New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-04-07
DR. R1IySFORD DESIRES FREE CHURCHES.
THE EXPERIENCE AT ST. GEoRGEs-WHAT THE
PEOPLE WANT - LAPsED MASSES
HARD TO REACH.


HARD TO REACH
To the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: Old as the controversy is as to the merits
Of free or rented pews and though. you say
in your article. 1t is tme-worn. think stu II
will he admitted al, hands that II has lost MOTH
! ing of its Importance. and beg TO submit to the
readers of The Tribune that owing to the specia.
conditions which obtain in our own great city, the
question is of peculiar and vital Interest to
NEWCOMERS.
Most of the well-equIpped churches in Newborn
belonging to all denominations the Protestant Epis-
copal of course included, continue to use methocs
which were suitable city life quite different to
our own suitable districts where almost all the
people live In houses of their own Where this Is
So the ordinary parish church, with It's famhy
pew does pretty wei. Some Of It's machinery may
be very antIquated, but II its aim Is to promote
family religion, say. 1t accomplishes that ann
with fair success But where the people do not and
cannot live in houses OF their own, the churches,
ignoring the great change in the population sur
rounding them. still stand by Old methods ana
wonder exceedingly to find them less and less cii-
Client 1t is precisely as though fisherman VINO
once spread his net for salmon with gooa success
now insists with the same Old salmon net on trying
"a catch smells No wonder his industry does not
prosper. $780,,
The facts OF New-York are these. 1t Is now aouho-
antly evident that comparatively small part oi our
citizens do live. can In the future h'e' III "ouS'
! Of
ton We have to-day. certainly 10000 people Nv
ing in tencment-hous or boarding houses Inc
nrohl.m then confronting is not how TO reach
this onc-nfth-they are fairly well reached TO-DAY
but how care for the other four-hfthS' ana He
method that succeeds with the one-hith VIII not sue
coed with the four-lfhs. Tene;nent-house ana
boarding house people must be sought for we must
Ga ont 10 them and literally compel them to come in
have not time now to dwell on the strange sense
Of social responsibility which seems rapidly 70 de-
ve,op within those who have not and cannot own II
home. however modest; but 1t Is something win
which we must certainly count Politically as wei"
AS ree!ously the homeless citizen Is apt at times 10
be unattached The sense Of responsibility Is not
Always highly developed within him.
Though this state Of things may not apply win
as great force to Brooklyn as 1t does TO New-iork'
yet, In that city as in our own. ! beheVe that 'h's
question OF free churches Is one or VIAL ihpor
70 tn. whole community
II ls absolutely IDLE. believe 20 expect that these
rnuliitudes who I'VE In boarding houses and tenc-
| mcnt houses can. a class ana by themselves az
A class support the sort of churches they require
and the only sort which they viii atiend-namely,
| churches that are well conducted, and In when
the preaching and music are OF Il high order Kent
| the ucws Of these churches at figures within the
| means II these people and though every seat -
taken the fund raised will not be sufficient FOR the
| maintenance of the services. not inconsiderable
experience leads to believe that from this four
nfths OF population more money Dr oolti'"i
| under the frce-church system than under the pew
Now II we believe that the church ought to be
tho meeting ground OF all classes that within It's
sacred walls poverty and riches ought alike TO be
forgotten. then must train our people TO give
according 10 their ability and welcome them on
that basis u giving Train the rich TO give more
thnn the equivalent ot a pew rent. and to do this
AZ an act ~ worship to God. Train the poor and
the needy classes onul this task Is harder than
the frsU To- believe that they are welcome To- Gods
they ray that ttic very gladly.
(, y, certain That un .cr the pew-rent system the
/ church In Sew York or brooklyn viii cease TO ne
missionary OF missions viii be conducted under
ih "II sysfc,n ~ small weakly equipped religious
organizations In the poor districts. hangcrs-oh oi
the big rue churches IN the rich districts Ana
his system Is expensive. ami in my Judgment has
pfo,ri utterly Inefficient II We believe IN the
uuis ~ mankind. surely thc church ~ tn' .p'a.e
Yof a.. Sir in your ar'lce that +, Will be a long
time before American christiani' ~ goes back TO a
system of Tdo"'i church,S. mus u,,ier ',o,0
Sao c5n n4 ' viii rSan the s5
needs - i5.orn people Ia Sew York The present
endowed churches. hut ;hey ar" inaleluate!y en-
dow'1. There Is nothing contrary t. our princip,'
g T. 9F p or er t. cy tEGrchcs Il you do not
No., ,t.r, ~ ,rc certain TO move away from
,hc rSof ,'' ha, ncei ,hem most DO ~ expect the
pcor.c tina, use our hospita.s hy the ices they
m. !ern civil zttou 20 supper, them Wher" would
the Nca-York hospitals be- to-day Il they were not
practically endowed Ana 80 II comes - ms that
he gre. ~ The poorer pe,pi'. who wnnt ~
f.,gp..tinr way % e. 20 The best church hcy
can nui are not -Hh'l"nt To support mos
ah,,... d., Sufficient. Md. m rnfpr'. must TX
pct that ~" richer Christian poop" VII recognize
nur t.fi.ilus artistic lr fluclfona. Institutions
support least partially. OUT ~ their pcniy tho."
M ans Tor ""Na'inE mans 4ii" ""d aSNiaE'hf man
pain which human experience has proved 10 De
absolutely 'fs'n'n. TO The maintenance and deye-
opu.ut of ,iSl 4zHfon.
I ,n h.p, ana hc icve that the time ~ coming
whom hr,a lrr Wow, than those tha, have Obtained
among us wiI le more generally hold. and that
men who know that not on.y tn fortunate house
holders. bat the vast maj 1riy oi our f' 'w-ciizcn'
who can no houses. stand 10 need ~ no minis,
t-atllns ~ me Christian 'hurch NH com" f'rWsri
gladly 60 max, possible 10 their nclghnors those
mems OK grir" which they require a"I should
hive freely offered :, Thorn.
since ms own Church u -. Georges has been
referred IN connection with this matter. X Is only
right for IN" 60 Say that since lS1 we have hai no
dercl, ~ .ast year. when. owing 10 the nara tines
and unusuni repairs on an old building. our d"f''t
was not $500. hut NGN. dozen members or 50
OF 1t George congregation gladly and readily made
this good am thankful that there are some Wiling
and All. - dp this I'm 81 Georges AMI II the
wealthy of the city. Instead ~ pouring ~ thSy
hy their presence and their offerings strengthen
churchrs situated mat the, populations round
them cannot possibly, una.icd. suphy sufhci"nt
funds FOR carrying thrm on. they WoUl save
masses ~ our people from 40 completely failing
away from the church and Al II means That IN
after years IL may Doe almost impossible g. WIN them
reach Nothing but IRE" chui ches. and large ana
literally supported free churches at thl VIII rcach
AMI infucnc" the poor ana lover mIlI" classes.
Are We prepared 10 hand over th"S', tlr greatly
'arcer part 81 our fc,.ow-ctizens. 10 atheism or 10
the nlnstratons of the Roman Cathode church?
believe our Church IN" a mission To other than me
act on IT, We viii have more partially endowed and
free churches. ami not fewer. ., p,rsropn .
St Georges Reciory. Ncw-York Apr. 2. 1895.