New-York tribune., 1896-05-31
"a SINGULAR LIFE."

"a SINGULAR LIFE.'
Emanuel Bayard. in Miss Phelpss fine story
| "a Singular Life" Is an ideallzed picture OF an
| npostolic pastor He cared not so much to be
Sound I'm dogmatic theology as TO save the
souls and bodies of lost men and women. lie
| WAS called "the Chrlstman' by the denizens or
tho "sum" district Of WlndOver where he cs
tablIshcd his "Christlove' mission. and he fully
deserved the name. His story Is ut once tragic
and pathetic He gave up wealth, ease. position
and all the delights Of cultured society. and de-
voted his life TO the vicious and depraved He
was ostraciscd rs n madman and hereto by
his Church, he was chilled by the ingratitude
and hostility Of many whom he was trying to
save: and finally, he was killed by brutal sa-
loonkccpcr only week after his marriage to
the woman he so dcvotcdly loved II Is the
chronicle of Il martyr, II hero and saint. ap-
parently throwing away his life for a frultless
and visionary cause.
But was his life thrown away? Is there no
room in the organized Christianity Of today for
the high-wrought enthusiasm and boundless
sclf-sncrlfce OF Bayardi Must such men 20
out of the pale of orthodoxy. rs he did, In order
TO do their work for God and humanity? Ger
tainy the type OF Christianity described by Miss
Phelps must ever be hostile TO those who lay the
emphasis on life rather than theology. 1t Is dog
matlsm gone TO seed. and It's sole function Is 10
see that its members accept every and all OF the
formulas into which II has strivcn To compress
the whole OF Christianity. There Is in ii no
room for that divine enthusiasm for humanity
that sees I'm every child of man, however de-
graded. "A potential child of God. foolish ana
helpless prodigal, who may be brought back
again TO the home Of his Father Such Is the
picture of Christianity in "A Singular Life Is
1t true to the facts!
1t Is certainly not true today that n man like
Bayard would bc forced to work outside the
ranks Of organized Christianity. Almost any OF
the great Christian bodies would gladly wei
come him. and give him as much "slum' terri
tory rs he wanted. Men far more liberal In their
theology than he arc doing such work in the
churches. The theological coma described by
Miss Phelps may stil exist In remote country
districts: but II Is destined soon To disappear nj
together. Modern Christianity has lost some
thing OF dchnltcncss In its theology; but II has
gained In spiritual vitality and human sympa-
thy II is powerfully affected by the wave Of al
truIsm that Is sweeping over the world II Is
kccnly conscious that 1t has n mission to the
"unchurchcd mnsses"; and TO carry out that
mission II is often willing 10 adopt any expe-
dlcnt, from n splendid rescue mission building in
tho "slums." with Its finely adjusted methods
for getting In touch with men and women. down
to young lady burnt-cork minstrels' and
church kissing parties" Grotcsque though
some Of these cxpcdlcnts are, the impulse that
prompts them deserves unstnted praise. Eel
lowship. 1t has been said. Is the spiritual dy-
mamie OF the future; and In cropping for the
hands OF the prodiga and the lost. Christianity
today is finding It's noblcst life and mission.
But. though Baynrd could find work In n dozen
churches to-day, candor compcls the admission
that the churches do not tend To produce his type
OF Christian ministry We would not depreciatc
the zeal. devotion and scf-denial OF the regular
clergy They do n needed work for igion aud
for man; and IA n rule. they are admirable
type Of wcll-rounded Christian manhood. But
yet one misses In the lives OF many OF them the
apostolic fcrvor and abandon which possessed a
Paul Of Tarsus. Francis Xnvier and a Bishop
Pattlson. The average parson expects to do his
work within the well-dchncd limitations of an
organized parish. which is virtually club of the
ninety and nine who are not lost and presuma-
bly, need no repentance. He Is called by this
club TO minister to It's needs. In his work he
may be- and generally is, faithful and devoted
but the work he does is routine work. neverthc
less Should he, like Bayard, feel impelled 70
seek for the sheep who have wandered from the
fold-the criminal the vicious and the vilc-he
would offend many. perhaps a majority, in his
parish who "hired' him. and who, therefore,
believe themselves entitled to his services
The truth Of the matter Is the Church to-day Is
becoming conscious Of new and glorious era
in It's corporate lfe when brotherhood will mean
more than 1t has ever meant before. But though
it Is vibrant with this new thought, 1t has not
yet been able to adjust its old machinery so as to
make It responsive to the new force. Through
its guilds and sodalitcs. and industrial and
phllanthroplc agencies Of all kinds 1t is earnest
ly striving to show that 1t has n message Of good
news, gospel Of life and hope for every Great
urc. But its efforts to reach those without the
pale are largely unavaling except here and
there, so long as 1t TX stretched on the procrus-
team bed Of outworn tradition and parochiallsm
and feels compelled to contend for the shlbbo-
leths Of sect rather than for the faith once de-
livcred to the saints