The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-10-13
DWINDLING OF
CONGREGATIONS
Future Of Down Town Churches
a Subject Of Much Concern.
CoSSOLIDaTIOySARE PROPOSED
Rex Samuel NJ Dick fTs,csss an interest,"
Ing SeTaaon on This Matter TO an
Interested aulIsrcs.
CoKS0LIDaTIOSSARE PROPOSED

The Rev. Samuel NJ. Dick pastor OF tho
Mathewson street Methodist Episcopal
church, delivered most interesting SER
mon yesterday morning before very
large audience on a subject that is caus-
ing much interest In church circles at
present
one OF the most serious problems that
confronts those interested in church work
is the future Of the down town church.
Dwindling congregations and the passing
away OF the standbys OF the church are
subjects of serious concern and the SER
mon of Rev. Mr. Dick yesterday morning
was along these lines.
His text was, 'If Man Die Shall He
Live Again. with suggestions that those
who today are the mainstay OF the
church may live perpetually In making
provision for perpetua ting the support
they now give the church by endowment
of the downtown church to provide for
future maintenance OF the work when In
accordance with the evident tendency OF
the times the down town church will not
have large Immediately surrounding
population from which to receive the
support that 1t will lose when those who
now form the chief reliance OF the church
shall have passed away.
This question is far reaching in its in
nuence. IL sweeps over the whole human
race and interests every person. There is
possibility OF living again in this life
well as in the life to come. The in
spired writer evidently had reference to
the latter, but j wish especially TO call
attention TO the former
HE who endows a chair in college
or university goes on forever teaching,
and he who establishes scholarship goes
on forever as a student. living again and
again in the developing generations OF
the passing centuries.
"A man may live again In the endow-
ment OF down town churches. building
parsonages. or II he occupied a pew in
the church of his choice for many years
perpetuate IL in his own name and mako
1t free TO the stranger and the poor"
CONSOLIDATE CHURCHES.
After the sermon, Mr.. Dick in conver-
sation said that while In his church at
present there was great interest, stu
the necessity OF providing for the future
was apparent. In other cities the Mctho-
dist denomination had been forced to
abandon many downtown churches. In
this city the Chestnut Street church was
an example of this.
Churches OF other denomina tions in the
centre OF the city have long since found
lem, Mr.. Dick said At a meeting OF
the Richmond Street Free Congregations
al church last Wednesday evening the
subject was brought up for considera-
ton In a suggestion that to have this
church unite with the Beneficent Congre-
gational church might be advantageous
for both.
some 300 members. and the Beneficent
church has double that number, or even
more. But congregations have grown
smaller I'm recent years than formerly.
and IL may be traced I'm large measure
to growth Of preference for residence IN
suburban districts. at least on the part
OF those who would be the natural sue
cessors of the old members and wor-
shippers, even IL the latter are held by
old ties to downtown homes and churches.
While the proposition to consolidate the
Richmond Street church and the Benefi-
cent church has been advanced. yet the
OF the former body do not take
kindly 10 It, and one official OF the church
said last evening that unless such a sugs
gestion came from the Benefcent church
II would not be considered.
is WELL SITUATED.
THE Richmond Street church Is very
well situated" he said ito do good worl4
and for some time now the receipts OF
of the church have exceeded the exc
penses" With the advent OF a new pas
tor. the church being now without one.
interest would increase. he thought.
Last evening Rev. Edmund S. Rous-
rector OF Grace church, said
that the question as far as the Episco-
pal church was concerned was not SO
acute as formerly. The enlargement OF
facilities had greatly simplified
the matter especially I'm New York city.
the down town churches there showing
greatly renewed life.
Continuing. Mr.. Rousmaniere said that
instead OF building mission churches in
the outskirts OF cities the church was
building downtown and such church as
Grace church plans to build big parish
house I'm its immediate vicinity, and looks
after the poor not so much as poor peo-
pie, but as people who lack the advan-
ages which should be provided for their
mental moral and spiritual development.
The reverend gentleman believed that
he downtown church, which retains its
Iamily parish support as he believes IL
should be able TO do. should find its work
greatly enlarged In the opportunity to
,ffer advantages TO the people who gravi-
ate to the downtown districts OF grow
no cifiaQ