Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-23

Rev. w. J. Dawson.
Copyright. 1905 by Chickering,
fact that Congregat,onalist as a denomna-
ton should have an tVangeiistic committee,
and should offcstlly call great evangelist
to pursue work under their overs ight is in
itself an Innovation in American religious
history
Mr.. Dawson came. arriving here LAST Feb
ruary. having resigned his church ia Lon
don to give himself exclusively to the
American mission. 1t is row said tEat he
has tentative engagements for three years
10 come. He VIII return to Great Britain
for the summer. however. 1t Is rumored
that the HiGhbury Quadrant Church was
not wholly unwilling to lose its pastor. with
his new access of fervor. There was con-
siderable opposition on the part of inlu-
entail members to turning this aristocratic
church into miss on for slum jewellers.
Careful parents objected to having their
children seated side by SIDE with GenizenS
of the under world. In fact. there seems TO
be growing a sharp division of opinion
among church people i'm America and Great
Britain on this question of the wisdom OF
converting every church into a rescue mis-
sion. As one preacher puts ii in pleading
for the old-fashioned way, i sure there
will be some respectable people in heaven"
The Boston Preachers Go Summing.
At the first opportunity. after taking up
work in this country, Mr.. Dawson put into
practice the street parade idea. While hold
ing meetings in Boston last month he or
gained the ministers of the city one night
for street parade to make a tour of the
south end, and then to return to fremont
Temple for a midnight meeting where hum
dreds of church members had gathered to
see the spectacle Heading the march were
representative New England clergymen of
many faths-Unitarians, Episcopalians.
Congregat ionalists, Methodists and Bap-
lists, besides rescue workers.
4 gaudily attired Salvation Army band
led the procession of 100 men at a rapid
gait through the district visited. Ever and
anon paraders would dart out from the line
of march to give an invitation to onlookerS
on the sidewalk, or to drop into saloon or
other resort where men and women were
gathered.
Secretary Barton of the American board
the Chesterfield of the Congreg ga tionai
House. went into saloon for recruiting
purposes. and while he was gathering fol-
lowers the band and procession passed
out of sight. so that he had little street
parade of his own back to fremont Tenn
pie. Episodes of this sort abounded. There
was some .'guying,'' but there were no in
suits, and when the motley assembly got
back TO fremont Temple it filled the big au-
ditorium to the last inch of standing room.
Denver Dominies Invade Red Light"
District.
However, this was not the first adaptation
of the street parade idea to this country
Mr.. Dawson had previously related his
Brighton experience, and so Rev. DR.. ].
Wilbur Chapman, the Presby evangel-
list, who was holding remarkable series
of meetings in Denver, applied the method
there. One night he led company of min
listers and laymen, estimated a 800 through
the famous red light district of that city.
This part of Denver is constructed on some
what more militant lines than its prototype
in Boston, that the men did not leave the
line of march, but, singing as they went
gave out invitations to midnight theater
meeting.
The proceeding was highly sensational
from two standpoints 1t gave the minis
tiers and laymen a new view of life. They
a side of their own city with which
they had not been familiar. Most of them
could sympathize with Sam Jones address
to some women in a small Ohio city, when
he said, You sisters dear old things,
but you not posted. You are snoring
every night before this town wakes up"
So the Denver churchmen became posted"
This phase of the matter has caused some
antagoniSm to the method, many people
saying that the young laymen and the
preachers should not become informed of
the shady side of city life.
On the other hand, however, the tender
loin jewellers were taught that the church
is really interested in them. They got an
idea of Christian sympathy which they had
never entertained. and they responded
heartily Whatever else may be said of
the street parade plan 1t is certain that it
brings out crowds to the midnight meet
ings DR. Chapman conducted a similar ser
vice in Los Angeles, where his revival meet
ings are said to have affected the whole city
profoundly.
A Millionaire Promoter of Revivals.
With or without the midnight marching.
these city campaigns for religious work are
becoming increasingly popular in America.
They have helped make easy other religious
Innovations Boston ministers are now
talking of maintaining a Sunday theater
service for the people who are not reached
by regular church meetings. Slow Phila-
delphia has gone in vigorously for this plan
and on a recent Sunday there were five diff
ferent theater meetings held on the same
day Philadelphia leads also in tent work.
This method involves the placing of tents
during the warm weather at strategic points
throughout the city, where preaching Is
conducted nightly by evangelists, and after
noon meetings are held for children The
Presbyterans have for six years past sup
ported a dozen of these tents. A prime
mover in the enterprise Is the head OF the
Baldwin locomotive works, John H. Con-
verse who was one of the captains Of in
dustry'' at the famous Prince Henry din
ner. Now the Methodists of Philadelphia
are planning a similar tent work. while
New York and Chicago, together with some
smaller cities, are undertaking similar
projects for next summer.
Whether a great revival is coming or not.
these days are certainly witnessing unpre-
cedentedly aggressive religious activity on
the part Of the churches OF all names.