III %1liucy Is involved. According TO a re-
f tS current in New York, he said lately
v Uuav tne New York writer's thought toe
Nm Nh OF themselves anyhow, and if the
tbGGesdcn usetts men got ahead of them in
s bts mstter'of writing history, it merely
0oMeu The superiority of New England
so ouIQs. So 1t looks now as II there would
'n W pretty kettle of fish.
MRS. sAGE's POPULARITY.
~, me social triumphs of Mrs. Russell Sage
me- v Ine events Of the New York season
IIog ciosed. Not that social triumphs are
NV ne" t1lngs to her, for she has long beer
V We IEnly member of that element of New
n I'm IN Khown as the "plutocracy" who had
~ oooial position in her own right aside
IT, any pecuniary or other influence
Missy mas come about that this accom-
V1SIieu lady has had entree into New
neo, G most exclusive circles when such
troop'e as the Goulds and the Rockefellers
so.i"t,.A nQck yainly at the portals of good
Sage'S IN addition to this has been Mrs
the no,, a-cIlVlty IN work for the benefit oil
never GIl-work so quietly done that it /.
lion heard heard OF or accomplished in connec
Position I ner own maine. Naturally, hei