The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1902-12-26
CHURCH ATTENDANCE.
The Assumption That II Has Fallen on
During Recent Years Denied.

During Recent Years Denied.
To THE EDITOR or THE SrS-Sir: The
falling-or of attendance on divine worship
among Protestant Christians In America
In general and in New York in particular
Is asserted frequently without any question
or contradiction. But believe II the subject
were thoroughly investigated II would be
found that there has not been falling OF OF
church attendance in New York for the last
twenty-five years
II is quite true that about thirty years ago
men like DR.. stephen II Tying, the rector OF
~. Georges. preached to a crowded church
both morning and evening. and that DIT
McElroy. the distinguished Presbyterian
did the same. and that Henry Ward Beeoher
had a crowded church In Brooklyn. But
then. a. now. the majority OF churches we're
but poorly attended.
! have had an opportunity OF investigating
this subject for the past twelve months, ana
] have attended very large number OF
churches both Roman Catholic and Protestant.
The churches OF the Roman community are
undoubtedly much better attended than those
OF the Protestants but they are by no means
crowded. Last winter ! was present at the
morning services OF st Francis Xavier's when
Lent was over, and II was very far from
crowded church At st Patrick's Cathedral
In the month Of June ] found there was no
evening service ] went over TO the Marble
Church. where Or. Burrell was preaching
and I found II literally packed. although
the preaching was simply the old, old Cos
pei" ! attended this church on the last
Sunday evening in June, when the attendance
was falling OF in most churches. but Dr
Burrell on that Sunday evening preached TO II
GRO DIVIDED church On three sunday after
moons ! worshpped with the congre CATION OF
what Is known as the Little Church Around
the Corner" at the o'clock service lhere
was no sermon and very plain choral ser
s" u ", o ,m in Nav Went to the wealthy
S SuaI o ahmr., 80 =; lana. the rector of
Lpiseopa' ehu.un ., for hi. eooience The
church was not packed p,it .ntre, W. va
number OF wealthy peoPie .nrie ~ 40 aYe,inv
S Wei a. az this cbuTch when to my surprise
! found the eioaaent retso, p,chtr Taxed
congregation OF no, more man ;etd a ,,eacher
the sexton how va. na' =, ~ nsopie of The
could not draw IRON we propl. natter
Greauer new n9rk IAN anp aren;nu congragations
3i, 'n mo, nc 1. '" but tha, he Thought the
regu Ar Pensioners never went Out III INV
ev1nihR ooo,r.,,,ions of the Fifth
Ave ne "' Preshv,eri"n Church and Of the
Brick Church were IemarRaP'fT op NOD" there Wa
an equal number OF men and women Inc
larsest evening co4gresa',9hn r ~ aI Rrond way
pal church Is that OF Trace tnuatcni Rmt tSe
cu ns sa"T nrasch At calvary Church. mean
SaiNary Epl~oopH ,, dnlw ths middle ai,les
MUSICAL ~,rvlcr out ohi IN w "Tha curata
OF the ch1rch wrte .lii'u aro,, churches
preacheu ~ lsn,,s ari N found average
anu chap.i- OF ifn,ms P"tth.,, Rut the ser.
congregations IN an OF Ineh,r p1id Trinity
vices did not seem TO DE ,Iopun'a' ,o wv b,,, y,
.hurcn, q courre no'nH a.. ~, moi have n very
Agness Nhapei up'own uorr no' Wash;neton
,5rHe cohsrssh'.,om ,n",roh n', Sunday morn.
iteight. mao lun cnu t ~ ta,,res"ion near nv
ing, ou' .ht .nu,um vi 1ho naItor ri Calvary
Ma oniy man 'u' nr,iar nroacher and
nhpN,t ,hulvn IL, 7 Ala nnt And n lar 90
aims 10 be poDnlar' ou, W. w., INV "
coneIeea,ioi tl'Ie w Wv. 90, sfnc,ory than the
Nothlne ,ou'o o' ~ par,holomev's the
ConNsea.oh- az %, 10 a ID ~ Andre VS.
uthu,cn OF .he i nSa,", n,nrn;nDs and eyeral
tiaIieH on Sunnhy mo- hmrch.s ha 20 very
eoou conHreea.iohs ~ ,n,ia,, maj the Ran
sIvatioh lenuS me 70 uon;ns corvregations
tists have the pes' eSr'''pS but Il mist he
OF any fr9'ts.ah, vi" Unss,,n.n Cathoiics cor.
!ememneren .ma. ~. ,, mo mon oregations than
fanny nav. nuch IT,, o,n;rg and evening
!ne rrotts.ah,S, oS'n a,,endanre seems better
N brookNn cvu rS pnt mr. Uilli. does not
tnan In New lOik , nv, ~ ''''
aiMVs nv ~ iuonn ';nnrestiy.tion has con-
ne result o, in, ~. ,a chWrch attendance
vitcpu ne tnd' NV tnentv ar thirty
u peter Ihhn u~u 70 o many churches
years ago mere hn ah co,rs are divided
nowadays that chnIchsoe's "'
among many churches aid. NJ the Atlantic
lhen. az ISr - w, " Hnd cnngrecations ON
y conSernen. ,ns c, 10 ~ pani's Westminster
a SUNDAY h'eIno3h u. ~ ,,b"rch arc n very
Abbey ana the ienpe "rnmamher in mast
MARKED Coh,ra-' 'o Mia, n.re hold in Tho
years, when r no tEyatSadrsl
~O6servHrn should r TeSannrcb " nv ' DR. MCcon,
American EplSCopal = huI'h ns ~ ri.,inr -"