New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
PRESBYTERTA IN NETWORK.

Preshyterans. ike other citiZepS. may enter
tain differing views as to the wisdom Of Ma
tional expansion. but in this city. m least. they
would warmly support a policy of denoE,ina-
tlonal expansion. The Presbyterian Church In
New-York Is one Of the largest and wealthicst
denominations. 1t numbers among its mem
bers many representative men of the metropo-
lis. It's organization Is thorough and its clergy
generally are men Of light and leadership. Yet
for many years Presbyterians have felt that
the growth Of the Church has not been com
mensurate with its opportunities. At the pres
ent time n number of important parishes are
without pastor. And while there Is no lack
Of candidates. many Of them good men. the
congregations seem to be puzzled in choosing.
At the same time there are rumors of other
pupts about 10 be left vacant and OF move
ments 10 consolidate churches that find 1t hard
to maintain themselves These facts are not.
Of course, necessarily Indicative of Il decline:
but taken in connection with other facts in the
recent history Of the Church. they are causing
many Presbyterans to ask If the Church Is not
suffering from some chronic disorder that in
tcrfcres with the normal expansion to be OK
pected in so great denomination.
Some light is thrown on the situation by the
remarks of Presbyterian elder quoted in the
papers lie declares that for some reason or
other the Presbytcry has not done much az
grcssive work. The pastor of one small church
in South Brooklyn" he says. ignoring all the
"Prcsbytery extension and Sunday-schoOl com
"mttees has gone ont ami started one preach
"ing service and one Sunday school This
Represents the total Presbyterian Church eX-
"tcnsIon in all New-YOrk in the last two years
cor more. and that the work of one man.
"There was n school started in Harlem last
"foll but II failed. Three churches quarrelled
cover il before it was born. No wonder 1t died.
Eve have n Sunday school Committee and n
"Church Extension Committee OF the New
york Presbytery. What do they do? | don't
"know One of them held a meeting the other
might: bur there has not been new Sunday
"school started in the boroughs Of Richmond,
Manhattan or The Bronx in very long time.
There are plenty OF places where schools are
needed and Mehodists, Disciples Of Christ,
"Baptists. EpiscOpalians, Congregatlonasts,
"Iutherans and Roman Catholics are branch
ling out: everybody is. except u.s. We are
CLOSING up churches Some say we shall never
"gct on until we have bishop. and others that
"the Presbytery ought to be divided. Still
"others say that our Presbyterial form Is in
"odeouate in large cities. Whatever be the
.cause. we are In the midst of the result, all
fright"
Possibly this elder has overstated the case:
M any rate ii Is an anonymous charge. and
must be accepted with reserve But in the
main il fits In with many known facts. The
PRESBYTERIAN Church has built up number OF
strong parishes in this city, but il has done
little in developing the so-called institutional
type of parish which has been so successfully
developed by Episcopalians especially. Indeed,
many of the oldtmc Presbyterian ministers
look with distrust on this type Of Church work.
and some Of them have referred to II contemptu-
ollsly as kindergarten and souphouse Chris
tianity" Nevertheless. such churches as Grace.
81. Georges. st Barthoomcws and Trinity
have reached an enormous number of the I'M
chnrched masses and the moral Impulse of
their work has penetrated far beyond the con-
fines of the denomination. Moreover. the Epis
copaI Church has thrown itself into the work
Of social settlements 1t has enlisted the ser
vices OF n great army Of devoted laymen and
Iaywomcn who in some respects, are doing
more for the uplifting Of the community than
Christian Socialists among it's clergy and laity.
who. however hazy they may be in their socIo-
logical views. are sincerely and earnestly strv
ing to show that their Church Is In hearty sym
pathy with the plain people, the downmost
men In the social system.
While all this has been going on In small
denomination popularity supposed to be the