New-York tribune., 1905-08-08
GOSPEL TENT WORK.
More Money Needed for Increased
Actiuity IN Outdoor Preaching.

For several weeks the Gospel has been
preached in tents and in the open air to thou
sands Of persons in this city. 1t has been an
aggressive campaign, carried into the darkest
places where the enemies Of righteousness are
in the majority; carried forward also in other
parts OF the city, where the people are just as
Indifferent 10 religion Il is an organized effort
10 reach The unchurched, the Indifferent and the
wicked
Ministers OF all denominations are united in
this work. many coming from distant parts Of
the country TO take part in it, They work to-
gether and are forgetting TO think Of themselves
as Episcopalians or AIethodists. Presbvterians
Congregationalists or Baptists; they are simply
Christians, and all these are brethren That is
one great thing accomplished. Another is that
men have learned that the Gospel can be
preached in the wickedest parts OF. .New-York. -.
a man who had lived for years near Abingdon
Square was told by one OF his children that
man was preaching in the square. oh no not
IN Abingdon Square No man could preach there
and not be rnobbeJ." But the child insisted and
he went 70 see and found there a great crowd Of
several thousand persons listening quietly to an
earnest evangelist.
At Fort George, that terrible raaeIstroun OF
sin, where the streets are crowded with perhaps
seventy-five thousand persons on Sunday, a
visitor was looking for the Gospel open air
service. He finally asked man where il was.
The latter looked amazed and replied: "Oh, no:
they don't have that here" Yes. they do. and
certainly they need il" They do, indeed" he
replied. Going on 10 the end of the street. the
visitor saw The preacher standing on q bench
talking 10 several hundred persons.
They were from all sections Of the city many
OF them foreigners, and almost all listened at
ten1iyely TO the simple presentation Of the
Gospel story. Here is a foreign missionary
Of min find
listening congregation on any Sunday afternoon,
ana might here on the ground pre-empted by sin
h-Fe many young men and young women from
The traps lald for them. If any Christian man
OF woman thinks II a matter of indifference
kLelher this trightful whirlpool Of temptation
e met ana cOunteracted not, let him 60 to
SUIt George next sunday and see for himself.
1e--aS Ile SFA-igellstlc committee held It's
weekly meeting FOR reports from the field. There
were present more tnan one hundred children
Hol1 lhe tent al oVl1-st and 11th-aye., known
az Hells Kitchen. They sang several Of the
Gospel songs and recited many Of the texts thew
Ezt learned, lhen We're taken TO the park They
had luncheon before returning to their homes
When they had gone, DR.. Ely said he thought
that was the best sermon preached in New,
York this summer, not even excepting the great
sermons OF the Rev DR.. @. CanpbeII RTorear
That those children, coming from such homes
and such surroundings as they did could in q
tew weeks learn TO sing the songs and repeat
The Scripture was in itself harvest for God il
was pointed out. He said he felt that thew
should have been taken 10 one Of the 5th-ave
churches and have the best 10 be had by any
In this connection he said he always felt that
one ought 10 look his best and dress as well as
possible when he goes 10 minister in dark places
lie would ike 10 wear dress suit and carry
roses when he went 10 Hels Kitchen or Cath
erlne Slip.
Then there followed reports from the men and
women conducting the work in the tents and
open air. II one Of the great Italian districts a
large tent is nightly filed with a earnest
thoughtful audience. The utmost order prevails
AID real instruction is given night after night by
The Italian minister in charge. He said to-day
thai while many had come to Christ in this tent,
Il was only the beginning OF the Pentecost that
vas near at hand
came most encouraging reports Of the work
among both children and adults. The great need
here is for more Christian men and women 10
assist in both the Ch1ldrens meetings at Z
also men are learning about God. and out OF
ssaeir wretchedness and sin are coming to Him
4of rescue.
Tents are also at l46th-st. near Amsterdam
ave and at lb4th-st and Boston Road, and at
DOH OF these places large audiences are present
every night
This campaign has been undertaken by the
ttsngelistic committee Of greater NeW-YOrk Of
which 4. J. Pitkin is chairman, and John S
Euyler, Of no. G. Irving Place, and A. f.
schaEiier OF No 105 East 22d-st., are treas
eTeTs. Dr. James i. Ely, Of philadelphia Is
superintendent Of this work, with headquarters
IL, ine Bible Teachers Training School, at No.
50 Lexington-aye.
II could be greatly enlarged II was said, IN the
tEihalnlng weeks II more money could come into
- treasury. Several lots have been given TO
the committee TO be used for tents, which they
would be very glad 20 occupy II they had money
10 PROVIDE The tents. It is expected that the
.heeting next Monday VIII be held in one OF the
-[se 1s uPIowh churches. Announcement Of the
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