The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-01-29

\. discussion and presumably exhaustiy
consideration OF ell the factors involve,
as between point OF common accessible
ity TO the whole town without most con
venlent accessibility to any close rosi.
. Dental section, and the latter advantage
alone.
We believe that the problem that IN,
Westminster Charch has just decided has
In grester or less formal way come be.
lore all the "down street" churches. the
Mathewscn Street Methodist. Grace Epis-
oopai, Chestnut Street Methodist. the
beneheent Congregational, Richmond
street Congregational and St Johns Epis-
copai being chiefly in mind as coming
under this classification. The church
oriioings thus located were built at a time
when the whole residential part Of the
town was within q stones throw OF tbe
center OF the city and indeed OF any one
residence section. The expansion of the
| city has resulted in the establishment of
'n''cheS where the nearby districts had
developed sufficient numbe OF per,ons
OF common religious faith or in sucb
ee''o"snment by reason Of sn actual
departure from the central congreeatio,
commonly such churches have bee, |
'o"noed by virtue Of both elements, and
80 the churches OF the town hnye grown IN
number with the growth Of the city and
'o"urch goer OF whatever faith usually
mas availabls to him today a church OF
MS denomination within fairly con.
Venient distance OF his home.
Perhaps II has been a result peneraIlv
recognized that the down street cburc,es
nave lost heavily from year to year bv
removal OF members to churches optsids
'ne down town circle and by the coming
UP OF new generations that have allied
themselves with the neurest church rem.
resenting the faith OF their parents. And
che OF the down town churches. the Cen
tfai Congregational. faced this Situation,
boldly by removal {, a location mos,
convenient to the greater part of its mar. 4
shion'rs. The success to the church. of
%" removal, had an appreciatiy sur,i,, +
'ueet on all the down street churches ana
mere have been rather ALARMING svr p
oms pointin! TO q wbolessls renovaI % n
he ia'ter 10 other parts Of tho town. in a
OF chase after their seemingly deparIing :,
or for new accessio,s ,,o, -
appeared to be impossible to mako in
'e old location. /. nppelrs. however CI
lat the succe's achieved by the r,movo,
tue Central Congregational church NJ NJ
'uid not be so surely guaranteed TO n g,
iange OF o,aiion on the part of o,hors
the down street churches for ore ron. j
n because so many dcsirsbIs neightor. u,
'oos already had their own local ,
urches. And bsfidcs, it appears that g.
attendance OF all the down street vii
A""h "S ~ com mon centrr ''N
I'M many parts OF the city ana il i, a ~,
ave question whether n church could AZ.
ord to cut off any part of this by re.
wal TO par icular section whers only po.
residents In The immediate neigh
mood could be looked to for support. =,
balance of the attendance bsing com hrn
LED TO suck church home Ia the bur
rest neghborhood. PUT
ne public as whole has an Interest On
me churches OF the city, REGARDLESS, of ROC
lr respective denominations, and ma. )
'iiy the public feel. cloi interest in resil
down street churches which bave i'iou
Ia the nature of local s;itutions for .
many years, teyond what il can attach strna ru
ne neighborhood churchts In the say. auve
sections OF the town. And it would sM,1 y
To he reasonable proposition thar sLA,
urch IN the center of the city ought Fu,
Dc highly prosperous religions es. stree
Ishnaent- If the rity has grown he. wills
what was once a commonly conven. SC
center for all the inhabitants. IL is her Ia
10 invite
said that the facilities for trinspor.
N have vastly increased so that. while So
facilities have made it convenient 10
aida ,no, -, noun
sue upon the outskirts OF the town rive,
In the suburbs, by that and
sign IL is still amply conven- & nhes
TO go to church in the center and
he city. It is suralv M ro. ment
Ou'' or takes no more time, to 90 ham
'n town" TO church OF Sunday y.
oon than 1t does to go "down town. Ha
s's business six days In the week. or teen
-. 'N' VI BarlC
e's entertainment OF week dav Who's
nc. Indeed, IL would apnaar that -, was c
a 4.