Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-04
THE TENT CAMPAIGN
CHURCHES IN NEW YORK CITY
PLANNING MISSION WORK.

There IS said to be no greater home mis-
sion field in the world than in New York
city, with it's population of nearly 1900, 900
souls. In fact, home and foreign missions
can be combined there, owing to the large
foreign element in Greater New York,
where only about 20 per cent of the popu-
lation Is of American descent. Exclusive
of members of Catholic, Russian, Greek,
Armenian and Jewish churches, there are
in New York S31, sos Protestant communi-
cants and 1915 additional attendants at
Protestant churches. There are also, &C
cording to figures supplied by the Fedora
ton of Churches of New York city, 1,OS7, 762
churchless Protestants. One in every four
in Manhattan is a Hebrew.
To do this, the evangelistic committee of
Greater New York Is planning a summer
tent and outdoor campaign The plan,
which many of the churches of the city
have agreed to help forward, is the estab-
lishment in the neediest sections of the city
of daily outdoor services in the afternoon
for children and in the evening for adults.
1t is proposed to erect ten or more tents
where vacant lots can be secured. In the
different foreign colonies the preachers will
speak in the language of the people many
of whom do not understand word of Eng
fish. The plans for each tent are compre-
hensive. including preacher or speaker, a
student assistant, who will give all his time
to the organizing Of the work by following
up the people who become interested and
also distributing printed matter. An Or
ganist, cornetist and precentor will gather
volunteer chorus. There will also be
children's worker to conduct children's
meetings and visit homes in the neighbor-
hood. The number of tents and the extent
of the work will depend upon the response
of Christian people. No collections will be
taken in the tent meetings. The commit
tee will depend entirely upon individual sub
scriptions and pledges from churches and
other organizations.
Several churches have signified their will
ltngness to cooperate In this work. The
9th Avenue Presbyterian Church will sup
port at least one tent In case ten tents are
erected. Five are already secured. The
Calvary Baptist, the Brick Presbyterian,
and the Marble Collegiate churches have
all consented to extend the helping hand in
this great effort. About SIS 600 of the $780,,
coo needed has been subscribed. The Rev.
T. b. Ely, for several years superintendent
of the successful Philadelphia summer tent
work will be at the head Of the movement
this season in New York.
A naass meeting was held in Carnegie Hall
on Tuesday evening. May 10. An appeal for
funds to carry on the work OF the summer
campaign resulted in overlooking contribu
ton baskets. Bishop David II. Greer pre-
sided over the meeting, which was very en-
thusiastic in It's greeting OF the bishop, who
said in part:
their differences. are going to preach the
gospel to the city. 1t Is not sensational
movement aiming at sensational results, but
a Christian movement to accomplish en-
couraging moral results. That there is any
moral epidemic here do not believe. but
we have our own peculiar moral problems
to solve, and every Christian should be In
tercsted in their solution"