The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-03-12
PARKHURST MAY RESIGN
MANY MEMBERS OF THE REFORM
ERs' CHURCH DISSATISFIED.
His Violent Opposition to President
Methodists Expect to Raise Money.
Special to the indianapolis Journal.

/ Special 10 the indianapolis Journal.
( NEW YORK, March 1.-THE Rev. Dr.
Charles Fl. Parkhurst, the famous New
York reformer and pastor, is not unlikely 10
quit his New York church at any time. II
is no secret that internal affairs of the Madi-
son-square Presbyterian Church are. like
some other New York Presbyterian
churches not the most prosperous in the
land. Neither is 1t any secret that there is
wide dissatisfaction felt in the congregation
over the stand so vehementIy taken by the
REV. DR.. Parkhurst on national questions.
In the Brick Church. whose pastor. the Rev.
Or. Henry Van Dyke, took an anti-expan-
sion attitude. there was the same immediate
expression Of dissatisfaction. The pastor OF
the Madson-square Church has preached,
not one but half a dozen sermons against
President McKinley's policy There is no
open trouble. for to avoid such members re-
main away Several leading families have
Withdrawn and have gone to other Presby-
terrain churches. The reason that the Rev.
DR.. Parkhurst withdrew from political
activity against Tammany was because ne
was not supported in his outside efforts by
his congregation. That is. while the Madi-
son-square members approved opposition to
Tammany. they did not approve the neglect
I
pastor entailed for the church and its spirit
ual interests. Propositions TO combine with
/ another Presbyterian Church have been re-
peatedly made by the Madison-square peo-
pie within the last few months. and as often
| rejected by the church to which made. The
Rev. DR.. Parkhurst has been mentioned as
president of Amherst College. but President
Hyde, of BowdOin, has now been offered that
place. 1t need surprise no one to hear of
the Rev. DR.. Parkhurst's retirement at any
time, no matter how many denas the state
ment that he is likely TO retire encounters.
The Rev. DR.. A. B. Leonard, senior Sec
rotary of the Missionary Society of the
Methodist Church, returned last Monday
from a tour of investigation in Cuba and
Porto Rico. He reports finding the condi-
tons in Cuba much unsettled, as he had
expected, but believes the churches of this
country ought to lose no time in undertake
ing work there. The secretary was i'm
pressed by the conditions of the men form
ing the fighting force under General Gomez.
Their long experience in war, the fate of
their relatives, the destruction OF the homes
of many of them-theSe conditions, un-
precedented in our history. cause him to
fear these men will not permit themselves
to be absorbed back again into civil occu-
pations. They may instead turn bandits and
Porto Rico he regards more hopeful and
| favorable, not because he found the people
| better educated there, but because there is
in Porto Rico no large class OF men who
have been at war for thirty years. the
whole lives of some of them
The new secretary of the Methodist twen-
tieth century fund, the Rev. Dr. E. NJ. Mills,
was lately presiding elder of the Emira dis
trict, Central New York Conference. and
has a comprehensive plan by which he
hopes TO organize the Methodists of the
North. The raising of $50, O0OO CO., which is to
be used TO strengthen Methodism, not for
branching out upon new lines, is already
meeting the criticism that the denomination
/ is in danger, and that it is no part of the
function of religious body to raise money.
| Those who fear for the spiritual growth Of
| Methodism are sounding this note of alarm.
| The reply is made that English Methodists
/ have been engaged for a year and a half
upon the task of raising 100000 guineas.
and that i'll effects to the spiritual in
/ terests Of the church are yet apparent. It is
| furthermore said that where church people
| give in real sacrifice. renewal of spiritual
/ activity always follows The new plan of
Secretary Mills is copied in part from the
| English Methodists, where the idea of an
end of the century fund originated 1t con-
/ templates getting Methodists, young and
/ old and in all walks of life, to contribute
! definite sums. In England the cry is zone
man, ! guinea" and something Of that sort
| Methodists as soon as Secretary Mills begins
/ work. a great many congregations will try
/ to pay off their debts; the American Uni
| versity at Washington is to try to raise
Sl0V,WC, Syracuse University wants 5000
| coo. and so on.
| Vested choirs in Lutheran churches are
novelty. There exist three or four such, one
of them in Pittsburg. but the first one in
| Lutheran church in New York entered the
chance for the first time last Sunday. They
are said to be fairly common in Germany.
/ Here they are among English-speaking con-
! gregations only. and represent an effort on
\ the part of these Americanized Lutherans
/ TO attain greater dignity and beauty in pub
/ lie worship. The matter of vustment af-
/ forded not little vexation. 1t was not de-
\ sired to copy the Episcopal caSsOck and
4 Gotta. and the Brooklyn committee did not
fancy the habit of the Pittsburg Lutheran
/ choristers. So a new one was devised, con-
/ sisting OF a black cassock having large
i white sleeves. The new choirs, of which
I three others are soon 10 be introduced into
I New York Lutheran churches. are COM
/ posed OF men and women choristers. not
/ men and boys, as is most common among
/ Episcopalians.
! The Society of the Holy Ghost, which is
| TO send two missionaries to this country
/ next month, is one OF the great. If little
known. societies of the Church of England
/ Its headquarters are in Worcester, and it
| is affected by the broad church element
only. The two missionaries about 10 visit
I this Countrywide Rev. Philip Norton, and
/ the Rev. j. Worthington Atkin-wili preach
I'm Episcopal churches in Buffalo, Cleveland,
| Chicago, St. Louis and in others il invited
! by rectors TO do The work of the society
I is TO publish tracts and prayers relating 10
/ the person. work and office of the Holy
! Ghost Ii claims above twenty thousand
members in this country.
The Presbyterian Board Of Home Mis-
/ sions received last week a check for $500
! for work I'm the Philippines. 1t has ap-
| pointed another missionary for that field,
/ and two or three more are TO be named The
| nan just sent out is the Rev. Is. l.. Hibbud
/ formerly pastor OF small congregation in
/ Kansas. The statement is now made that
no successor is likely to be named TO the
/ late Dew. Dr. John Gillespie. An effort is
making TO gee ii the three remaining sec
| retaries will not be able 10 perform the work
1 OF the board and save the expense OF a
/ fourth one.
AS . result OF the extended Moody meet
| ings in Denver early this winter there is TO
be founded in that city preparatory school
/ for boys on the same lines OF the Moody
! School at Mount Hermon. Prominent busi-
| ness men of Denver have bought the SITE
/ and board OF control. with Mr.. Moody at
! IT'S head. has been formed Of leading men
| In Colorado ard In that part OF the West
4 &c.