The sun., 1897-05-03
MOODY Anglers PASTORS.
THEY SAT- HE rs PoACHING UPON
THEIR PRIVATE PRESERVES.

Storm or undiEnntion Follows the Announce
tnent OF His Summer Series Of Meetings -
Carnegie HnlI-Dr. Macarthur. Dr. Peters,
and Others Say the Motive IL Merccnnry.
The announcement Of Mr.. Moodys intention
to hold series Of summer meetings at Carnegie
Hall at which number Of preachers from Eng
land were to preach has met with the disap-
proval Of ministers whose churches are in the
neighborhood of the hall. Mr.. Moody's winter re-
vivals caused the edepction Of their congregations
and a gradual disintegration In the working
forces Of their churches, and revival of them is
going to meet with good dcal Of opposition.
number Of ministers said yesterday that they
thought some stand should be taken In regard to
the matter, as q continuance Of the meetings
would result In paralyzing all branches OF their
parish work. One of tho foremost opponents of
Mr.. Moody's plan Of holding summer meetings
in Carnegie Hall is the Rev. Dr. r. s. Macarthur
of the Calvary Baptist Church, which is almost
opposite.
within limited circle, with this hall as q
centre," said he yesterday, there are seventeen
Protestant churches. Into district, the Prot
cstant churches of which do more aggressive
and distinct ovangelistic work than In most To-
calities. Mr.. Moody crowds his services at q
time when all these churches but one are hold
ing their regular evening service Is this cour-
teousf Is 1t fraternal7 Can 1t be justified from
any point of viewl Is 1t right for Mr.. Moody
and his associates to encourage religious rivalry
In this manner and even to go so far as to pro-
pose that pastor in the neighborhood close his
church on Sunday night so that his people might
abandon their regular place Of worship and join
in the work at tho hallH
1T is claimed by the advocates OF these meet
ings that their purpose is the deepening Of tho
9ntrftunl life IN this ha an thera ia hut
evidence that the object has been attained. Few
pastors have noticed any increased activity on
the part of church members, and, on the con-
trary, less interest In church work has been
manifested. Two Bible classes Of mine have
been broken up entirely result of these
meetings, the usher service has become disor-
Ganized, and tho choir is sadly depleted. For
pastor who has striven earnestly to build up q
congregation this Is very discouraging. They
say that these members will come back, but as
for as my church is concerned this disintegration
is permanent.
81 have the highest opinion of Mr.. Moody's
motives. but think that In tho wisdom Of his
methods he Is open to criticism. He comes into
a community where there is absolutely no need
of him. and I. for one. say that his presence does
more harm than good. know of one mission
which embraces a sewing school. cooking school,
kindergarten, and mothers' meetings which was
conducted for year at onethird the expense
that 1t takes to run Moody's. and, in my opinion.
far more good Is done by the former than by the
latter. People are not reached by this peculiar
form of religion as they were a generation ago.
There are many to-day who, while they are not
opposed to the evangelical idea: are a good deal
evangelical part with a broader ipterpretation.
would do this sort o ehns or IN else hod weeS
Sf services in each Of the different churches.
the pastors than to act up rival religious at
traction. such as he does, In district which is
Ss is o ehnraR
members. II he strives to reach the unchurched
masses, masses as he claims he does ;, the location Of
The Rev. Madison c. Peters of the Blooming
strain as Or. Macarthur. Since these meet
ings were started" said he, /" 1t has been almost
the way they used to. Sunday school teachers
are at premium, as the most Of them have to
every eve Sunday The infnenes o Of these hes meetings
is demoralizing to congregetion. and during
my seventeen years in the ministry have never
known any of these converts to stay, or any ono
whose spirituality has been really deepened.
Not single soul has Joined my, congregation in
enccs at most of them are composed of church
oSP ssr 9bIS
they had better stop. The scheme Of most Of
these meetings 10 to make money. Why doesn't
lnr. Moody go down wnere ne Is neeQeQI why
docs he plant himself within stones throw Of
a. church2 The reason 10 that it is not matter
of saving souls with the managers of these
meetings, but simply matter Of money. Below
Fourteenth street there Is a population Of
100000, and there are whole sections down
ligious forces down there are nowhere near so
large as they were twenty years ago, for since
then 200. 900 people have moved in and twenty
one churches out. Why then. knowing all
this, does not Mr.. Moody go down where he is
The Rev. DR.. William Lloyd of the Central
Congregational Church, on West Fifty-seyenth
street, Ia Ill, but his son. who is the supernten
dent Of the Sunday School, volunteered to speak
for him. He said that his fathers church had
felt the proximity Of Mr.. Moody 3 meetings very
severely, and that his father would indorSe most