New-York tribune., 1901-01-25
BISHOP TO CHURCH CLUB.
SAYS IT SHOULD TAKE PART IN THE
FIGHT FOR BETTER SOCIAL
CONDITIONS

/ The annual dinner Of the Church Club Of New
! York held last night at Sherrys. Forty per-
| attended. President George Maccuoch Miller
| presided The guests were General Francis Y.
| Greene the Rev. DR.. William NJ. Grosvenor, Bishop
| Potter, John F Cole. the Rev DR.. Charles
/ T. Olmstead. Captain Frank r. Stockton, L.
! S N: Dr. Francis H. Miller and Captain
! A. r Mahan. At $50 o'clock Mr. Miller asked the
guests to rise out of respect for Queen Victoria.
! whom he described wise, peace loving SOW
ereign and noble
The only formal toast we have" said he. lis
! long live King Edward VII. Let us drink to this
while we are on our feet" All drank TO England's
new King.
Bishop Potter then asked all to drink toast to
the President of the United States. All drank
standing.
When Mr. Miller first called on Bishop Potter for
toast he found that the Bishop had left the
guests table and had gone to another table The
Bishop is hard for some people TO keep
track Of" he said. and this caused a laugh. The
Bishop spoke from the side table at which he was
sitting. He said in part:
The era which we now have to- whether
we recognize it or not, is the most portentous in
with great events. which have important bear
happening in china is only typical of what is hap
penng all over the world; 1t is the bearing OF
Orient We must come proper recognition of
the Importance of these great events and place
all these questions, and we should enlighten
| ourselves on all these things
Bishop Potter referred to the educational scheme
in the Philippines as formulated by the Philip
pine Commission. and to the necessity of utilizing
church edifces. He dwelt on the necessity of the
club and other organizations taking up this ques-
tion also.
Coming down to the matter Of local reform.
Bishop Potter said:
The question of reform home seems TO have
awakened the people. You and should study all
tereSt IN them as TO form puDuC opinion ms,
am sorry to say. the Church is imperfectly doing
which must notice and which are thrust upon
gna f you % S9eq Of IN ms
and thereby awaken the individual conscience you
sST fbe evils The events Of the day in England
bring 10 our attention the force of public opinion
Wrancdoing It excites BIS indignation He imme
diatelv sits down and writes to me LoLuCh aTich
| communications. officials in England are afraid TO
Up to reprobation and having their officiai acts
constantly before the public II they merit criticism
haste Fs and sreed impei him to let thinss 60
this spirit is not calculated to bring about strong
public opinion for reform Now 1t Is true that
misdoing tho part Of a policeman. But these
things are not alone apparent to me. With extor,
a total disregard of the rights If citizens the
what reform is nocessary DurIr.. the Christmas
holidays countryman brought In some Christmas
store The grocer gave his permission for him TO
do a policeman came along and demanded that
he should pay s25 for the privilege of selling his
greens He told that the grocer had given per
mission to have them sold on the sidewalk or curb
but that made difference to the officer. II is
like these which thrust themselves upon our
attention and force TO what reforms are
necessary right here at home We should cultivate
this British idea Of protest and register
demnator of wrongdoing in our officials that
they may he compelled TO walk uprightly for fear
of publicity and exposure.
Believe me, gentlemen IT is in church club like
this that the sentiment for reform can he culti-
waited and better condition advocated which
would enable US to cultivate an enlarged public
| opinion which will work for good.
General Francis V. Greene. Captain Frank r.
| Stockton Z. s. N. the Rev. William VI. Crosvenor
| the Rev Charles T. Omsted and others also spoke