St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-01-22
SOMETHING WRONG.
Rev. William Wilkinson Speaks
of Church Work in the Cities.

Preaching last night at st. Andrews
church, Mr.. Wilkinson said that there
is something radically wrong with
things as they are in all our great cities
is fact too prominent to be kept out of
sight. and often too baleful to be passed
in silence. The disease is so virulent,
widespread and chronic that those doc.
tOrS-teetotal, educational, social. Scien-
1lhc, philosophic and municipal-whO
have examined the patents not only do
not agree one with another as 10 the
causes which have brought OIL the trOu-
bic, but in what the real trouble is,
much less as to the proper treatment
TO be applied in order that recovery to
normal conditions may result. Ii we
leave the men out of the question who
are of opinion that i'll SOME way the
world in its city life can be reformed,
purified and elevated without religion.
and turn to the church whose special
dufyl is to look after morals, to eXalt
their Importance, show their need, and
insist upon their practice, we fiud
upon the testimony, not of enemies, but
of its own noblest leaders, teachers,
priests and clergy that 1t has not done
its duty, is not doing it. and apparently
has no intention of doing it. As cities
become crowded i'll their centerS chance
for vice increases, the saloon, the
houses OF i'll repute, the gambling
denS, the sneak thieves, the burglars,
and all the children of darkness have
opportunity to do their worst work; the
idle, the dissoiute flourish TO the de-
SPAR of the police and the dishonor OF
The Christian name, and they stand the
shame OF the church in its lack of sery-
ice. The law of need and supply
n ia in
very best, hottest and most Jealous men
and women to work amongst these
people, for they are men and women,
with immortal souls, children of sorrow,
suffering, sin, shame. For them Jesus
Christ died. to them He sent His serY-
ants; from them, and from us, He will
demand an account. | ask you if it is
not true that many may say to the
Judge. in the judgment, mo man
hath cared for my soul" How
is it that in this city your
representative men, captains of
trade, can ask Rev. ID. w. GLADDEN. to
come tell US what he thinks about
cities, and that he can state, and with
rot shadow of fear that what he
affirms will be questioned-he knows
well it cannot be contradicted -"cprtain
sections of large cities are practically
left by the churches?" 1t is not in the
power of any enemy to saga more
severe word of condemnation than this.
1t is sad, but Its sting is in its
absolute truth. The moving of churches
out of poor into rich and popular places
is not unknown here. In New York
city Rev. DIR. Rainstord, rector of St.
Georges, has shown that for years the
moving of churches up town has been
constant and is taking place now.
That city, below Fourteenth street,
will be left to the Anglican
and Roman church, If change
in circumstances does not take place
soon-but all the churches cannot meet
the need. Rev. DR.. Greer, perhaps the
greatest preacter in his iaith, not
month since in noble sermon called
the attention to the dire need of re-
ligiOuS work amongst the masses. No
man has better right on the cOntinen
to speak than he. In five years the
church of which he is minister has
put into this kind of work, and
soWe of it into this city of Mime
apois, sum which comes pear mill
ion dollars. What is to come of our
cities? Within 4 month it was pub
liShed in the papers that Detroit, Mich,
had to let its city missionary leave for
lack of money to pay him. This in a
city in which are men who are i'm
mensely rich, and who have grown so on
the labor and growth OF Detroit. How
do we stand here? Where are our able.
eloquent pastors?' Not one below Wash
ingtOn avenue. This is not all. The men
in this city who know how to do the
work needtul to be done. who try to do
1t IN some measure in so far as the
average Christian is concerned, are left
to live or die, sink or swim. Now, l
call halt in the name of the poor, the
sin-burdened, the unfortunate and uu-
known, III the name of Jesus Christ, let
us look to people who at present do not,
will not go to church; let us do as Christ
dld-tell them lie is the best friend
man ever had, and thus share our
discipleship and make known His sal
Walton from daV TO day.